THE PASSING OF THE WILD 327 



that their fatalism condemns such provision 

 for future generations, and that they hold 

 themselves privileged to slay every animal and 

 cut down every tree for use at the moment and 

 without thought of those who come after. 



Elsewhere in Africa close times, reserved 

 areas, and expensive licences limiting the bag 

 have been in force for the last twenty years 

 or more ; but such game laws, which may 

 work smoothly enough in small and well- 

 policed countries elsewhere, are often nugatory 

 in the interior of a vast continent like Africa. 

 As a case of the ease with which such regula- 

 tions may be evaded, mention may be made 

 of the prohibition of exporting ivory or trophies 

 from the coast ports during nine months out 

 of the twelve. This is admirable on the face 

 of it, but what is to prevent hunters collecting 

 such material during those months and then 

 taking them down to the coast as soon as the 

 close time is ended ? Again, it is well that 

 large sums should be exacted for these big 

 game licences ; but, on the other hand, the 

 very fact of having paid so much money induces 

 the licensee to get his money's worth. 



The game laws of both North America and 

 South Africa are very complicated, but some 

 of the provisions are of general interest. Thus 

 antelopes are protected throughout the summer 

 months in the Transvaal, Zululand, Swaziland, 



