PREFACE. 



T T is always difficult for an author who claims no literary merit 

 for his work, and who is fully aware of his imperfections in this 

 respect, to find a just excuse for venturing into print ; and if 

 it were not for the hope that the information gathered during ten 

 years of close observation in South Africa and its Interior, however 

 crudely it may be laid before our readers, will prove of real assist- 

 ance, not only to the Sportsman in pursuit of game, but also to the 

 less advanced Students of the Natural History of that country, we 

 should never have undertaken the task which is set forth in 

 the following pages. An additional reason for intruding the result 

 of our experiences upon the attention of the public is the surprise 

 which has always been evinced by those who take an interest in 

 the rich sport which may still be had in the tropical portion of the 

 Continent herein treated of, that no attempt has hitherto been 

 made to bring within the compass of a compact and portable volume 

 complete particulars of the game ranging over the districts to which 

 we have referred. 



Care has been taken to avoid the scientific vocabulary employed 

 in all technical works treating of similar subjects, and in this respect 

 it is hoped that the descriptions of the different animals, birds, and 

 fish will be sufficiently accurate and plainly defined to enable the 

 ordinary reader to recognise without difficulty the varieties as they 

 are referred to. 



We have also endeavoured to set forth in a simple and practical 

 way (avoiding unnecessary prolixity by a narration of actual experi- 

 ences) the methods adopted in the discovery and the pursuit of every 

 description of animal indigenous to that portion of Africa South of 

 the Zambesi which is likely to show sport, including (not, it must 

 be confessed, without considerable difficulty) particulars of the whole 

 of the Game Birds found in that part of the Continent, together 

 with some of its Fresh-water and Sea Fish, as well as a complete list 

 of all known species and varieties of Antelopes, coupled with pic- 



