130 WANDERINGS AND MEMORIES 



The work was, in fact, begun, and Captain Legge 

 had already made an excellent collection of the 

 skins of African and European ducks, whilst Lord 

 William Percy spent a whole year in North America, 

 besides undertaking a very hazardous journey to 

 N.E. Asia to hunt various ducks, study their habits 

 on the spot and collect skins. 



I think that the two following letters from far 

 distant places will give the reader some idea of the 

 difficulties, dangers and unceasing toil and grit 

 required to learn something first-hand of even one 

 genus of birds. Science and the elucidation of 

 truth are hard task-masters and ask their votaries 

 to give all — even life itself — ^without any monetary 

 reward or the prospect of fame. But, on the other 

 hand, England, and in fact all countries, possess 

 men of the " Selous " stamp, who reckon their 

 private interests as of small account. Such men 

 need no pity, rather the reverse, for they get their 

 reward in the Romance of the Unknown and the 

 fascination of the back o' beyond. 



The first is from Captain Legge, when he was 

 trekking across the Great Thirstland — 



" Tsau, 

 " Ngamiland. 

 ''September 27th, 1909. 



" Dear Johnny, 



" I have been meaning to write to you for ever 

 so long, but have always put off till now, and now 

 I have so much to tell you that I don't know where 

 to begin or what would interest you. 



" Our trek up here through the desert was very 

 long and monotonous. We came right through 

 the desert by an old route no one has used for years. 



