Sir Samuel Mbtte Eafeer 593 



be proud that the race from which he sprang can 

 still show specimens of the heroes about whom bards 

 chanted in the brave days of old." 



As a writer Sir Samuel Baker was also admirable. 

 All his books are delightful and fascinating the style, 

 always fluent and correct, sometimes rises to real 

 eloquence. I know of no better reading for anyone 

 who loves graphic narratives of sport and adventure. 



And then he was such a genuine and devoted 

 lover of Nature, though he was not blind to her 

 cruelty. 



" It is a system of terrorism from the beginning to the 

 end. The fowl destroys the worm, the hawk destroys the 

 fowl, the cat destroys the hawk, the dog kills the cat, 

 the leopard kills the dog, the lion kills the leopard, and 

 the lion is slain by man. Man appears upon the scene 

 of general destruction as the greatest of all destroyers, 

 as he alone in creation wars against his own species." 



Readers of Tennyson will remember a passage in 

 " Maud " which breathes a similar sentiment : 



For Nature is one with rapine, a harm no preacher can heal ; 

 The Mayfly is torn by the swallow, the sparrow spear 'd by the 



shrike, 

 And the whole little wood where I sit is a world of plunder 



and prey. 



The parting words of the great hunter to his fellow- 

 sportsmen embody his pet theories on this subject, and 

 on the armament which the modern shooter of big game 

 will find most trustworthy : 



" The lover of Nature will never tire of studying her 

 ways. In all his studies he will discover one great 



VOL. II. 17 



