In \Yiklest Africa * 



of the day even the voices of the birds are generally 

 silent. Only the melodious piping of the organ-shrike 

 sounds somewhere near me, and often, too, the cries of 

 one or other of the baboons which is being corrected with 

 bangs and cuffs by an older member of the pack. 



All the various kinds of animals assembled here tret 



o 



on quite peacefully together. They often almost touch 

 each other, without taking the slightest notice of one 

 another. Even the antelope bucks, adorned with danger- 

 ously pointed horns, make not the slightest use of their 

 sharp weapons against the other species. All the time 

 that I was looking down from my lofty seat I saw nothing 

 but peace and good-fellowship. And yet how quickly a 

 tragedy might interrupt this stillness and peace ! The 

 tracks of lions and leopards down there, the crocodiles 

 on the sandbank, and the vultures hovering in the air 

 told me that. 



Often in this, and in other places, I have gained an 

 insight into the life and ways of the animal world, and 

 I have thus passed many enjoyable hours. Now one, 

 now another species presented itself to my observation, 

 but it was seldom that I saw such a large number of 

 different species at the same ti)ue. Hut in all cases I 

 have found that man is a disturbing element in the: 

 midst of such pictures of the animal Paradise. Even 

 where I could feel sure that the appearance of a white 

 man, a European, was quite unknown to the animals of 

 the district, even then the very moment I showed myself 

 the immediate result was a panic-stricken (light. 



I have still clearly before my eyes the picture that 



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