76 THE SOCIETY FOR THE PRESERVATION OE 



was the work of clerk or secretary. It declared in a few words 

 that 'the larger wild animals known as " big game " ' were being 

 excessively destroyed by travellers and others in East Africa, and 

 would completely disappear from the Protectorate in a few years 

 unless some check was put on their wholesale slaughter. True, 

 even in those days there was some restriction on the killing of the 

 noble fauna of British Africa: there were certain licences, for 

 instance one of £25, which had to be taken out by anyone who 

 desired to kill game in the territory of the British East Africa 

 Company, and a similar regulation existed in the British Central 

 Africa Protectorate as to elephants. But these checks had done 

 next to nothing to save the great game of all kinds from destruc- 

 tion^ The native with his bow and poisoned arrow was the least 

 formidable enemy of great game; it is doubtful whether any 

 species was ever in danger of extinction through such a weapon. 

 The danger really began when gunpowder and rifles were freely 

 imported into Africa, and the sport of big-game shooting became 

 fashionable among rich and irresponsible young Englishmen. To 

 this class of course the licence was absolutely no check. Not all 

 the great game hunters have been quite thoughtless and selfish in 

 the pursuit of their pleasure : there have been honourable excep- 

 tions no doubt : but we are bound to say that on the whole the 

 English sportsman who has gone out to' Africa with his pocket 

 full of money, and his one idea the excitement of the chase, has 

 deserved ill of the Empire. Much of the game has no doubt gone 

 down, inevitably, before the settler and the spread of civilisation ; 

 but vast numbers of animals have been killed in and out of season 

 without the smallest service to the nation. We believe in sport, 

 but it nrust be moderated by a full sense of responsibility. The 

 mere insensate pursuit of horns and heads is quite abominable ; 

 and we are sorry to say that many big-game parties have been 

 organised by young men who in this matter have about as much 

 sense of duty to their country as have the game they pursue. 

 Their one idea has been to pile up a triumphant total of ' kills.' 

 This is a hard, distasteful thing to say, but it is impossible to read 

 these records of wholesale waste and selfishness without rage 

 against the wanton culprits. They have erred largely through 

 ignorance — yes, but is such ignorance quite pardonable in men 

 who have had all the advantages of education ? We remember 

 Stanley blazing out against this careless slaughter without check 

 of the noble life of African plain and forest. Stanley was not 

 exactly the kind of teacher of conduct an English gentleman need 

 take lessons from ; but in this question he did a public service by 

 his angry reproach. 



The old system of licences and regulations, then, served little 

 or nothing to save the fauna of our African dominions. It was 

 clear, years ago, to a German official, Major von Wissman, that, if 

 the great game was to be economised, sanctuaries or reserves 

 must be established. He accordingly set apart two great districts 

 of German East Africa in which game was protected absolutely. 



