CENTRAL AFRICAN GAME AND ITS SPOOR. 



PART I. 



CHAPTER I. 



BIG GAME SHOOTING. 



THE term " sport " is purely relative, depending solely on the place or country one 

 happens to be in and the extent of one's opportunities. The sportsman who 

 has been fortunate enough to come across and kill elephant should be the 

 last to decry the enthusiasm of his brother sportsman who has shown every bit as 

 much ability in obtaining trophies of humbler game. 



As much sport is doubtless obtained by the keen angler who catches a lolb. 

 trout, as by the hunter who kills a good bull elephant. 



In both cases the sport does not lie in the mere slaying, but in the patience and 

 skill necessary to pick out and bring to bag a good specimen of its kind. The 

 angler who secures a 2lb. fish in some small stream has as much reason to be 

 satisfied with his success as he who secures a ten-pounder in more favoured waters. 



Nevertheless, while being in sympathy with all forms of sport, we cannot but 

 think that big game ranks first. 



In later years we have experienced the same feelings in securing a good kudu or 

 pair of tusks as we did in knocking over our first blackbird with a catapult, or 

 bagging our neighbour's cherished cat with our new rook rifle. 



We have sometimes heard the remark that there is more sport in the use of 

 the shot-gun than the rifle, but, as the qualities required to be successful with the 

 former often begin and end with being a good shot, we fail to see how it 

 will bear comparison to sport with the rifle. 



While admitting that a right and left at strong driven grouse or rocketing 



B 



