PREFACE 



Europe in the presence of the finest boar, the most 

 splendid stag, carrying upwards of twenty points, or, 

 still more, in the case of the most favoured in the 

 presence of an old wolf or the finest brown bear, these 

 pale in comparison with the peerless joys of the Nimrods 

 who hunt lions and the great game of Asia, Africa, or 

 America, and who, before winning the glorious 

 trophies, have experienced the petty disappointments 

 incurred in hunting the lion, tiger, buffalo, elephant, 

 rhinoceros, or the fierce grisly ! 



You must have repeatedly experienced these manly 

 emotions, and you make them live again for us in these 

 pages with a sobriety and sincerity as simple as 

 impressive. 



How many times, and for how many years, have I 

 dreamed of being able to experience the joys of this 

 great sport ! 



Alas ! too often our lives are not what we should 

 have wished ; and now that my hair is turning white and 

 the dreams of my youth are still unrealised, a book 

 like yours, instead of reviving my regrets, makes me 

 forget them. Like yourself, and so many others, I 

 am always especially attracted by Africa, that mys- 

 terious continent until lately so little known, which, 

 although we may not realise it, fills our minds with 

 hopes and visions of new discoveries. For instance, 

 does not the case of the okapi justify all imagination ? 



I will, therefore, follow you in spirit through your 

 hunting experiences, which I am so well able to appre- 

 ciate ; but I must not forget, my dear friend, that 

 your second expedition to Portuguese East Africa 

 was not wholly inspired by sporting considerations. 



You must now listen to my next statements. 



(vi) 



