In Wildest Africa -^ 



the dragon, and thus have acquired the gift of holding 

 converse with the birds. 



This much is certain, in the wildernesses of Africa 

 this primeval language is still to be heard. In our hunting 

 grounds at home the voices of the aurochs, the bison, 

 the ibex, the bear, the lynx, and the wolf have been 

 silenced, and many other voices that have belonged to 

 the wild open country since primeval days have all but 

 died away. I have indeed learned to understand only 

 a few words of this language of the wilderness, though 

 I have heard thousands of its sounds. But I may be 

 able to tell something about it. 



What a strong and deep impression this world of 

 sound makes upon the traveller at so many hours of the 

 day and night! Every region, every different kind of 

 country has its own characteristic harmony. One does 

 not always hear it — it depends upon the season of the 

 year and the time of the day, on the changes of weather, 

 and much else. But when one has become even to some 

 small extent familiar and conversant with these various 

 voices, one enjoys this music-language of the Nyika with 

 a sense of deep delight and ever growing understanding. 

 Sometimes it is most difficult to find out the names of 

 the individual speakers. Often they keep very quiet ; 

 they seem to be like great vocalists on tour : they appear 

 suddenly, and then disappear again for a long time, 

 without letting one see any more of them. Then the 

 traveller may often listen long, in vain, for the singer — 

 gone without leaving a trace behind. But it is not only the 

 soloists that charm us. There is also the combined effect 



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