In Wildest Africa -^ 



Rhinoceroses used to be set to fight with elephants 

 in the arena in Rome in the time of the Emperors. It is 

 interesting to note that, according to what I have often 

 heard from natives, the two species have a marked 

 antipathy to each other. It is recorded that both Indian 

 and African rhinoceroses used to be brought to Europe 

 alive. In our own days they are the greatest rarities in 

 the animal market, and must be almost worth their weight 

 in gold. Specimens of the three Indian varieties are now 

 scarcely to be found, while the huge white rhinoceros 

 of South Africa is almost extinct. The two-horned 

 rhinoceros of East Africa is the only variety still to be 

 met with in large numbers, and this also is on its way 

 swiftly to extermination. 



The kind of hunt I am going to tell of belongs to 

 quite a primeval type, such as but few modern sportsmen 

 have taken part in. But it will be a hunt with modern 

 arms. It must have been a still finer thing to go after 

 the great beast, as of old, spear in hand. That is a 

 feeling I have always had. There is too little romance, 

 too much mechanism, about our equipment. In this 

 respect there is a great change from the kind of hunting 

 known to antiquity. 



It was strength pitted against strength then. Strength 

 and skill and swiftness were what won men the day. 

 Later came a time when mankind learnt a lesson from 

 the serpent and improved on it, discharging poisoned 

 darts from tightened bow-strings. The slightest wound 

 from them brought death. Then there was another step 

 in advance, and the hunter brought down his game at 



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