THROUGH THE PLEISTOCENE 
17 
Soon after lunch we drew up at the little station of 
Kapiti Plains, where our safari was awaiting us; “safari” 
being the term employed throughout East Africa to denote 
both the caravan with which one makes an expedition and 
the expedition itself. Our aim being to cure and send home 
specimens of all the common big game—in addition to as 
large a series as possible of the small mammals and birds 
—it was necessary to carry an elaborate apparatus of 
naturalists’ supplies; we had brought with us, for instance, 
four tons of fine salt, as to cure the skins of the big beasts 
is a herculean labor under the best conditions; we had 
hundreds of traps for the small creatures; many boxes 
of shot-gun cartridges in addition to the ordinary rifle 
cartridges which alone would be necessary on a hunting 
trip; and, in short, all the many impedimenta needed if 
scientific work is to be properly done under modern con¬ 
ditions. Few laymen have any idea of the expense and 
pains which must be undergone in order to provide groups 
of mounted big animals from far-off lands, such as we see 
in museums like the National Museum in Washington 
and the American Museum of Natural History in New 
York. The modern naturalist must realize that in some of 
its branches his profession, while more than ever a science, 
has also become an art. So our preparations were neces¬ 
sarily on a very large scale; and as we drew up at the station 
the array of porters and of tents looked as if some small 
military expedition was about to start. As a compliment, 
which I much appreciated, a large American flag was float¬ 
ing over my own tent; and in the front line, flanking this 
tent on either hand, were other big tents for the members 
of the party, with a dining tent and skinning tent; while be- 
