viii PREFACE. 



owing to defective transport in the more remote jungles. 

 Out of the mass of available material such portions only 

 have been extracted as appeared to be interesting, but 

 there is a good deal of sameness in big game shooting, 

 and I am aware that my inferior powers of narration have 

 failed to present the incidents dealt with in a sufficiently 

 attractive form. 



But few of the remarks on the habits of wild animals 

 will be new to those who have visited the jungles fewer 

 still have been the result of my own discovery the 

 majority having been discussed either in the course of 

 conversation, or in correspondence with acquaintances well 

 skilled in jungle -lore, such as the late General Douglas 

 Hamilton, Colonels Geoffrey Nightingale and Hooper, 

 Major Frank Gordon -Gumming, Mr. Sanderson, and other 

 celebrated hunters of big game, but except where other- 

 wise stated they have been verified by personal expe- 

 rience, and the recipes have likewise been personally 

 tested. 



During the construction of the index it appeared that a 

 rearrangement of a portion of the contents would be 

 desirable, but my orders for embarkation being daily 

 expected, no more time can be devoted to this work, nor 

 can I even offer an excuse for its shortcomings, for 

 unlike others who have written on these subjects it has 

 been my misfortune during life to be obliged to wield the 

 pen far oftener than the rifle. 



