In Wildest Africa ^ 



direction. At the same time, on every page of his 

 strikinof work, the President shows that he is in favour 

 of the practice of the chase within proper Hmits, and thus 

 he by no means takes the side of extreme partisans in 

 this matter. His efforts are of the greatest service to the 

 cause, and will no doubt have extremely valuable results 

 in the United States, where, owing to its peculiar circum- 

 stances, the natural treasures of the country were, till very 

 lately, recklessly wasted. 



The establishment of the Yellowstone National Park 

 was largely the President's work. In this vast territory 

 no shot may be fired. It forms an inviolable national 

 sanctuary, within whose boundaries life of all kinds is safe. 

 Several similar reservations are already established, or their 

 establishment is projected. Strict protective laws have 

 been some of them brought into operation throughout the 

 States, and some of them gradually extended to various 

 districts according to their circumstances. Whole tracts 

 (as, for instance, Alaska) have been closed for years by 

 law against the hunter. In short, a period of thoughtless 

 ravage has been followed by an era of self-control with a 

 swiftness that no one would ever have expected under 

 the conditions prevailing in America. 



The facts I have noted give one something to think 

 about. When in such vast regions of the world measures 

 of this kind are found to be necessary, there must have 

 been strong grounds for them. And, in fact, primitive 

 nature and all its glories were in as serious peril in the 

 United States as in many other parts of the world. 

 The cutting down of enormous stretches of forest, and 



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