CHAPTER XVI 
THE LAST SEFARI 
PORTSMEN arriving in British East Africa are natu- 
rally in a hurry to leave the railroad and civiliza- 
tion behind, and plunge into the wilder country as soon 
as possible. Unless the newcomer has secured very unusu- 
ally extensive and reliable information, or unless he has 
placed himself in the hands of a hunter whose experience 
and character are well known, this is a mistaken course. 
There are several professional hunters hanging round 
Nairobi always looking out for a job, whose services are as 
useless as they are expensive. And so many inexperienced 
sportsmen, and others with no conscience, have for one 
cause or another supplied these gentlemen with testimonials 
so wholly out of keeping with facts that written recom- 
mendations are of little use. If you have time, as I have 
said more than once in these notes, much the best way is 
to go out alone or with a friend on your own sefari, and 
learn the ways of the country, its natives, and its game. 
Afterward when you begin to know what you want, engage 
a professional hunter if you need him. 
If you have the good fortune to be in no great hurry, 
do not too quickly rush away from Nairobi. It is a beau- 
tiful and most interesting place, and in no way can you 
learn so quickly what you want to learn, or gain so much 
information that will prove valuable, as you can by making 
a few short expeditions in the neighbourhood of the town. 
Here one at least of the game rangers is to be found. These 
officers know more about the location of game, which, by 
the way, is constantly changing, than any one else. 
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