In Wildest Africa 



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(which I must say do not always rise to a high level 

 from the ariistic point ot view ') are coloured sketches 

 accompanied by descriptions, and show us such multitudes 

 of wild animals that they seem to border on the fabulous. 

 For we see in them elei)hants, rhinoceroses, g-jraftes, 

 buffaloes, zebras and antelopes, all gathered together in 

 crowds, and thus one inclines involuntarily to the opinion 

 that all these have been brought together in one picture 

 merely to give illustrations of the various species. But 

 my own observations have shown me that our artist is 

 perfectly correct. One sees how necessciry it is to make 

 documentary records of such observations. The men of 

 a later time, as I plainly realise, may be able to place 

 before theniselves a picture of all this primitive abundance 

 of animal life only with the greatest trouble and by 

 means of earnest study ot every authority bearing on 

 the matter. 



Enormous periods ot time must have gone by to 

 develop all the beauty and splendour of this so varied 

 and so highlv organised lite. Mv thouLrhts ranije over 

 far distant times. I see, looking so near that it seems 

 as if one could touch it with one's hands, one of the 

 mightiest volcanoes of our earth gradually un\-eiling 

 itself and stripping ctl' its robe ot' clouds. The volcanic 

 regions below it remind me of the story of how all my 

 surroundings were developed. 



Born in tire, and exoKed, differentiated, and formed to 



' It appears tliat the explorer conipleted .some of these sketches 

 after liis return with the help of stuffed s[)eciir.ens, hut he drew others 

 entirely from nature on the .African velt. 



262 



