INTRODUCTION 7 



equally fortunate. Nobody contracted serious ill- 

 ness, and of the animals none but the donkeys lost 

 condition. There are, I imagine, few parts of the 

 world where nine consecutive months could be spent 

 with impunity under similar conditions. Of course, 

 my Indian experience was invaluable, in that it had 

 taught me the rudimentary principles of the preser- 

 vation of health in hot climates. Nor would I re- 

 commend a similar trip unless at least one of the 

 party possessed some similar knowledge ; and, of 

 course, at any time I might have been called upon 

 to dress wounds of a character familiar to those with 

 pigsticking experience. Still, looking back as I do 

 now upon the various incidents of my journey, and 

 bearing in mind the fact that during a period of 

 nine months my average bag with the rifle did not 

 exceed two animals weekly, which includes gazelles 

 and oribi, I am surprised that the Eastern Sudan is 

 not more frequently visited by sportsmen, and that 

 the itinerary of those few should include almost in- 

 variably no more than the Blue Nile and Dinder. 

 I estimate that, excluding new rifles and the cost of 

 my P. & 0. ticket between Bombay and London, 

 my expedition cost me 900 for the nine months 

 spent in the country. Indeed, I spent 750 in the 

 Sudan itself upon transport, servants, and similar 

 objects. However, there should be plenty of sports- 

 men in the world, to whom money is no particular 



