298 ON SAFARI 



tlie game ! They advocate violent changes, relaxation 

 of the game-laws, reduction of " sanctuaries," and so on. 

 The logic of this is sultry, as befits its tropical birth- 

 place ; let us turn to lighter vein. 



" Of what possible use is the rhinoceros ? Like the 

 bull in a china-shop, he is far more dangerous than 

 picturesque ; he can walk through a fence as a nigger 

 through a melon-patch, and is far more destructive. 

 What good are such beasts as the hippo, lion, leopard, 

 and buffalo ? All can only be classed as the most 

 dangerous vermin " ! Somewhat grotesc[uely, these cogi- 

 tations are still prefaced by the declaration that " for the 

 preservation of the fauna of this country, none is a 

 stronger advocate than the Editor." 



Now, my dear Mr. Editor, have you seriously 

 considered that if you, in a passing fit of "the blues," 

 decide on exterminating the rhino, the lion and all the 

 rest, that that crime w^ill remain irreparable till the end 

 of time ? While there is, on the other hand, no evidence 

 of any failure in the race of editors. There are ingrates 

 who might rejoice to see a few more rhinos and few^er . . . 

 say thoughtless scribblers. 



Here is another cjuestion from the same source : 

 " Why should vast tracts be reserved as sanctuaries for 

 game, and the sturdy immigrant with moderate capital 

 be forbidden to settle thereon ? " Well, I will answer 

 that question. Those tracts were delineated years ago 

 (by experts wdio knew" by long years' experience what 

 they w^ere doing) as absolutely uninhahitahle by man — 

 white or black. The absence of water, the presence of 

 tsetse-fiy, malaria and such-like natural causes preclude 

 these regions ever being settled upon. They are useless 

 for any other purpose, and are therefore reserved for 

 game. If you, my " sturdy immigrant," don't know 

 this, it is clear you need some one to tell you for your 

 own advantage. But, cjuite possibly, you do know it 

 all ; 3'et still want to settle on forbidden ground merely 

 because it is forbidden — out of sheer " cussedness," in 

 short. Again, it is conceivable (to those w^ho have been 



