CHAPTER XU. 



SOMF. WONDERS OP THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



I AM afraid it w mid be tedious 

 to you if I should give the par- 

 ticulars that attended many of 

 the interesting discoveries of our 

 friends in Southern Africa. They 

 saw some of the wildest and 

 grandest scenery on their way 

 through the Drakenberg Moun- 

 tains, and encountered storms and 

 tempests almost the equal of the 

 appalling cyclones of our own 

 country. There were times when 

 it seemed impossible to advance 

 farther ; but, before the point of 

 despair was reached, some way 

 opened to push on, until we find 

 them at the point where they went 

 into permanent camp, and devoted their entire attention to the capture of curiosi- 

 ties for the menageries in whose employ they were. 



It occurs to me that I ought to have mentioned long ago that the procuring of 

 wild animals is not always such a difficult task as would seem. It is customary to 

 have a resident agent in each of the principal cities of Europe. He is on the look- 

 out for curiosities. Then, all the zoological gardens of Europe act as agents, and 

 are in constant correspondence with other managers. And lastly are the parties 

 of men who go out on special elephant-hunting expeditions in India and Africa. 



At a certain season of the year, one agent, a white man, mounted on a camel, 

 will ride through the country, and the news of his approach will quickly be com- 

 municated to the natives in the interior. When he arrives at some well-known 

 point of rendezvous, he will be met by hundreds of the black natives, each member 

 of the party having in charge a camel, a giraffe, a rhinoceros, a party of monkeys, 

 or a group of wild goats, these having been secured by the natives during their 

 hunting expeditions. 



The sending of the party into the interior of Southern Africa, under charge of 

 Mr. Carl Godkin, was in the nature of a venture or experiment, and it was a very 

 successful one, as the succeeding chapters will show. 



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