3^0 RECAPITULATION AND CONCLUSION 



the sake of what we know to be there, as for that 

 which may be. I am of opinion that these un- 

 frequented vastnesses of Africa have still much to 

 yield us in the way of zoological and other sur- 

 prises, and these rewards not seldom reserve 

 themselves for those to whom appreciation of 

 sport and travel adds its advantage in the in- 

 vestigation of the more untrodden fields of 

 African research. 



I am afraid, were it in my power to do so, I 

 should devote a large portion of the country lying 

 to the north of the Zambezi to the purposes of 

 game preservation, and to such a design it would 

 admirably lend itself. It possesses all the neces- 

 sary qualities for the establishment of a sanctuary 

 capable of affording a perfect refuge to every 

 beast within its borders, and not only to these, 

 but it would admit of most interesting experiments 

 in the acclimatisation and propagation of varieties 

 from other parts of the country which are tending 

 from one cause or another to grow alarmingly 

 scarce. This is a phase of game preservation to 

 which, I have sometimes thought, sufficient at- 

 tention has not in the past been directed. It is of 

 course obvious that, left to themselves, certain 

 types, such for example as the springbuck, the 

 oryxes, and others, have preferred to pass their 

 lives on the vast plains of Africa, moved thereto, 

 doubtless, by considerations which to observers of 

 understanding are perfectly intelligible, and no 

 useful result would attend any experiment having 

 for its object their removal therefrom ; but there 

 are many types among the forest -dwellers un- 



