PREFACE 
viii 
My ambition may briefly be defined thus:—That 
ere the reader has completed his perusal, he will feel 
satisfied that he has been “ personally conducted ” through¬ 
out savage Sudan and afforded an insight into both the 
physical features and the wild Fauna of the country— 
an insight that, in the nature of things, cannot be com¬ 
prehensive, but at least is accurate so far as it goes 
and as the Author interprets the ways and the workings 
of wild Nature. 
In depending so largely for illustrations on my own 
rough sketches, I risk testing the confidence of readers. 
These crude efforts have, however, been so kindly received 
during thirty years past, that I may fairly ask both critics 
and the public to share some of the responsibility. The 
only merit in the sketches, if any, is that they have 
been drawn on the spot and from the Life. In the present 
case it is probable that many of the creatures so depicted 
—however unskilfully—have never before been sketched 
in their haunts. But the aim remains to-day identically 
the same as defined in my first Preface (December 17th, 
1888)—“to serve as character-sketches rather than as 
portraits and without pretension either to scientific 
accuracy or to artistic merit.” Mr E. Caldwell has, 
however, furnished several beautiful drawings of Big- 
Game and Mr J. G. Millais most kindly helped me with 
a Crocodile—“struck stiff” For numerous photographs 
illustrative both of typical scenery and of many details 
in bird-life, I am indebted to my gallant colleague 
Captain Lynes. 
To my friends Dr W. Eagle Clarke, I.S.O. (Past 
President of the British Ornithologists’ Union) and 
to Mr George Bolam (among the first of our field- 
naturalists) my hearty thanks are due—to both for 
frequent advice and assistance : to the latter also for 
the kindly compilation of an all-inclusive index. 
The crowning glory of the Sudan lies in its virgin 
Savagery; no appreciable area has yet been filched from 
