AFRICA THE LARGEST GAME PRESERVE IN THE WORLD 445 



an ear]y hour, and it was not until then we could appreciate the full 

 extent of the calamity which had befallen the town. 



" Fully three-fourths of all the buildings had entirel}^ disappeared 

 from the scene, and of those remaining, a large part were in utter 

 ruins. Man}' of those remaining had been swept from their original 

 foundation — some but a few yards, others several blocks. 



" Numerous bayous indented the shore, occupying the places wiiere 

 prominent buildings stood 24 hours previous. Five of these ba3'ous 

 extended clear across the town, and now join the lake in rear of the 

 town. Seven others of considerable proportion had extended their 

 encroachments but partially across." 



Leaving Indianola much impressed b_y the immense damage 

 wrought, and a few days later [)assing through Galveston, I broached 

 to Mr E. 0. C. Maclnerney, for years city clerk, the probability of 

 Galveston suffering similarly in later years. Mr Maclnerney had 

 served for years as an observer-sergeant of the Signal Corps at Gal- 

 veston, and was alive to the observations I then made. He informed 

 me that steps were being taken to strengthen the ocean beach so as 

 to render it less liaVjle to the action of the sea. Whether such cor- 

 rective measures were continued or not I do not know, but it is evi- 

 dent both Galveston's late experience and the fate of Indianola, 

 which was practically destroyed, emphasize the gravity of the situa- 

 tion. The best engineering talent of the countrj^ should apply itself 

 to the prompt solution of the problem of protecting the tens of thou- 

 sands of valuable lives and tens of millions of propert}' from tlie 

 assaults of the sea, whose wildest hurricanes threaten the stability of 

 the western Gulf coast. 



AFRICA THE LARGEST GAME PRESERVE IN THE WORLD 



The fact that the wild animals of tlie world arc in danger of exter- 

 mination is being forcibly driven liome to the minds of all who are 

 interested in natural history. This condition is the result of the 

 ruthless persistence witii wiiicii game; of every kind is hunted, and it 

 may ijo laid at the door mainly of the rapacious gatherers of hidt-s 

 and ivory. These, however, are assisted to a marked degree by 

 sportsmen and hunters, who for mere sport kill groat numl)ers of 

 valuable animals and wantonly slaughter the (isb and birds. 



