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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 20:13:07 -0700 |
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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 20:13:07 -0700 |
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diff --git a/39581-h/39581-h.htm b/39581-h/39581-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..84fc224 --- /dev/null +++ b/39581-h/39581-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,18223 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<!-- $Id: header.txt 236 2009-12-07 18:57:00Z vlsimpson $ --> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Life Of Frederick Courtenay Selous, D.S.O., By J. G. Millais, F.Z.S. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.linenum { + position: absolute; + top: auto; + left: 4%; +} /* poetry number */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.u {text-decoration: underline;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; +} + +.tnote { + border: dashed 1px; + margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; + padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em; +} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Life of Frederick Courtenay Selous, D.S.O., by +J.G. Millais + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Life of Frederick Courtenay Selous, D.S.O. + Capt. 25th Royal Fusiliers + +Author: J.G. Millais + +Release Date: April 30, 2012 [EBook #39581] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FREDERICK COURTENAY SELOUS *** + + + + +Produced by Moti Ben-Ari and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<h1>LIFE OF FREDERICK<br />COURTENAY SELOUS, D.S.O.</h1> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i">[i]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="center"><i>BY THE SAME AUTHOR.</i></div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[ii]</a></span></p> + +<p><b>The Mammals of Great Britain and Ireland.</b> 3 vols. +Quarto, cloth, gilt top, £18 18s. net.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p><span class="smcap">Volume</span> I, Order Cheiroptera, Order Insectivora, Order Carnivora. +With 18 Photogravures by the Author; 31 Coloured Plates by the +Author, <span class="smcap">Archibald Thorburn</span>, and <span class="smcap">G. E. Lodge</span>; and 63 +Uncoloured Plates by the Author, and from Photographs.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Volume</span> II, Order Carnivora (<i>continued</i>) and Order Rodentia. +With 21 Photogravures by the Author, <span class="smcap">H. Grönvold</span>, <span class="smcap">G. E. Lodge</span>, +and from Photographs by <span class="smcap">D. English</span>; 19 Coloured Plates by +<span class="smcap">Archibald Thorburn</span> and <span class="smcap">G. E. Lodge</span>; and 33 Uncoloured Plates +by the Author and from Photographs.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Volume III</span>, Rodentia (<i>completion</i>), with the Hares and the +Rabbit; the Cervidæ (The Deer family); the Bovidæ (the Oxen), +and the Cetaceæ (Whales). With 23 Photogravures from Drawings +by the Author, <span class="smcap">H. Grönvold</span>, and E. S. <span class="smcap">Hodgson</span>; 12 Coloured +Plates by the Author, <span class="smcap">A. Thorburn</span>, and <span class="smcap">H. W. B. Davis, R.A</span>.; +and 44 Uncoloured Plates by the Author, <span class="smcap">A. Thorburn</span>, Sir +<span class="smcap">Edwin Landseer</span>, and from Photographs.</p> +</div> + +<p><b>Newfoundland and its Untrodden Ways.</b> With 2 Maps, +6 Coloured Plates, 6 Photogravure Plates and 115 other +Illustrations by the Author and from Photographs. +Royal 8vo, cloth, 22s. net.</p> + +<p><b>The Wildfowler in Scotland.</b> With a Frontispiece in +Photogravure after a Drawing by Sir <span class="smcap">J. E. Millais</span>, +Bart., P.R.A.; 8 Photogravure Plates, 2 Coloured +Plates, and 50 Illustrations from the Author's Drawings +and from Photographs. Royal 4to, cloth, gilt top, +30s. net.</p> + +<p><b>The Natural History of the British Surface-Feeding +Ducks.</b> With 6 Photogravures and 66 Plates (41 in +Colours) from Drawings by the Author, <span class="smcap">Archibald +Thorburn</span>, and from Photographs. Royal 4to, cloth, +gilt top, £6 6s. net.</p> + +<p><b>British Diving Ducks.</b> With Coloured, Photogravure, and +Collotype Plates by <span class="smcap">Archibald Thorburn</span>, <span class="smcap">O. Murray +Dixon</span>, <span class="smcap">H. Grönvold</span>, and the Author. 2 vols. +Imperial 4to, cloth, gilt top, £12 12s. net.</p> + +<p><b>Rhododendrons,</b> in which is set forth an account of all +species of the genus Rhododendron (including Azaleas) +and the various Hybrids. By <span class="smcap">J. G. Millais, F.Z.S., +M.B.O.U.</span> With Coloured Plates by <span class="smcap">Archibald +Thorburn, Beatrice Parsons, E. F. Brennand</span>, and +<span class="smcap">W. Walker</span>; also 14 Collotype Plates and numerous +Half-tone Illustrations. 4to. 16 x 12 ins. £8 8s. net.</p> + +<div class="center"> +LONGMANS, GREEN & CO.,<br /> +LONDON, NEW YORK, BOMBAY, CALCUTTA AND MADRAS. +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<a name="frontispiece" id="frontispiece"></a> +<a href="images/i004.jpg"> +<img src="images/i004-t.jpg" width="284" height="400" alt="Photo: J Russell & Sons. +Frederick Courtenay Selous, D.S.O., +Captain 25th ROYAL FUSILIERS. +Killed in Action, January 4th, 1917." title="" /></a> +<span class="caption"><br />Photo: J Russell & Sons.<br /> +Frederick Courtenay Selous, D.S.O.,<br /> +Captain 25th ROYAL FUSILIERS.<br /> +Killed in Action, January 4th, 1917.</span> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[iii]</a></span></p> + +<h1> +LIFE OF FREDERICK<br /> +COURTENAY SELOUS, D.S.O.<br /> +CAPT. 25TH ROYAL FUSILIERS +</h1> + +<div class="center">BY</div> + +<h2>J. G. MILLAIS, F.Z.S.</h2> + +<div class="center"> +Author of<br /> +"Rhododendrons,"<br /> +"The Mammals of Great Britain and Ireland,"<br /> +"The Wild Fowler in Scotland,"<br /> +"Newfoundland and its Untrodden Ways,"<br /> +"The Natural History of the British Surface-Feeding Ducks,"<br /> +"British Diving Ducks," etc.<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +WITH 14 FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR AND 2 PORTRAITS<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +SECOND IMPRESSION<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +NEW YORK:<br /> +LONGMANS, GREEN AND CO.<br /> +FOURTH AVENUE AND 30TH STREET<br /> +1919 +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[iv]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[v]</a></span></p> + +<h2>PREFACE</h2> + +<p>In preparing the life of my friend, Fred Selous, I have +to thank his brother Edmund, and his sister Mrs. +Jones (Ann Selous) for contributions regarding his +parents and early life. I am also indebted to his friends, +Sir Alfred Pease, Captain P. B. Vanderbyl and Mr. Heatley +Noble for certain notes with regard to short expeditions +made in his company. Mr. Abel Chapman, a life-long +friend, has also assisted me with numerous letters which +are of interest. But most of all have I to thank Mrs. Selous, +who from the first has given me every assistance in furnishing +details of her husband's adventurous life, and allowed me +to read and extract from the numerous letters he wrote to +different members of his family during a considerable part +of his life. Selous had many friends, but none evinced a +more keen understanding of his life and work than Colonel +Theodore Roosevelt, Ex-President of the United States, +and I feel grateful to him for the attention he has given to +the following pages and the use he has allowed me to make +of his numerous letters.</p> + +<p>The Author has also to thank Messrs. Macmillan and Co. +and Messrs. Rowland Ward and Co. for the use they +allowed him to make of two of Selous' works, namely, <i>A +Hunter's Wanderings</i> and <i>Travel and Adventure in S.E. +Africa</i>. He is much indebted to their kindness in this +matter, since they give in the hunter's own words accurate +details of his life.</p> + +<div class="right"> +J. G. MILLAIS,<br /> +<span class="smcap">Compton's Brow, Horsham.</span> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[vi]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[vii]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<div class="center"> +CHAPTER I<br /> +1851-1865<br /> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Ancient and modern heroes—The character of Selous—The Selous +family—Edmund Selous' notes—An artistic and ancient race—Selous' +parents—Family life—Selous' father—Some of his +reminiscences—His mother—His uncles—Selous' childhood in +London—Early schooldays—Selous' own story of his youth—His +first battle—Youthful adventures—His athletic prowess—Life +at Belton</p> +<div class="right">Page <a href="#Page_1">1</a></div> +</div> + +<div class="center"> +CHAPTER II<br /> +1865-1870<br /> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>He enters Rugby—Love of books of travel—Life at Rugby—Rugby +football in the old days—"Butler's leap"—Excursions +in Natural History—Adventures out of bounds—The +Pilton Range episode—Raid on the Heronry at Coombe Abbey—A +cold swim—Unjust treatment—Wanderings with the rifle—Chased +by the keeper—Mr. Boughton Leigh's broad-mindedness—The +ice accident at Regent's Park—The panic—A narrow escape—Canon +Wilson's recollections of Selous as a schoolboy—"Williamson's" +duck—Neuchâtel—Wiesbaden—His friend Colchester—A +row with the forester—He flies to Salzburg—Butterfly +collecting—Chamois hunting—The Franco-German War—Its +unpopularity in Austria—His estimate of the German character—Visit +to Vienna—Back in England</p> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_29">29</a></div> +</div> + + +<div class="center"> +CHAPTER III<br /> +1871-1875<br /> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>The influence of literature—Books on Africa—Thomas Baines—Baldwin—Selous +lands in Africa—Leaves Port Elizabeth—Sport +on the road—Arrival at Kimberley—A short expedition +into Griqualand—Starts for the north—His companions—The +first giraffe hunt—Lost in the bush—An unenviable position—Loses +his horse—Reaches safety—His first lions—Meeting with +Lobengula—The Matabele king's humour—Cigar—Elephant +hunters—Piet Jacobs—William Finaughty—His life as an +elephant hunter—Selous kills his first elephants—Cigar's good +qualities—Selous remains in Matabeleland—Joins Wood in an +elephant hunt—A great day—A fatal accident—The Dett +valley—Elephant hunting—Charged by a cow—A narrow +escape—A doubly loaded elephant gun—Further adventures +with elephants—Return to Bulawayo—Game in the Dett valley—Selous +goes north to the Zambesi—Visit to the Chobe—Begins +his collection of trophies—Adventures with buffaloes—Abundance +of game—His first lion—A savage charge—Arrives at Tati</p> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_65">65</a></div> +</div> + + +<div class="center"> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[viii]</a></span> +CHAPTER IV<br /> +1876-1878<br /> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Lands again at Algoa Bay—Reaches Matabeleland—Kills a fine +lion—George Westbeech—Return to the Diamond Fields—Loses +a fine lion—The comparative danger of hunting various +wild animals—Views of experienced hunters—Adventures with +buffaloes—Goes north to the Zambesi—Hunting in the Chobe +delta—Sepopo's elephant drives—A charging buffalo—Selous' +horse killed by a buffalo—Further adventures with buffaloes—Their +speed and cunning—A depressing outlook—Visit to the +Zambesi—Portuguese misrule—The Kafukwe country—An unhealthy +region—Illness of Owen and Selous—Restored to +health—Elephant hunting on the Hanyane river—Clarkson and +Wood—The death of Quabeet—A vicious cow—Nearly crushed—Kills +a lioness—Plans for the future</p> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_99">99</a></div> +</div> + + +<div class="center"> +CHAPTER V<br /> +1879-1880<br /> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Intends to visit the Mashukulumbwe country—Expedition into the +northern Kalahari—The Botletlie river—Adventure with lions—The +difficulties of the Thirstland—The Mababe flats—Oxen nearly +exhausted—Finds water—Kills two lionesses and two fine lions—Hunting +on the Linyanti and Chobe—The death of French—Sick +with fever—Causes of the Zulu War—The magnanimity of +the Zulus—Selous' visit to Cetewayo—The story of John Dunn—McLeod +of McLeod—The Swazi king's reasoning—Selous' +views on the Zulu War—Sir Godfrey Lagden—Selous again goes +to Matabeleland—J. S. Jameson, some details of his life—Expedition +to Mashunaland—Return to England—Causes of the +first Boer War—Selous' first book—Slaughter of game in South +Africa—The ethics of Big Game hunting</p> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_120">120</a></div> +</div> + + +<div class="center"> +CHAPTER VI<br /> +1881-1885<br /> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Return to South Africa—Intends to be an ostrich farmer—Goes +north again—The snake-stone—Collecting specimens of big +game and butterflies—A bold lioness—Visit to Khama—Lion +attacks the camp—Death of the lion—Laer's narrow escape—Kills +a leopard—Reaches the Zambesi—Goes south and then +returns to Mashunaland—The Manyami plateau—A savage +leopard—Adventure with a lion—The hippopotamus row—A +poor outlook—Visit to the Mababe—A man-eating lion—Return +to Bulawayo—The white rhinoceros—A wonderful herd of +elephants—A great day spoiled by a sulky horse—Frequently +charged by elephants—A savage cow—Curious magnanimity to +a horse—Liechtenstein's Hartebeest—A gallant sable antelope—Havoc +amongst the dogs—Danger from wounded sable and roan +antelopes</p> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_141">141</a></div> +</div> + + +<div class="center"> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[ix]</a></span> +CHAPTER VII<br /> +1886-1889<br /> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Expedition to Mashunaland with Messrs. Jameson, Fountaine and +Cooper—A serious accident—Sets out for Barotsiland—Arrival +at Wankie's—Extortion by the Batonga chiefs—Monzi—The +Mashukulumbwe—Into the jaws of death—Attack on Selous' +camp—Selous escapes south—Pursuit by the natives—Lucky +meeting with a Wildebeest—His rifle stolen—Nearly shot—Reaches +Monzi's village—A dangerous position—Marancinyan—Suspicious +friendship—Moves south with guides—Meets some +of his men—Their adventures—Reaches Panda-ma-tenka—Sikabenga's +treachery—Crosses the Zambesi again—Wanderings +in Barotsiland—Return to Bamangwato</p> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_157">157</a></div> +</div> + + +<div class="center"> +CHAPTER VIII<br /> +1889-1892<br /> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Expedition to the Mazoe river—Reaches Tete—The extortions of +Maziwa—Mapping the new country—Discovery of Mt. Hampden—Trouble +with the Portuguese—The importance of Mashunaland +to Great Britain—Selous' scheme of occupation—Rhodes' plans—Lobengula +and Cecil Rhodes—The Charter of the British South +African Company—Selous' proposed road—The pioneer expedition +starts—The cutting of the road—Lobengula's ultimatum—The +road complete from Tuli to Salisbury—Treaties with local +chiefs—The Odzi road—The Portuguese attack Massi-Kessi—A +fiasco—A night with lions—Visits the Pungwe district—A +great game country—Progress in the new country—Leaves +South Africa—The Hartley Hills lion—An unfortunate miss-fire—A +gallant foe—Death of the lion—Lion hunters—The +brothers Hill—Methods of hunting—Sir Alfred Pease—Selous' +writings—The Government neglect of science—The jealousy +and poverty of scientific societies—America's good example—The +miserable treatment of African explorers—Selous and Rhodes—The +rewards of hard work—The pioneer's only monument</p> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_172">172</a></div> +</div> + + +<div class="center"> +CHAPTER IX<br /> +1893-1896<br /> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Cupid at work—Engagement to Miss Maddy—Intends to visit +America—Trouble in Matabeleland—History of Matabele raids—The +position in 1893—Hunters enter Matabeleland—Selous +returns to South Africa—Joins Col. Goold-Adams' column—Preliminary +fights—Selous wounded—The first battle—The +Matabele retreat north—Disaster to Major Wilson's column—Selous' +prophecy—Return to England—Marriage—Honeymoon +on the Danube and in Asia Minor—Hunting in the mountains of +Asia Minor—Leaves again for Mashunaland—Essex vale—The +new Bulawayo—The cloud of trouble—The Umlimo—The rising +of the natives—The defence force—Col. Johan Colenbrander—Driven +from Essex vale—Isolated engagements—The fight on +the Umguzra—Selous surrounded—His horse runs away—His +life saved by Capt. Windley—A narrow escape—Work on the +main road—Arrival of Sir H. Plumer—Mr. Labouchere's views +of the second Matabele War—The future of S. Rhodesia—The +difficulties of farming there—Markets too distant—Selous +attacked by Labouchere—Messrs. Rowland Ward and Co.—Their +kindness to Selous—The Nyala—Expedition to the Pongolo +and Usutu rivers—An unhealthy country—Return to England</p> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_197">197</a></div> +</div> + + +<div class="center"> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x">[x]</a></span> +CHAPTER X<br /> +1896-1907<br /> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Selous' restlessness and love of travel—Roosevelt on the charms of +travel—Criticism of travel books—Selous as an egg collector—Second +visit to Asia Minor—Short excursions at home—Goes +with his wife to the Rockies—Wapiti hunting—Roosevelt on +past and present hunting in N. America—Hunting chamois in +Transylvania—Selous on the second Boer War—An Imperialist, +but always fair—His sorrow as to the causes of the war—Personal +knowledge of the Boers—An honourable foe—Their +ignorance and good qualities—Selous' views on their unjust +treatment—Letter to the "Speaker"—Roosevelt on the Boers—Birds'-nesting +on the Danube—Hunting moose in Canada—Newfoundland +caribou hunting on the railway—A poor sport—Goes +into the interior—Too late for the migration—Second visit to +Newfoundland—A successful expedition—Third visit to Asia +Minor—First expedition to East Africa—A big game paradise—Birds'-nesting +at home—First expedition to Alaska—Visit to the +Ogilvy Mountains—Up the North Fork of the MacMillan—Kills +a bull moose—Osborn's caribou—A great moose—Bad weather—Third +trip to Newfoundland—A wet season—King George IVth +Lake—A bad year for heads</p> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_224">224</a></div> +</div> + + +<div class="center"> +CHAPTER XI<br /> +1906-1907<br /> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>A visit to Bosnia—Second expedition to Alaska—Down the Yukon—Up +the South Fork of the MacMillan—Caribou, wolf and moose +hunting—His sympathetic nature—Account of the MacMillan +trip—Again visits Asia Minor—Financial depression—Arthur +Neumann—Some details of his life—Reindeer hunting in Norway—African +nature notes and reminiscences—Letters from President +Roosevelt</p><div class="right"><a href="#Page_257">257</a></div> +</div> + +<div class="center"> +CHAPTER XII<br /> +1908-1913<br /> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Roosevelt's expedition to Africa—Selous' arrangements—Selous +joins Roosevelt at Naples—Goes to the Northern Gwas N'yiro +with MacMillan—Fails to obtain lions—Accident to Mr. Williams—Selous +at Vienna—Warburton Pike—Expedition to the Bahr-el-Ghazal—Goes +to Tembera—Phil Oberlander—Killed by a +buffalo—Some stories of Oberlander—Selous' hunt for the +Giant Elands—A hard trip—Illness and rapid recovery—Third +expedition to East Africa—Judd's adventure with a lioness—Roosevelt +on African hunting—Physical limitations—Selous' +last buffalo—A gallant foe—Elani his Somali nearly killed—Dislike +of crowds—Visit to the Channel Islands—Roosevelt on the +early Normans—Heatley Noble on Selous—Their expedition +to Iceland—Selous' imperturbability—His powers as a climber—Selous' +idea of a good dinner—Selous on his Icelandic trip—Yearnings +for Africa—Young Fred Selous—A true son of his +father—His athletic prowess—An excellent airman—His untimely +death</p> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_267">267</a></div> +</div> + + +<div class="center"> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">[xi]</a></span> +CHAPTER XIII<br /> +1914-1915<br /> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Visit to Texel Island—Intends to make expedition to the Bahr-el-Ghazal—Frustrated +by the war—Selous' patriotism—Efforts +to serve—Lord Kitchener thinks him "too old"—Col. Driscoll +and the War Office—At last taken for service in East Africa—Selous' +account of the capture of Bukoba—Letter to Heatley +Noble—The position in East Africa in 1915—Letters to the +author—German ascendancy—The Indian Government forces—Precarious +position of the British forces—Intends to publish +his experiences—Roosevelt's letters—German thoroughness—Roosevelt +anxious for America to join the Allies—Letters to +the author on the difficulties of the campaign—Unfortunate +mistakes—The Munyamwesi—Wonderful fighters—Advance to +Kilimanjaro—General Smuts in command—Description of the +advance—A deadly climate in the wet season—Returns home for +an operation—Again leaves for the front</p> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_299">299</a></div> +</div> + +<div class="center"> +CHAPTER XIV<br /> +SEPTEMBER, 1916-1917<br /> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>The last journey—Arrival at Tanga—German East Africa in 1916—The +difficulties of the campaign—Progress by General Smuts—The +Royal Fusiliers go to Mikesse—A fearful march—General +Smuts on the action at Beho-Beho—Selous' gallantry—His death +at the head of his men—A noble life—Captain Haines on the +last days of Selous—Selous' grave—General Smuts on the future +of German East Africa</p> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_340">340</a></div> +</div> + + +<div class="center"> +CHAPTER XV<br /> +CHARACTER, APPEARANCE, ETC.—SOME STORIES OF HIM<br /> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Untiring energy as a hunter—His modest requirements—Rifles—A +story of his practical nature—Sir Alfred Pease on Selous as a +hunter and naturalist—The average of shots required in various +lands—Selous as a hunter—His love of the shot-gun—Perseverance +to excel—The Brocklehursts—A lover of cricket—Bicycling—The +triumph of physical fitness—His personal +magnetism—Memory—Powers as a story-teller—Diffidence—Inclined +to melancholy—The spring of perennial youth—The +force of heredity—Slatin Pasha's estimation of Col. Marchand—Selous' +opinion of Marchand—Powers of speech—His independence +of thought and action—Literary gifts—Kindness of heart—Hatred +of crowds—The perpetual call of the wild—Home-sickness—The +nostalgia of travel—A great reader—His preferences +in literature—Personal friends—Hospitality at home—Lewanika's +fears—His attitude towards religion—Roosevelt on +Selous—Selous' great influence as a pioneer—A noble life and a +fitting end</p> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_352">352</a></div> +</div> + + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p><span class="smcap">Index</span><br /></p> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_377">377</a></div> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xii" id="Page_xii">[xii]</a></span> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xiii" id="Page_xiii">[xiii]</a></span></p> +<h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Frederick Courtenay Selous at the age of 59</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#frontispiece"><i>Frontispiece</i></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right"><span class="smcap">to face page</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Plains of the Orange Free State in 1871</span> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_64">64</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Selous as a Young Man, in Hunting Costume</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_80">80</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Elephants</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_112">112</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Buffaloes Alarmed</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_144">144</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">On the Mashuna Plateau</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_176">176</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Battle of the Strong</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_192">192</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Lions Chasing a Koodoo Bull</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_224">224</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Wandering Minstrel</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_240">240</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Osborn's Caribou</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_256">256</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Mt. Kenia from the South</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_272">272</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Bull Moose about to lie down</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_288">288</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Mt. Kilimanjaro from the North</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_304">304</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">A Shot on the Plains, British East Africa</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_324">320</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Faru! Faru!</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_336">336</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">They cannot break his Sleep</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_368">368</a></td></tr> +</table> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xiv" id="Page_xiv">[xiv]</a></span> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> +<h1>THE LIFE OF<br />FREDERICK COURTENAY<br />SELOUS, D.S.O.</h1> + +<h2>CHAPTER I</h2> +<h3>1851-1865</h3> + + +<p>Men of all ages are apt to set up for themselves +heroes. It is their instinct to worship exceptional +force of character and to follow a leader; but as +we survey the tempest of human suffering we are now more +apt to wonder if there are any great men left in the world +and think that perhaps, after all, we have made a mistake in +putting on pedestals the heroes of the past; for tried in the +light of the present day they would, perchance, not have +proved heroes at all. The cynic may even sneer at this +lovable trait in human nature and affect to place all men in +a commonplace ratio, but then it is easier to be a cynic +than a man of faith. Nevertheless, Humanity must have +something to trust, to acclaim and admire, and so millions +of all ages cling to their worship of the hero, even though +he may wear top hat and trousers. There will always +be great men amongst the mass of pygmies, though many +say the age of hero-worship has gone—doubtless swamped +in the scale of colossal events. Still, if the great men of the +past were not as large as they seemed, the little men of to-day +may be greater, in spite of the fact that the chief actors +in the modern drama of life are nations and not individuals.</p> + +<p>But what constitutes a great man will ever be the result<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span> +of individual opinion. In Russia to-day millions, perhaps, +think Lenin and Trotsky are demi-gods, whilst an equal +number call them traitors and would prefer to see them +hanged. To us, perhaps, the belief that Right will triumph +over wrong, and the man who in simple faith gives up all +that is sweet and pleasant to serve his country in the most +fearful strife the world has ever seen, is the embodiment +of heroism. There are tens of thousands of men who have +done the same as Frederick Selous and none are less heroes +than he; each and all of them are as much entitled to +their pedestal of fame, although they may not have exhibited +the mind that influences for years in many lands. +They have all counted the cost and endured the sacrifice, +and they do not talk about their inner thoughts. This, to +our minds, is true heroism.</p> + +<p>So in studying the life of one Englishman, great in the +sense that everything he did was big, honourable, clever, +and brave, we shall realize how character is formed in the +iron mill of experience, how a man unhelped by wealth +or social advantages and gifted only with exceptional +talents in a line, mainly unprofitable in a worldly sense, +came to win through the difficulties and dangers of a more +than usually strenuous life and reach the haven of completed +work. Selous was a type of Englishman of which +we are justly proud. His very independence of character +and impatience of restraint when once he knew a thing +was right was perhaps his greatest asset. He knew what +he wanted to do and did it even if it resulted, as it did on +one occasion, in his personal unpopularity. It was this +fearless striving towards the Light and constant love of +what was beautiful in Nature, that forced him into Literature, +so that others might see with his eyes the things that +he thought were best. And thus he rose and became a +type and an influence in our national life, and in time swayed +the lives of others.</p> + +<p>The Selous family were originally French Huguenots, who +settled in Jersey after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. +Annoyance at being turned out of France caused Gideon +Slous to omit the "e" from the surname, but later this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span> +was re-adopted by his son Frederick Lokes Selous, father +of Frederick Courtenay. Of the character of his parents +and uncles Edmund Selous kindly sends me the following +notes:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"... I can only say generally, that my father was a +man of high and varied talents and very high character, of +French, or at any rate, Jersey descent, and that he started +with nothing in life, and with only such education (beyond +what he owed to his mother, an uncommon woman, who +probably did better for him) as an ordinary private school +had afforded, equipped himself with French and Italian +in perfection, entered the Stock Exchange at an early age, +had a successful career there, and rose to be Chairman of +its Committee. He was a fine whist and chess player (more +especially, or more notedly, the latter) and was reputed, I +believe, at one time, to be the best amateur player of the +clarionet. Music was his constant and greatest delight, but +his pen was also an instrument which (though he sought no +public beyond his friends) he often used very entertainingly. +He was a brilliant—often a witty—talker, with a distinction +of manner, more French- than English-seeming in +its light debonairness, and his individualities, traits, foibles, +etc., were so many and vivid, that to write either of him or +of Dr. Johnson with scanted pen, would be much the same +thing. My two uncles, the artist and dramatist, who lived +next door, on each side of us, would also require portraiture +for anything beyond this bare statement. Both were out-of-the-canvas-stepping +personalities, carrying with them +atmosphere and aroma.</p> + +<p>"My mother was an exceptionally thoughtful and broad-minded +woman—more advanced, on most subjects, than +where they stand now—a vivid and vital being, of great +vivacity, gladness (that never was levity) and conversational +powers, with a gift for the interchange of ideas +(which is not, by any means, always the same thing). She +was also a poet, as her little volume of collected pieces, +'Words without Music' (a modest title) testifies, at least +to myself. She had joyous 'L'Allegro'-like country instincts, +a deep inborn love of the beauties of nature (which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +she sketched charmingly), and great feeling for, and interest +in both plant and animal <i>life</i>. I underline that word, in +its last connection, because killing was quite another thing +for her, and her whole soul shrank away from it. But of +course, as you know, what, in root and origin, may be the +same, is often differentiated in the sexes, and so inherited +by each. It was, I think, undoubtedly through our mother +(though he did not, personally, much resemble either parent) +that my brother inherited everything that made him distinctively +himself. By this I mean that though much and +that the best—as, for instance, his patriotism and love of +truth—may have come to him from both sides, and some +from the other only, it was that one that gave to it, and +the whole, its original life-shaping turn. The whole was +included in the blood of the Bruces of Clackmannan, representative, +I believe, of the elder branch of the family that +gave Robert Bruce to the throne of Scotland, but what +exact position, in our family tree, is occupied by Bruce, +the Abyssinian explorer, I do not quite know. However, +he must have been some sort of ancestor of my brother, +and Bruce, since the intermingling, has been a family +name, though not given to any of us surviving infancy, +owing to an idea which had arisen, through several +instances of such association, that it had become unlucky. +In this regard, it has been rather the patronymic, which, +from one war to another, has borne the malevolent influence. +None have come back, either wounded, invalided or at all. +All killed outright—but this by the way. Had it not been +for my mother, therefore, my brother, in all probability, +would either never, or not in any preponderating degree, +have felt the 'call of the wild,' for my father not only never +felt it, but never was able to comprehend the feeling. There +was, in fact, nothing at all in him of what was my brother's +life and being. He was, in the proper evolutionary sense +of the word, essentially a civilized man and a Londoner. +Sport was, for him, an unknown (and much disliked) +quantity, and though taking, in an air-tight-compartment +sort of way, some interest in insects, he had not much about +him of the real naturalist. Those feelings (imperishably<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +summed up by Jack London in the title of his masterpiece) +which, coming out of a remote past, beckon back the only +supposedly or but half-made-up civilized amongst us, from +late into early conditions, were not, as I say, his heritage; +and this was equally (or even more) the case with his +brothers—my two uncles—and as far as I know or have +ever heard, all the precedent members of the family. I +believe, therefore, that by the intervention—merciful or +otherwise—of the Bruce, Sherborn, and Holgate families, +between them, my brother was saved, or debarred, from +going either into the Stock Exchange or one of the settled +professions. Which kind of phraseology best suits the conjuncture +I know not, but I think I know what my brother's +own opinion would be, since it put the particular circumstances +of that event of his life, in which, of all others, he +would esteem himself most happy and fortunate—I mean +his death—upon a footing of certainty.</p> + +<p>"I have alluded to my brother's independence of home +(or, I think, of any) influence. I look upon him as a salient +illustration of Darwin's finding that the force of heredity +is stronger, in the individual, than that of education and +surroundings. So far back as I can remember—at least +with any distinctness—he was always just himself, with a +settled determination that, in its calm, unobtrusive force +(giving the idea of inevitability) had in it something elemental. +He may not have lisped Africa (which was far +from the family thoughts) but, if not, he, at least, came so +near to it, as to have made us all almost remember that he +did. He seems to have brought with him into this world +'from afar,' a mind long made up as to the part he should +play in it, and his career was more than half run before any +circumstance admitted by him as deflective from its true +course, arose..."</p></div> + +<p>Mrs. Jones (Ann Selous) also paints a pleasing picture of +the early life of the family in their London house:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"We lived in Gloucester Road, Regent's Park, in a house +my father built for himself. At that time there were no +other houses near, but all fields between his home and Primrose<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +Hill, some way off; but this superior state of things +his children never knew. Our uncles, my father's brothers, +lived on either side of us. My father was vice-Chairman of +the Stock Exchange for five years, and Chairman for three, +until a very serious illness obliged him to resign and give +up everything in the way of work. He was a fine chess +player, his name is to be seen in the games amongst those of +the great players of the day. He was also a very fine clarionet +player, which instrument he taught himself when very young, +and I well remember his beautiful tone, far beyond that of +Lazarus, the chief professional player of the day, who no +doubt sacrificed tone to technique. Whenever there was a +speech to be made my father was equal to the occasion, +having great fluency and humour and real wit. He was a +delightful talker and his memory was a store-house of +knowledge and recollections that he could draw upon whenever +required. He was a very genial and admirable host, +very high-spirited and excitable. He could never forget +the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, when the Huguenots, +his forebears, were driven from France. 'They turned us +out! They turned us out!' he used to say to my mother, +a real thought of bitterness to him. His greatest pleasure +and relaxation was a walking-tour in Switzerland, a land he +specially loved. He had often been there with one or other +of his brothers, or with his great friend Baron Bramwell, +the famous judge. These trips must have been ideal, my +father and his brothers having in themselves everything +that was necessary to make them gifted in all the arts, and +so appreciative of nature and everything else, and with their +lively sense of humour and wide interests they were able +to extract the most from all they might chance upon in +their travels, those being the days before tourists flooded +the country and huge hotels swamped the more interesting +inns. My father loved the busy life of the City, and had no +country tastes such as farming or hunting, but he delighted +in the life by the river—in canoeing, specially—and in a +farmer's country home in the Isle of Wight, where, when we +were children, we spent the summers. He was a fine swimmer +and would swim out with one or other of us on his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> +back. I well remember his energy, mental and physical, +were remarkable. The loss of sight seemed only to affect +his later years. His mind was clear and equal to dealing +with his affairs to the last. At a very advanced age he had +started tricycling and delighted in it. I think my father +and my brother Fred were very dissimilar in character, +interests and tastes. There was no 'call of the wild' in my +father—nor, I think, in my mother, except through her +imagination. My father left a few reminiscences which were +never finished, as dictation tired him—he was then over +eighty and blind. They are full of interesting memories +which end unfortunately when he was still very young."</p></div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I was born," writes my father, "on the 9th of March, +1802.... I was a precocious child, for I was told that I knew +my letters at about two years of age, and could read at three +and a half and recite on a table at about four. I perfectly +recollect declaiming the quarrel between Brutus and Cassius +in Shakespeare's 'Julius Cæsar.' Also I remember the announcement +of the death of Nelson in October, 1805, and +witnessing his funeral procession in January, 1806.<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> I was +perched on the shoulders of a journeyman baker named +Guesnel at the corner of Poland Street, from whence I +beheld the catafalque containing the remains of the illustrious +Nelson, the whole affair resembling much the interment +of the Duke of Wellington, which I witnessed in 1852—forty-six +years later. My brother Harry (the artist, +H. C. Selous), who was thirteen months younger than I, +remembers witnessing this spectacle too.... I can recollect +weeping bitterly at hearing the first news of our great +admiral's death, and the awe and wonder with which I +looked upon the ceremony of his interment.... I was sent +to school at Islington at the age of seven, and upon the +master desiring me to read from a book which he gave to +me he expressed himself so surprised at my reading that he +told my mother he would not put me into any of the reading +classes of the upper boys, as I should put them to shame. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span>I was at that time so strong and so hungry that I frequently +carried some of the biggest boys round the playground +(which was a large one) for an extra slice of bread and butter +with which they repaid me. I was at school about a twelve-month +and then came under my mother's care for instruction, +and to her I owe more than I can possibly express +with regard to my early education. She taught me the +French language, Greek and Roman history, and the +three R's—reading, writing, and arithmetic. When I was +ten years, I was sent to a school called the Burlington school, +where I improved my French, became a tolerable Latin +scholar, and gained a smattering of mathematics. After +being for two years at this academy, I was recalled to +home rule and education and never had any further instruction +from master or professor. At this time my +brother and myself were allowed to wander about the streets +uncontrolled and might have been considered as a sort of +street Arabs, though we always selected our associates +carefully." (Later on my father had to work very hard, +very long hours, up till midnight four days in the week, +but it did him no harm, and he was very strong and active. +A great part of his time was occupied in reading every +variety of book he could get hold of, from which he gained +much general information, having an unusually good memory. +Plutarch's lives were his first admired works. Pope, Addison +and Johnson came next. He made the acquaintance of +some of the celebrated Italian singers and learnt to speak +their language fluently. All this part about the Italian +singers is very interesting, and many things connected with +the theatre likewise.)</p> + +<p>"I also witnessed another performance which shocked +me more than anything I ever beheld, for I was then very +young. It was in 1815 or 16, I think, I happened to be +rather early one day in my long walk to Great St. Helen's, +which took me past St. Sepulchre's and the broad opening +to the narrow streets of the Old Bailey. The sun was +shining brightly across Newgate, and on chancing to look +towards Ludgate Hill I saw dangling to a beam at the +west side of Newgate five human beings suspended by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> +neck. One of them was a woman, who with a feeling for +symmetry had been hung in the centre. All five had white +night-caps drawn over their faces to conceal the horrible +convulsions of the features. I don't know what their +crimes had been, people were hanged in those savage days for +stealing a shilling, or even cutting a stick from a plantation. +The time appointed for cutting down the bodies had nearly +arrived, and the crowd had diminished to an apathetic +group principally engaged in cracking nuts and jokes, and +eating brandy balls all hot; but horror gave speed to my +steps and I soon left hideous Newgate behind me. I recollect +a great sensation caused by the execution of Fauntleroy +for forgery." Here end these notes by my father.</p> + +<p>"I think I remember rightly that at fourteen my father +was not only making a livelihood for himself, but supporting +his father and mother. He was most charitable and had +the kindest heart in the world, and that high sense of +honour which so distinguished his son. I think that though +these few extracts from his reminiscences are not, perhaps, +of importance, yet they throw some light on my father's +character, and indirectly it may be on my brother's also, +for certainly in strength of purpose, energy, and will to +succeed, also in vigorous health and constitution, they were +alike. They also had both a great facility for learning +languages. We were amused to read in a book on African +travel by, I think, a Portuguese, whose name for the moment +I forget, that he came across the great hunter (I forget +if he put it like that) Selous, 'somewhere' in Africa, who +addressed him in the French of the 'Boulevard des Italiens!' +As I think this traveller was supposed to have a lively +imagination, we accepted Fred's superior accent (after so +many years of never speaking or hearing French) with some +grains of salt. But not very many years ago at some +international meeting to do with sport, at Turin or Paris, +Fred representing England, he made a speech in French, +on which he was much complimented, for accent, wit, and +fluency alike.<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a></p> + +<p>"My mother,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> like my father, had a wonderful memory, +and was a great reader, from childhood, her home possessing +a big library. Scott was her great delight then, and indeed +always, and poetry was as nectar and ambrosia to her. +She had great facility in writing herself, very charmingly, +both poetry and prose, all of the fantastic and imaginative +order, and she had quite a gift for painting. Considering all +the calls made on her time, of home and family (social, +likewise), which were never neglected, it was wonderful that +she could yet find time for all her writing and painting. +Her perseverance and industry in the arts that she loved +were really remarkable. We children greatly benefited by +her love of poetry and story, for she was a true 'raconteuse' +and we drank in with delight the tales from the old mythologies +of romance and adventure. She would tell us of +deeds of 'derring-do' and all that was inspiring in the way of +freedom and love of country. Certainly with her, as with +Sir Edward Clarke, poetry was 'a never failing source of +pleasure and comfort' to the last. (As it was also with +me.) In the last year of her long life she could still repeat +her poetic treasures with the greatest fire and spirit. She +had a vigorous and original personality, with strong and +decided views which she would express with energy. Her +hands were full of character, strong yet most delicate, and +much character in her features, with a smile that lit up her +face like a ray of sunshine. Her maiden name was Sherborn—Ann +Sherborn—(her mother's maiden name, Holgate).... +Her relations and ancestors were county folk—gentlemen +farmers some of them. The Sherborns of Bedfont +near Staines, held the great tythe, and her uncle was the +squire. None of the last generation married, the name has +died with them and may be seen only in the little Bedfont +churchyard.</p> + +<p>"My mother's uncle (her mother's brother), William +Holgate, was fond of searching out genealogies and he +managed to trace the Abyssinian Braces until it joined +our Bruce family tree. There were many original—and it +may be eccentric—characters amongst my mother's relations +and forebears, and many interesting stories that we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +loved to hear, about them. Her genealogical tree interested +us greatly, partly because the names were so curious, as it +went back to the early days of history, and because of the +stories connected with them, and also because if not +Bruce himself, his elder brother, David King of Scotland, +figured in it. Then there was Archbishop Holgate of York, +who was a great rogue (I looked up his life in the Minster +precincts when I was there) and hand and glove with +Henry VIII in the spoliation of the monasteries, yet he +redeemed himself by the establishment of Free Schools, +which flourish in York to this day.</p> + +<p>"It may be that this spirit of romance and adventure +that we breathed in from our earliest years, had some +influence on my brother Fred, and fired his imagination; +but why from the very first there should have been the +persistent desire like an 'idée fixe' for Africa, I cannot +tell, unless, indeed, it might be something of 'Abyssinian' +Bruce cropping up again. But as a child he would have a +waggon for a toy, to load and unload, and for his school +prize books he would always choose one on Africa. This +desire for the dark continent remained constant in him till +satisfied, and indeed to the last.</p> + +<p>"My mother had quite an unusual interest in, and knowledge +of, natural history, and my father also made some +fine collections of butterflies, etc., which are still to be seen +in my brother's museum. My father's youngest brother, +Angiolo—a man of the most polished and courtly manners—was +as dark as my father was fair. Entirely educated by +his mother, there was little in which he did not excel. He +had a beautiful voice and was a charming singer, often to +his own accompaniment on the guitar, and was a well-known +dramatist in his time, some of his plays being most +successful. How well I remember the first night of his +'True to the Core,' when we all went across the river to +the Surrey Theatre and helped with our feet and umbrellas +in the general enthusiasm. He was a fine actor and dramatic +reader, and a charming artist. We have a perfect gem of +his—Don Quixote, sitting in his study—the colouring, the +face and expression, the painting, are perfect, and one feels<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +that Don Quixote must have looked just so. The haggard +face and the wild look in the eyes that are seeing visions. +But it was unfortunate that my uncle neglected this talent +altogether. My uncle, Harry Selous, was of course the +artist, excelling chiefly, I think, in his beautiful outlines of +the 'Pilgrim's Progress,' and his 'Metamorphoses of Ovid,' +on which subjects he could draw on his imagination for +ever, it seemed. It is a thousand pities they have never +been produced. His illustrations of the Life of Bruce and +Hereward the Wake are fine, and The Prisoners of Calais +and Boadicea are well known. The latter most fine, I think. +He would paint the most charming landscapes with great +rapidity, and his chalk (coloured) and pencil sketches from +his travels in Switzerland are charming too, and endless +numbers of them. He painted some of the famous Coliseum +panoramas, each in turn being painted out by the next one, +which always seemed very dreadful. His original illustrations +drawn on wood, were exquisite, and it was cruel to +see how they were spoilt in the wood-cutting, but he valued +his work so lightly that he did not seem to mind much +about it. My grandfather, Gideon Slous, had a very great +talent for painting, and was a fine colourist, quite like an +old master, and he painted some beautiful miniatures also. +He was a man of violent temper."</p></div> + +<p>Frederick Courtenay Selous was born in the house in +Regent's Park on December 31st, 1851. The other children +of his parents were: Florence, "Locky," now Mrs. Hodges; +Annie, married to Mr. R. F. Jones; Sybil, "Dei," married +to Mr. C. A. Jones; Edmund, married to Fanny, daughter +of Mrs. Maxwell (Miss Braddon). He is a well-known student +of British bird-life and has published many interesting +books on British Natural History.</p> + +<p>Of the childhood of Frederick little more need be said. +He was an active little fellow, never more happy than when +playing with his wooden waggon and oxen or listening to his +mother's stories of romance and adventure. At the age of +nine he went to school at Bruce Castle, Tottenham, of which +Arthur Hill was the headmaster, and there chiefly distinguished<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +himself by being constantly in trouble. Later +he went for a short time to a small school in Northamptonshire, +kept by the Revd. Charles Darnell, whose daughter +(Mrs. Frank Juckes) recalls one characteristic incident.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"One night my father on going round the dormitories to +see that all was in order, discovered Freddy Selous, lying +flat on the bare floor clothed only in his nightshirt. On +being asked the cause of this curious behaviour he replied, +'Well, you see, one day I am going to be a hunter in Africa +and I am just hardening myself to sleep on the ground.'"</p> +</div> + +<p>One day in 1914, I found Selous busy at his desk at +Worplesdon. On being asked what was the nature of his +work, he said he was writing an account of his school days +for a boys' magazine. He did not seem to think it would +be of wide interest, and so had written his early adventures +in simple form merely for the perusal of boys and had +changed his own name to that of "John Leroux."</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"It was a damp and dismal winter's day towards the end +of January, 1861, on which the boys reassembled after their +Christmas holidays at a well-known school not far from +London. Nevertheless, despite the gloom and the chilliness +of the weather conditions outside the fine old mansion +which had but lately been converted into a school, there +was plenty of life and animation in the handsome oak-panelled +banqueting hall within, at one end of which a +great log fire blazed cheerfully. Generally speaking the boys +seemed in excellent spirits, or at any rate they made a brave +show of being so to keep up appearances, and the music of +their laughter and of their fresh young voices was good to +hear. Here and there, however, a poor little fellow stood +apart, alone and friendless, and with eyes full of tears. +Such unfortunates were the new boys, all of them youngsters +of nine or ten, who had left their homes for the first +time, and whose souls were full of an unutterable misery, +after their recent partings from fond mothers and gentle +sisters. The youngest, and possibly the most home-sick of +all the new boys was standing by himself at some distance +from the fire, entirely oblivious of all that was going on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +around him, for he was too miserable to be able to think +of anything but the home in which he had grown to boyhood +and all the happiness, which it seemed to his young +soul, he could never know again amidst his new surroundings.</p> + +<p>"Now as it is this miserable little boy who is to be the +hero of this story, he merits, I think, some description. +Though only just nine years old he looked considerably +more, for he was tall for his age, and strongly built. He +was very fair with a delicate pink and white complexion, +which many a lady might have envied, whilst his eyes +sometimes appeared to be grey and sometimes blue. His +features, if not very handsome or regular, were good enough +and never failed to give the impression of an open and +honest nature. Altogether he would have been considered +by most people a typical specimen of an English boy of +Anglo-Saxon blood. Yet, as a matter of fact, as in the case +of so many Englishmen, there was but little of the Saxon +element in his composition, for whilst his father came from +the Isle of Jersey, and was therefore of pure Norman +descent, his forebears on his mother's side were some of +them Scotch and others from a district in the north of +England in which the Scandinavian element is supposed to +preponderate over the Saxon. But though our hero bore a +Norman-French name the idea that he was not a pure-blooded +Englishman had never occurred to him, for he +knew that his Jersey ancestors had been loyal subjects +of the English crown ever since, as a result of the battle +of Hastings, Duke William of Normandy became King of +England.</p> + +<p>"It was not long before the new boy's melancholy +meditations were rudely broken in upon by a handsome +lad of about his own size, though he was his senior by more +than a year. 'Hullo,' said young Jim Kennedy, looking +roguishly into the sad, almost tearful, eyes of the young +Jerseyman, 'who gave you that collar? Why, you look +like Queen Elizabeth.'</p> + +<p>"A fond mother had indeed bedecked her darling boy +with a beautiful collar of lace work several inches in breadth +which spread over his shoulders, but which he soon found it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +advisable to discard as it made him the butt of every wit +in the school. But though the collar was suppressed, the +name of Queen Elizabeth, that august lady to whom Kennedy +when first addressing him had declared that his mother's +fond gift had given him a resemblance, stuck to him for +many a long day.</p> + +<p>"The laughing, jeering interrogatory, acted like a tonic +on the new boy, who though of a gentle, kindly disposition, +possessed a very hot temper. His soft grey eyes instantly +grew dark with anger as looking his questioner squarely +in the face he answered slowly, 'What is that to you, who +gave me my collar?'</p> + +<p>"'Hullo!' again said Jim Kennedy, 'you're a cocky +new boy. What's your name?'</p> + +<p>"'My name is John Leroux,' said the young Jerseyman +quietly and proudly, for his father had taught him to be +proud of his Norman ancestry, and had instilled into his +son his own firm belief that the Normans were a superior +people to the Saxons, than whom he averred they had +done more for the advancement of England to its present +great position, and for the spread of the empire of Britain +over half the world.</p> + +<p>"Kennedy repeated the unfamiliar name two or three +times, and then with a derisive laugh said, 'Why, you're a +Frenchy.' Now although it was quite true that on his +father's side John Leroux was of Norman-French descent, +for some reason difficult to analyse, the suggestion that he +was a Frenchman filled his young heart with fury. His +face grew scarlet and his fists clenched involuntarily as he +answered fiercely, 'How dare you call me a Frenchy! I'm +not a Frenchman, I'm an Englishman.'</p> + +<p>"'No, you're not,' said Kennedy, 'you're a Frenchy, a +frog-eating Frenchy.' Without another word young Leroux, +from whose face all the colour had now gone, sprang at his +tormentor, and taking him unawares, struck him as hard a +blow as he was capable of inflicting full in the mouth. +And then the fight commenced.</p> + +<p>"Fifty years ago manners were rougher and ruder in +these islands than they are to-day. Prize-fighting was a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +respected and popular calling, and set fights between boys +at school of all ages were of constant occurrence.</p> + +<p>"A ring was soon formed around the combatants and +though the majority of the onlookers resented what they +called the 'coxiness' of the new boy and wanted to see him +get a licking, there were quite a number of young barbarians +whose sympathies were entirely with Leroux, for his pluck +in engaging in a fight on his first day at school made a strong +appeal to them. The boys were evenly matched, for though +Kennedy was more than a year older, he was no taller, +and little if any stronger than his opponent, who, moreover, +had had a certain amount of instruction from his father in +the use of his fists. The battle had lasted for some minutes, +and had been waged with the greatest determination on +both sides, and no very severe damage to either participant, +when the door at the end of the room opened and Mr. Mann, +the tall young Scotch mathematical master, strode into the +room. Taking in the position at a glance, he elbowed his +way through the crowd of boys, who were watching the +fight, and seizing the combatants simultaneously, each in +one of his strong large hands, he whirled them apart, and +held them out of reach of one another, though they both +strained hard to resume the fray.</p> + +<p>"'You young rascals,' he said, 'why what on earth are +you fighting about, and on the first day of the term too! +Now tell me what on earth it was all about and make it up.'</p> + +<p>"'He called me a Frenchman, and I'm not,' said young +Leroux, and the stress of battle over, the poor boy commenced +to sob.</p> + +<p>"A more generous lad than Jim Kennedy never stepped, +and at the sight of his adversary's distress, his dark eyes +filled with tears, and as Mr. Mann relaxed his grasp on his +shoulder, he at once came forward with outstretched hand +to Leroux and said, 'I'll never call you a Frenchy again; +shake hands and let us be friends.' And so the two tearful +young Britons, each of whose faces bore some traces of the +recent battle, shook hands and from that time forth, as +long as they were at school together, became the most +devoted of friends.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span></p> + +<p>"This was John Leroux's first introduction to school +life. Like any other healthy vigorous boy, he soon shook +off the despondency of homesickness, and became perfectly +happy in his new surroundings. He worked well and conscientiously +at his lessons, and played hard at all games, +and was not only a general favourite with all his school-fellows, +but was also beloved by all the masters in spite +of the fact that his adventurous disposition was constantly +leading him to transgress all the rules of the school. With +young Leroux the love of nature and the desire for the +acquisition of objects of natural history of all kinds was +an inborn and absorbing passion. Before leaving home +he had already commenced to make collections of birds' +eggs and butterflies, and throughout his schooldays his +interest in these and kindred subjects constantly grew. +During the spring and summer months all his time that was +not occupied in lessons or games was spent in birds'-nesting +and collecting butterflies, whilst in the winter he trapped +and skinned water rats and other small animals, and sometimes +caught a stoat or a weasel. He soon became by far +the best and most venturesome climber in the whole school, +and there was not a rook's nest in any one of the fine old +elms or oak-trees in which these birds built in the park +in which the schoolhouse stood, from which he was not +able to get the eggs, which for the most part he gave away +to less athletic or adventurous collectors. After he had +been espied on one occasion high up amongst the nests in +one of the tallest elm-trees by the headmaster himself, who +was genuinely alarmed for his safety, all tree-climbing in +the park was forbidden. This rule was, of course, constantly +broken, and by no one more frequently than by Leroux. +However, as it takes some time to climb to a rook's nest, +and as a boy is a conspicuous object amongst the topmost +branches of a tree in the early spring before the leaves are +out, our young friend was constantly being detected either +by one of the undermasters or one of the men working in +the grounds, who had all had strict orders to be on the watch. +It was owing to this persecution, as he considered it, that +Leroux conceived the idea of taking the rooks' eggs he wanted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +at night, and with the help of Kennedy and another kindred +spirit he made several raids on the rookery with perfect +success when all the masters were in bed. The dormitories +were on the first story and therefore not very high above +the ground, and as the walls of the house were covered with +ivy, it was not very difficult for an active boy to get out of +the window and down or up the ivy-covered wall, with the +help of the rope which Leroux brought from home in his +portmanteau after one Christmas holiday. Having allowed +sufficient time to pass after Mons. Delmar, the French +master, had made his nightly rounds to see that all the boys +were snug in bed, and all lights out, Leroux and Kennedy, +who were in the same dormitory, and who had both apparently +been fast asleep when the French master passed +through the room, suddenly woke up and producing a +candle and a box of matches from beneath their respective +pillows, kindled a light and hastily made their preparations. +The window having been softly opened, one end of the rope +was fastened to one of the legs of the nearest bed, whilst +the free end was lowered down the wall to the ground. +This having been accomplished the candle was blown out, +and then Leroux and Kennedy climbed down the ivy with +the help of the rope. Although all the boys in the dormitory +took the greatest interest in these proceedings and were +ready to render any assistance necessary, a boy named +Barnett always hauled up the rope as soon as the adventurers +were on the ground, and hid it under the bed near the window +in case of accidents until their return, for which he kept a +sharp look-out. Once on the ground Leroux and his companion +made their way to one or other of several large oak-trees +in the park in which there were a number of rooks' +nests; for these oaks were not only not as lofty as the elms, +but were, moreover, much easier to climb. Kennedy, +though a fairly good climber, was not the equal of Leroux in +this respect, and after assisting the latter to reach the +lowest branches, he always waited for his return at the foot +of the tree. When the rooks were thus rudely disturbed at +night, they always made what seemed to the two boys a +most appalling noise, but if anyone ever heard it he never<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +guessed the true cause, or took any steps to investigate its +meaning, and although during three successive years the +two boys raided the rookery on several different occasions, +their escapades were never discovered or even suspected. +Once, however, they only just got back into their dormitory +before the policeman made his nightly round. As a rule +he did not make his circuit of the house flashing his lantern +on all the windows until after midnight, but on the occasion +in question he came much earlier than usual, and Leroux +and Kennedy had only just scrambled up the ivy-covered +wall, and reached their room with the assistance of the +rope which the watchful Barnett had let down for them, +when they saw the policeman's lantern flash round the end +of the house, through their still open window, which they +then closed very cautiously without making any noise. It +was the policeman's nightly round of the house, which was +thus so forcibly brought to his notice, that gave Leroux an +idea, which he and Kennedy and Barnett, together with +some other boys, subsequently acted upon with great success. +This was nothing more nor less than to play a practical joke +on the policeman by hanging a dummy figure out of the +window one night, on which he would be sure to flash his +lantern when he made his round of the house. In each +dormitory there was a huge clothes-basket, not very high +but very capacious, and choosing an evening when their +basket was very full of clothes for the wash, Leroux and his +friends, with the help of a bolster, a coat, shirt, and pair of +trousers, and some of the contents of the clothes-basket, +made a very good imitation of the figure of a boy. The +top end of the bolster which was pinched in a little lower +down by the shirt collar, made a nice round ball for the +head, and on this a mask and a tow wig, which had been +bought just before Guy Fawkes day, were fixed. Then the +rope which had done such good service on the occasions of +the raids on the rookery, was fastened round the dummy +figure's neck, and the really meritorious imitation of a dead +boy lowered out of the window and allowed to dangle +some six feet beneath it. The head, which with its mask +and wig of tow now hung over to one side, gave the somewhat<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +podgy and certainly very inanimate looking figure +quite a realistic appearance. The work of preparing this +figure after the French master had been round the dormitories, +occupied the boys some time, and when at last, after +the rope had been fastened round its neck, it was lowered +out of the window, it was past eleven o'clock. The boys +then took it in turns to watch for the coming of the policeman, +each watcher kneeling at the window well wrapped +in his bedclothes. It was Barnett who was on duty when +at last the policeman came. 'Cavy,' he whispered, 'here +he comes,' and all the boys, whose excitement had kept +them awake, made their way to the window, across which +the light of the lantern soon flashed. The result was immediate +and exceeded the utmost expectations of Leroux +and his companions. The policeman—a young man but +lately enrolled in the force—was seen to be gesticulating +and shouting at the top of his voice, evidently trying to +attract the attention of those in the room above him, +from which the boy figure, with its ghastly pale cardboard +face, hung dangling at the end of a rope. There was, however, +no response from the listening boys. Suddenly the +policeman ceased his outcries, and running down the footpath +turned the corner of the house. Immediately after +there was a terrific banging at the front door, accompanied +by loud shouting. 'Quick,' said Leroux, 'up with the +window, and let's get the dummy in.' At the same time +Kennedy ran to the further door of the dormitory and +holding it slightly ajar, peered out on the landing, which +overlooked the large hall at the end of which was the main +entrance of the house from whence all the noise proceeded. +And now anxious voices were heard, and lights appeared +from all directions. 'Old Rex'—the headmaster—'has +opened the hall door,' said Kennedy, 'and is talking to the +policeman. My eye,' he continued, 'Old Cockeye's there +too, she's crying out and snuffling like a good 'un.' I +grieve to say that 'Old Cockeye' was the disrespectful +nickname which had been given by the boys to the matron—a +most exemplary lady with an unfortunate squint in the +left eye. And now there was a babble of approaching voices<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +as the party in the hall rapidly ascended the staircase +leading to the dormitories. Kennedy softly closed the door +at which he had been listening, and already Leroux and +Barnett had shut the window after having pulled up the +rope with the dummy figure attached to the end of it, which +was hastily thrust under the nearest bed. 'Mind we're all +asleep; we don't know anything about it,' said Kennedy in +a loud whisper as he jumped into his bed and composed +his features into an appearance of placid innocence, which +indeed was the attitude adopted by all the other boys in the +room. Then the dormitory door was thrown wide open and +the headmaster rushed in, candle in hand, closely followed +by the policeman, the matron and two of the undermasters. +At the same time the door of the other end of the room was +flung open, and a strange half-clad figure, with wild eyes and +candle in hand, came forward amongst the sleeping boys not +one of whom, strange to say, showed the slightest sign of +having been in any way disturbed by all the hubbub. 'Mon +Dieu,' said Mons. Delmar, 'qu'est-ce qu'il y a donc?' as he +ran to meet the headmaster. The latter was indeed a +pathetic figure as he stood half-dressed looking round +the room with wild eyes, his long grey hair falling +over his shoulders. In his right hand he held a candlestick, +whilst his left was clasped over his forehead. 'Great +God,' he said, 'no—no—impossible,' as if talking to himself, +and then suddenly turning to the policeman, 'Why, officer, +you must be mistaken, every boy is here in his bed.'</p> + +<p>"'I seed him, sir; I seed him with my own eyes, indeed +I did,' answered the policeman.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, deary, deary, deary me,' wailed the matron, +whose unfortunate obliquity of vision had gained her so +irreverent a nickname.</p> + +<p>"'Which window was it, officer?' asked the headmaster.</p> + +<p>"'The one near the end of the room,' replied the policeman. +In another moment the window in question was +thrown wide open and several heads were protruded into +the cold night air.</p> + +<p>"'There's nothing here,' said the headmaster.</p> + +<p>"'Well, I'm ——' said the policeman, leaving it to his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +audience to finish the sentence according to their several +inclinations. At this moment an exclamation from the +French master caused everyone to turn round. In his +anxiety to get to the window, one of the undermasters had +pushed the end of Leroux's bed sharply to one side—without +however awakening its occupant—and exposed to the +Frenchman's sharp eyes a portion of the rope which had +been attached to the dummy figure which was the cause of +all the excitement. Stooping down to catch hold of it, he +at once saw the dummy under the bed, and pulled it out with +an exclamation which Leroux afterwards affirmed was +certainly 'sacré.'</p> + +<p>"'Well, I'm ——' again said the policeman, without going +any further, and so again leaving his hearers in doubt as +to what he was. Old Rex, the headmaster, then seized +Leroux by the shoulder, and shook him violently, but for +some time without any other effect than to cause him to +snore loudly; otherwise he appeared not only to be fast +asleep, but to have sunk into a kind of comatose condition. +At last, however, he could stand the shaking no longer, and +so opened his eyes.</p> + +<p>"'Do you know anything about this, Leroux?' said +old Rex sternly.</p> + +<p>"'Yes, sir,' said Leroux.</p> + +<p>"'It was a cruel hoax,' said the headmaster.</p> + +<p>"'I wanted to play a joke on the Bobby,' said Leroux.</p> + +<p>"'Well, I'm ——' murmured that functionary, once more +discreetly veiling any further information which might +otherwise have been forthcoming by covering his mouth +with his left hand.</p> + +<p>"'Officer, these boys have played a shameful trick on +you, but you did your duty. I'm sorry that you should +have been disturbed in this way. Boys, I know you are all +awake, I shall inquire into this matter to-morrow.' So +saying, but looking very much relieved, the headmaster +turned on his heel and left the room, followed by all those +who had entered it with him after having been roused from +their sleep by the policeman.</p> + +<p>"Now 'old Rex,' the headmaster of the fine school at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +which our hero acquired the rudiments of learning, was a +reformer and an idealist, and corporal chastisement was +never inflicted on the boys on any consideration whatever. +The punishments for minor offences were various tasks +during play hours, or compulsory walks conducted by old +Rex himself, and which most of the boys rather enjoyed. +For more serious misdemeanours the offending scholars +were separated from their fellows, and placed in solitary +confinement in a distant part of the house for periods +ranging from a day to a week, during which they got nothing +to eat or drink but dry bread with a mere trace of butter on +it, and weak tea. As a sequel to the great dummy joke, the +fame of which by some means was spread through all the +neighbouring parishes, Leroux and Kennedy, who acknowledged +that they were the ringleaders in the matter, were +condemned to three days' solitary confinement, to be +followed by various tasks and compulsory walks during +the play hours of the following week, whilst the rest of the +boys in the dormitory got off with some extra lessons to be +learnt whilst their school-fellows were enjoying themselves +in the playground during the next two half-holidays, and a +long lecture on the heinousness of the crime, to which old +Rex said with perfect truth he believed they had been +willing accessories.</p> + +<p>"After the perpetration of the dummy joke, however, +the French master, whether on his own initiative or at the +instigation of the headmaster, commenced to make himself +a great nuisance, not only coming round the dormitories +with a lighted candle as usual soon after the boys had gone +to bed, but often returning later on without a candle and +wearing carpet slippers. The single combats and inter-dormitory +bolster-fights which were a feature of the school-life +were constantly being interfered with. The door of the +dormitory in which our hero slept had always to be kept +ajar and a boy placed there to watch for the coming of +Mons. Delmar when any fun was going on, and the suddenness +with which at the single word 'cavy,' the confused +noise of an animated bolster-fight was succeeded by the +most deathlike stillness was truly astonishing. Before<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +Mons. Delmar could strike a light, every boy was not only +in bed, but sleeping so soundly that nothing the puzzled +French master could say or do could arouse them to consciousness. +Various plans were discussed by the most +enterprising boys in the different dormitories, with a view +to discouraging these informal visits after the lights had +been put out. One night a piece of cord was tied by Leroux +across the gangway at about a foot from the ground between +the two beds nearest the door of the room in which he slept, +over which it was hoped Mons. Delmar would trip on +entering. On this occasion, however, he did not enter the +room at all, but after opening the door, lighted the candle +he held in his hand and merely looked round, turning on his +heels again without speaking a word. It was hoped that he +had not noticed the string, and another opportunity might +be given him of falling over it. On the next night, however, +the boys in the adjoining dormitory set a trap for him by +placing the large inverted clothes-basket over the half +open door of the room, in such a way that it would, with +reasonable good luck, be very likely to fall like an extinguisher +over the head and shoulders of anyone entering +the dormitory, and when Mons. Delmar presently pushed +the door open, down came the large wicker basket. As it +was dark it was impossible to determine exactly whether it +came down over his head and shoulders or only fell on his +head, but his candlestick was certainly knocked out of his +hand and he swore most volubly in his own language. +After having found and lighted his candle he first harangued +his young tormentors, all of whom were apparently overcome +by a deathlike sleep, and then went straight off to +the headmaster's study. The result of his complaint was +the infliction of certain tasks and compulsory walks on all +the occupants of the offending dormitory, but after this +there was no further spying on the boys. Poor Mons. +Delmar! no doubt he had only been acting under instructions, +though perhaps he entered on his detective duties a +little too zealously.</p> + +<p>"Altogether John Leroux spent four very happy years at +his first school, and besides making good progress with his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +lessons, showed great aptitude for all games and athletic +exercises, especially football and swimming. Ever since +the fight on the evening of the day of his first entrance to +the school he and Kennedy had been the closest of friends. +The two boys had paid several visits to one another's homes +during the holidays, and it was chiefly because Kennedy's +parents had decided to send their son to a great public +school in the Midlands, for the entrance examination for +which he had been undergoing a special preparation, that it +was finally decided that Leroux should be sent to the same +seat of learning. Up till then, however, Leroux, though well +advanced for his age in all other subjects, had been spared +the study of Greek, at the particular request of his father, +who as a practical business man, looked upon the time +spent by a schoolboy in acquiring a very imperfect knowledge +of any dead language, save Latin, as entirely wasted. But +to pass the entrance examination for any of our great public +schools fifty years ago some knowledge of Greek was absolutely +necessary, and so when Kennedy at the age of fourteen, +passed into the great school, his friend Leroux who hoped +to rejoin him there as soon as he had reached the same age, +was in the meantime sent to the establishment of a clergyman +living in a remote village in Northamptonshire to be +specially coached in Greek.</p> + +<p>"The Rev. Charles Darnell, Rector of the parish of +Belton, was a short stout elderly man of a very easy-going +disposition, who exercised but little supervision over the +dozen pupils he was able to find accommodation for in his +rambling old Rectory. But he employed a couple of good +tutors well up to their work, and his son, who was a curate +in a neighbouring parish and just as irascible as his father +was placid in temperament, also helped to coach the boys +in his charge.</p> + +<p>"At the time of our story Belton was a small village of +stonebuilt cottages, all the windows in which were of the +old diamond-paned pattern. The village was dominated +by an ancient and picturesque church, surrounded by yew-trees, +amongst which were scattered the moss-grown tombstones +of many generations of Beltonians. A feature of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +churchyard was the family vault of a large landowner in +the neighbourhood. The present representative of this +ancient family, locally known as 'old squire,' was an eccentric +bachelor, who lived in a picturesque old Manor House +with only two or three servants. It was said in the village +that he had never been seen outside the boundaries of his +estate for many years, and that he seldom walked abroad +even in his own grounds till after dark.</p> + +<p>"It was during his first term, in very early spring, that +Leroux, accompanied by a fellow-pupil, took a wood-owl's +eggs from a hollow ash-tree in the deserted park, and he +subsequently spent many of his half-holidays birds'-nesting +all over the neglected estate. He never met a keeper, nor, +indeed, anyone else to question his right to be there, not +even in the empty stables or in the thick shrubberies and +weed-grown plots of ground near the great house which had +once been gardens. There were two small lakes in the park, +and in one of them during the autumn and winter months +Leroux and one or two of his more adventurous fellow-students +used to set 'trimmers,' on which they caught a good many +pike, some of quite a good size, and now and again they +shot a moorhen with a saloon pistol which belonged to a +boy named Short.</p> + +<p>"Whatever the boys caught or shot was taken to a certain +cottage in the village, the residence of an old woman +who was a very clever cook, and at this cottage Leroux and +his friends enjoyed many a good meal of baked pike stuffed +with the orthodox 'pudding,' and even found the moorhens, +which the old woman skinned before cooking, very palatable.</p> + +<p>"Belton being in the centre of a noted hunting-country, +the hounds sometimes passed in full cry within sight of the +Rectory, and whenever this happened the Rector's pupils +were allowed by an old-established custom, even if they were +in the middle of a lesson, to throw down their books and +join in the run.</p> + +<p>"During the year he spent at the Rectory Leroux worked +hard at his lessons, and made good progress in Greek as +well as in all other subjects which he had to get up, in view +of the approaching entrance examination to the great<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +Midland school. Games were neglected at this period, as +there were not enough pupils at the Rectory to make up +two sides either at football or cricket, but for Leroux and +his fellow-pupils of similar tastes, the old squire's deserted +estate formed a most glorious playground in which they +found a fine field for the exercise and development of the +primitive instincts which had come down to them from their +distant ancestors of palaeolithic times. The only pranks +that Leroux indulged in during his year at Belton were all +connected with the old church of which Mr. Darnell was +the incumbent, and at which his pupils were obliged to +attend the two services held every Sunday. As in many +of the old churches in the remote districts of Northamptonshire +at that time, there was no organ, but the hymns were +sung to an accompaniment of flute, violin and 'cello, the +performers on these instruments being seated in a kind of +minstrels' gallery at the end of the church facing the pulpit.</p> + +<p>"After the service on Sunday evening the musical instruments +were taken by the musicians to their own homes, +but one Sunday afternoon Leroux and Short—the owner of +the saloon pistol—surreptitiously entered the church and +thoroughly soaped the bows of the violin- and violoncello-players, +and introduced several peas into the flute. That +evening the music was very defective, but although the +musicians knew that their instruments had been tampered +with there is no reason to believe that they ever suspected +that any of the Rector's 'young gentlemen' had had anything +to do with the trick which had been played upon them. +In future, however, the bows and the flute were removed +between the services, as Leroux discovered about a month +later, when he thought it was time to repeat his first successful +experiment. An aged parishioner, who was always +dressed in a smock-frock and grey woollen stockings, had his +seat on a bench just in front of the pews where Mr. Darnell's +pupils sat. This old man invariably removed his shoes on +sitting down, and placed them carefully under his seat, +and on several occasions during the sermon, Leroux managed +to remove them with the help of a stick to the end of which +a piece of wire in the shape of a hook had been attached.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +Once the shoes had been drawn to Leroux's seat they were +passed down by the other boys from pew to pew, and finally +left at a considerable distance from their original place of +deposition. The old fellow always made a great fuss about +the removal of his shoes, which not only amused the Rector's +pupils and all the younger members of the congregation, +but must also have had an exhilarating influence on the +spirits of their elders, upon whom the effect of the usual dull +sermon always appeared to be very sedative to say the least +of it. However, no public complaint was ever made, and +when the old man at length took the precaution to keep +his shoes on his feet during service, all temptation to meddle +with them was removed." +</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> The body was sent home in a cask of brandy which was said to have +been partially drunk by the sailors. This gruesome theft was known as +"tapping the admiral."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> The occasion of this speech was when the society of St. Hubert +presented Selous with the medal of the "Académie des Sports," "pour +services rendus à la Chasse aux grandes fauves" on July 15th, 1911.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> +<h3>1865-1870</h3> + + +<p>When the time came for Fred to go to Rugby +both Mr. Darnell and Mr. Hill advised Mr. +Wilson, to whose house it was proposed to send +him, not on any account to have a boy whose escapades +would be a constant source of trouble, but fortunately Mr. +Wilson liked 'naughty' boys and disregarded their warnings.</p> + +<p>Selous entered Rugby in January, 1866, and was a pupil +in Mr. Wilson's house for two years. His letters to his +mother at this period are of the usual schoolboy type, +mostly requests for money, books or additions to the commissariat. +He was always reading when he got the chance, +the choice invariably tending towards travel and adventure. +He writes:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<div class="right"><i>January, 1866.</i></div> + +<p>"I am reading a new book by Mr. Livingstone. It is +called 'The Zambesi and its Tributaries,' from 1858-1864. +It is very interesting and is about the discovery of two large +lakes. Send me two catapults." And "I am sorry to hear +the rat skins are eaten, but very glad that the stoat's has +not met with the same fate." Another letter shows his +consideration for his parents in the matter of money and is +somewhat characteristic.</p> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>"<span class="smcap">My dear Mama,</span></p> + +<p>"I hope you are quite well, I am now at Rugby and +very comfortable. I have a study with another boy, and +we have an allowance of candles and tea and sugar, etc., +given out every week, and we make our own tea and breakfast +in our studies and it is very nice indeed. I have passed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +into Upper Middle two when Lower Middle two would have +done. I have to pay over some subscriptions.</p> + +<p>"£1 subscription to the racket court.</p> + +<p>"10s. to football club, 10s. to cricket club, 10s. for our +own house subscription, all of which I am forced to pay. +I have to buy a great many things which I could not help +and I have spent a lot of my money on them. I will write +them down to show you that not one of them was extravagance +but quite the opposite.</p> + +<p>"7s. 6d. to have my watch mended, 1s. to go to Harbro' +to get my watch and come back. 1s. to have my dirty +clothes washed. 2s. for a book I have to use at Rugby +which I had not got. 3s. to come from Welton to Rugby +after coming back to get my boxes. All these were necessary, +weren't they?</p> + +<p>"It is not my fault that there are such a lot of expenses +at a public school, but it is only the first half. Please send +in a registered letter, I have seen a great many boys receive +them. I have passed very high, 10th out of 75, and that +will partly make up to you for some of the subscriptions. +Give my best love to Papa and brothers and sisters.</p> + +<div class="right"> +"I remain your affectionate son,<br /> +"Freddy." +</div> +</div> + +<p>From this time his life at Rugby is thus given in his own +words:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"In January, 1866, when John Leroux was just fourteen +years of age, he easily passed the entrance examination +to the great school in the Midlands and became a member +of the house which his old friend Jim Kennedy had entered +just a year earlier. Here he spent two and a half very happy +years, and as at the end of that time he was only sixteen, he +would in the ordinary course have continued his studies +for at least another two years before leaving school, had it +not been his father's wish that he should go abroad to learn +French and German before reaching an age at which it +would be necessary to settle down to the real business of +life and make his own living. At the great school there were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +three half-holidays weekly, but the boys were expected to +do a good deal of preparation for the next day's lessons +during their leisure time. Some boys shirked these out-of-class +studies, but Leroux always did whatever was expected +of him most conscientiously and often very slowly and with +much labour, as he never used a crib to assist him with his +Latin and Greek translations. He was not at all brilliant, +but was well up in the school for his age, and had he stayed +another term would have been in the sixth—the highest +form in the school. However famous the great Midland +school may have been fifty years ago, as a seat of learning, +it was certainly not less famous for the great game of football, +the playing of which was as compulsory on the scholars +as the study of Greek. Primitive Rugby football was a +very different affair to the highly scientific game of the +present day. There was more running with the ball, far +less kicking into touch, and no heeling out behind the scrimmage. +Hacking was not only permissible but was one of +the main features of the game, and when the ball was put +down in the scrimmage the object of each side was to +'hack it through,' that is, to clear a path for the ball by +kicking the shins of every one in the way as hard as possible. +There were twenty boys on each side in the old Rugby game +of whom the backs and half-backs only numbered five +altogether—such a thing as a three-quarter back was undreamt +of—so that there were fifteen forwards on each side. +When anyone ran with the ball, the cry was 'hack him +over,' and as often as not the runner was brought down with +a neat kick on the shin. It was altogether a rough, possibly +a rather brutal game; but it made the boys strong and +hardy, and with the exception of badly bruised shins there +were very few accidents. A young boy, on his first entrance +to the big school, could only wear duck trousers at football, +but if he played up, and did not flinch from the hacking, the +Captain of his twenty gave him his 'flannels' and then +exchanged his duck for flannel trousers. There was no +school twenty, and therefore no school cap, and all the most +hotly contested matches were between the different houses +for the honour of being 'cock house.' Every house had its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +own cap, but in each house, except in the case of the school +house, where there was a large number of pupils, there were +only a few caps in each football twenty. For instance, in +Leroux's house, where there were fifty-two pupils, there +were only four who had got their caps. Though one of the +youngest boys in the house Leroux threw himself into the +game with a zest and enthusiasm which at once compelled +attention, and won him his 'flannels' in his first term, and +after playing up well in the first great match in the autumn +term of the same year he was given his cap. He thus got his +cap whilst still in his fourteenth year, and was the youngest +boy in the whole school who possessed that much-coveted +prize. The only other sport besides football indulged in by the +boys at the great school during the term between Christmas +and Easter was that known as 'house washing.' Led by +one of the oldest and strongest boys, the whole house were +accustomed to spend one half-holiday every week, during +the cold, damp, dreary months of February and March, in +jumping backwards and forwards over a small brook or +river, which at that time of the year was usually swollen +by recent rain. The first jumps were taken across the +narrowest parts of the stream, and here only the youngest +and weakest boys got into the water. But it was a point +of honour to go on taking bigger and bigger jumps, until +every boy in the house had failed to reach the opposite +bank and all had got thoroughly soused. The last jump +was known as 'Butler's Leap.' Here the stream ran +through a tunnel beneath one of the high roads traversing +the district, but before doing so it ran for a short distance +parallel with the road, which had been built up to the height +of the bridge above it. From the brick wall on either side +of the bridge low wooden barriers, perhaps two and a half +feet high, had been placed on the slope of the road on either +side to the level of the fields below, and it was thus possible +to get a run across the whole width of the road and leap +the low barrier in an attempt to reach the opposite bank +of the stream, which was here over twenty feet wide, and +some twenty feet below the level of the top of the bridge. +A hero named Butler had either been the first boy to attempt<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +this desperate leap, or he had actually cleared the stream +and landed on the opposite bank. Tradition concerning +the details of the exploit varied, but whether Butler had +made the great jump or only attempted it, he had immortalised +his name by his daring. Now, only the biggest and +most venturesome boys in each house were expected to +attempt Butler's Leap, but nevertheless some of the younger +ones always had a try at it, and amongst these were Kennedy +and Leroux. They cleared the wooden barrier at the side +of the road, and fell through the air into the stream below, +but far short of the further bank, which they had to reach +by swimming.</p> + +<p>"From a perusal of the letters which Leroux faithfully +wrote every week to his mother, it would seem that with +the exception of the fierce football contests for 'cock' +house, and occasional snowball encounters with the town +'louts'—the contemptuous appellation given by the boys +at the school to all their fellow-citizens—all his most interesting +experiences were connected with his passion for +birds'-nesting, and the pursuit of sport, at first with a saloon +pistol and subsequently with a pea-rifle, on the domains of +neighbouring landowners. The master of Leroux's house +was a man of very fine character and most kindly disposition, +and was much beloved by all his pupils. He was always a +most kind friend to Leroux, and being a teacher of natural +science—it was certain experiments in chemistry which +had earned for him amongst the boys the sobriquet of +'Jim Stinks'—was much drawn to him by his very pronounced +taste for the study of natural history, and his +practical knowledge of English birds and beasts. In his +second year at the school, Leroux got into the first mathematical +set in the upper school, and on Tuesdays, Thursdays, +and Saturdays, and on every third week on Mondays as +well, had no lessons in school, after 10.15 in the morning. +But on these half-holidays, or almost whole holidays, all +the boys in the school had to attend and answer to their +names at a 'call over' which was held at the big school +during the afternoon, and from which no boy could escape +except with the written permission of his house-master.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +During the summer Leroux's kindly house-master often +allowed his favourite pupil to be absent from 'call over,' +and he was thus able, by taking the train, to visit districts +and pursue his ornithological rambles at quite a long +distance from the school. On these distant excursions, +however, although he paid no attention whatever to the +numerous notice-boards intimating that trespassers would +be prosecuted, he was never caught by a gamekeeper, +though he had some good runs to escape their attentions. +In the more immediate vicinity of the school, possibly the +keepers were more on the look-out for birds'-nesting boys, +who were often brought up by their captors before the headmaster, +the great Dr. Temple, familiarly known in the +school as 'Old Froddy.' This great and good man, however, +always let the young trespassers off very lightly.</p> + +<p>"One Sunday afternoon Leroux was pursued by a gamekeeper +to the very doors of the chapel, and indeed it was +only under the stimulus of this pursuit that he could possibly +have got in in time for the service, and 'cutting chapel' +meant having to write out the whole of the fourth Georgic +of Virgil, which was just over 500 lines. When the bell +ceased tolling, Leroux was still some distance from the +chapel door, and handicapped besides with the top-hat, +which all the boys always had to wear on Sunday, and a +clutch of sparrowhawk's eggs twisted up in his handkerchief, +on which he had to hold his hand in his coat-pocket, +to prevent them from shaking together. But old Patey, +who always checked off the boys at 'call over' and on +their entrance to the chapel, took in the situation at a glance +and held the door ajar till Leroux got inside, and then +slammed it to in the gamekeeper's face. Leroux fully expected +that his pursuer would wait outside till chapel was +over and try and identify him as he came out, but he probably +got tired of waiting or else thought it impossible to +pick out the boy he had chased and of whom he had only +had a back view, amongst over five hundred other boys.</p> + +<p>"About three miles from the big school in the midst of a +wide expanse of undulating meadow-land, interspersed with +small woods, stood the fine old manor house of Pilton<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +Range. As there was no game preservation on this estate, +there were no keepers to shoot down magpies, carrion crows, +kestrels and sparrowhawks, and Leroux consequently found +it a very fine hunting ground for the nests of these birds. +One day soon after the Easter holidays, and during his +second year at the big school, Leroux paid a visit to the +Pilton Range grounds, to look at a magpie's nest which he +had found building a fortnight before. He was walking +along a high hedge bordering a field, about a mile away +from the house, when a man dressed as a labourer climbed +over a gate at the other end of the field and came walking +towards him. Now Leroux had often met labouring men +on the Pilton Range estate before, but had never been +interfered with in any way by them, so he paid no attention +to the man who was now coming towards him, but walked +quietly to meet him. The heavily built labourer came +slouching along, apparently without taking the slightest +interest in the approaching boy, but just as he was passing +him, and without having previously spoken a word, he shot +out his right hand, and caught Leroux by the waistcoat just +beneath the collar. 'Well, what do you want?' said Leroux.</p> + +<p>"'You come along o' me to Mr. Blackstone'—the +bailiff of the Pilton Range estate—said the labourer. Now +Leroux had set his heart on visiting the magpie's nest, which +he thought would be sure to contain eggs by now, and he +was very averse to having his plans deranged by a visit to +Mr. Blackstone. He first therefore offered to give his name to +his captor to be reported to the headmaster, and when this +proposition was received with a derisive laugh he pulled a +letter from his coat pocket, and offered the envelope as a +proof of his veracity. Possibly the heavy-looking lout +who had taken him prisoner could not read. At any rate +he never even glanced at the envelope which Leroux held +out for his inspection, but merely repeating his invitation +to 'come along o' me to Mr. Blackstone,' proceeded to walk +towards the gate in the corner of the field at which he had +made his first appearance. Leroux felt that he was very +firmly held, for the labourer's fingers had passed through +the armhole of his waistcoat, so he at first pretended to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +resigned to his fate, and walked quietly along beside his +obdurate captor. Just before reaching the gate, however, +he gave a sudden wrench, and almost got free, but on his +waistcoat beginning to tear, desisted. In the struggle, +however, boy and man had swung face to face, as the +labourer held Leroux with his right hand clenched on the +left side of the boy's waistcoat near the collar. After this +Leroux refused to walk beside his captor any further, but +forced him to walk backwards and pull him every step of +the way, and as he was then fifteen years old and a strong +heavy boy for his age, their progress was slow. Fortunately +for the labourer he was able to open the gate in the corner +of the field in which he had made his capture, as well as +two others which had to be passed before reaching the Hall, +with his left hand, for he would never have been able to +have got Leroux over these gates. Leroux would have +attacked the man with his fists and hacked him on the shins, +but he knew that that would have put him in the wrong +with the headmaster, so he just leaned back, and made his +captor walk backwards and pull him along every step of +the way up to the Hall. He also made a point of bringing +his heels down heavily on the labourer's feet at every step. +At last, however, Leroux was dragged through the open gates +of the great archway leading into the courtyard of Pilton +Range, where at that moment Mr. Blackstone the bailiff +happened to be standing just outside his office door. He was +a tall, grim-looking old man with iron-grey hair, and seemed +to be leaning heavily on a thick stick he held in his right hand +as if he was slightly lame.</p> + +<p>"'I've brought un to see Mr. Blackstone,' said the perspiring +labourer, still holding Leroux in his grasp.</p> + +<p>"'You young rascal, I'd like to lay this stick about your +back,' said Mr. Blackstone, brandishing that formidable +weapon in front of the captive. Then putting his left hand +in his waistcoat pocket, he extracted a coin with his finger +and thumb which Leroux thought was a two-shilling piece +and offered it to his employee, remarking, 'Here's something +for you, John; I see you've had some trouble with this +young rascal.'<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Then addressing Leroux he said, 'Now, boy, I want +your name.' The labourer received the proffered piece of +silver in his left hand, but force of habit caused him, no +doubt quite unconsciously, to release his hold of Leroux +with his right hand at the same time in order to touch his +cap to Mr. Blackstone in acknowledgment of his employer's +generosity. On the instant that Leroux felt himself free +he was round and through the great archway almost at a +bound.</p> + +<p>"'After him, John,' he heard the irate bailiff shout, +and the discomfited labourer at once gave chase, but he +stood no chance whatever of overtaking the active, well-trained +boy, and when Leroux half broke, half jumped +through the hedge at the bottom of the field below the Hall, +he was pursued no further. After scrambling through the +hedge and running in its shelter to the corner of the field +he was then in, Leroux stood on the watch for some little +time, and then feeling very elated at the way in which he +had given the bailiff the slip, without letting him know +his name, determined not to leave the Pilton Range ground +without looking at the magpie's nest, he had been on his +way to examine when first seized by the labourer. As he +had expected he found that the nest contained a full complement +of eggs, which were that evening carefully blown +and added to his collection, which was even then quite the +best made by any boy in the whole school. On his many +subsequent visits to the Pilton Range estate, Leroux took +good care never to allow any labouring man he happened to +see to get anywhere near him, nor did he ever renew his +acquaintance with Mr. Blackstone.</p> + +<p>"Of all his birds'-nesting exploits, the one which Leroux +himself always considered the greatest achievement was his +raid on the Heronry at Tombe Abbey. Tombe Abbey was +about fifteen miles distant from the big school, and it was +during his second year of study there, that whilst rambling +in that neighbourhood on a day when he had been excused +from attending all 'callings over' by his house-master, Leroux +had noticed a number of herons flying over the park in the midst +of which the Abbey stood. He at once entered the sacred<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +precincts to investigate, and soon discovered the Heronry +situated on an island in the middle of a large sheet of ornamental +water. The twenty or thirty large nests of sticks +were built as is always the case in England, high up in a +grove of large trees growing on the island. Leroux watched +the herons from amongst some bushes on the edge of the +lake for some time and assured himself that there were +young birds in most if not in all of the nests, as he could see +their parents feeding them. To have swum across the +lake to the island and then climb up to one or more of the +nests in the hope of finding some eggs would therefore +probably have been a bootless quest, and at that time +perhaps Leroux would hardly have been able to have summoned +up sufficient courage for such an undertaking, but +all through the following months the idea of one day swimming +to the island in the park at Tombe Abbey and taking +some herons' eggs, grew in his mind, and when he returned +to school after the following Christmas holidays, he had +fully determined to make the attempt. Through reference +to an ornithological work in his house-library Leroux had +learned that herons are very early breeders, so he made his +plans accordingly, and obtained leave from his house-master +to be absent from all 'callings over' on March 7th, and +hurrying to the station as soon as his mathematical lesson +was over at a quarter past ten in the morning, he took the +first train to the nearest station to Tombe Abbey. It was a +bitterly cold day with a dull sky and the wind in the east, +and when, after making his way cautiously across the park, +Leroux reached the shelter of the bushes on the edge of the +lake, he found that there was a fringe of thin ice all round +the water's edge. In one way, however, the cold dreary +day was favourable to the boy's enterprise, as no one was +likely to be out walking in the park. Under cover of the +bushes Leroux stripped himself to the skin, and without +any hesitation waded into the ice-cold water, until it became +deep enough to allow him to swim. At this time he was +probably the best swimmer in the whole school, for during +his first year and when only fourteen years of age he had won +the second prize in the annual swimming-match, and would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +certainly have taken the first prize the following year, but +for some reason or other there was no competition. In his +third year and a few months after his visit to Tombe Abbey +when the competition was again revived, he met with an +accident at cricket on the very morning of the race, which +destroyed his chances of winning it. Once in the deep +water of the lake, Leroux, swimming with a strong sidestroke, +soon reached the island in the centre, and selecting +the easiest tree to climb in which some of the herons' nests +were built, naked as he was, he lost no time in getting up to +them. There were four eggs in each of the two nests he +actually inspected, and transferring these to an empty +sponge-bag which he had brought with him, and which he +now held in his mouth, he soon reached the ground again +at the foot of the tree without having broken or even cracked +a single egg. A hasty look round assured him that no one +was in sight anywhere in the park, so still holding the +sponge-bag containing the eight large blue eggs in his teeth, +he soon recrossed the lake to the mainland, and then lost +no time in pulling his clothes over his wet and shivering +limbs. But though his teeth were chattering, Leroux's +young heart was full of joy and exultation at the successful +accomplishment of his enterprise, and he thought but little +of his personal discomfort. Once dressed he soon reached +the boundary of the park, and early in the afternoon was +able to report himself to his house-master, though he did +not think it necessary to enter into any details as to his +day's ramble, and probably had it not been for the fact +that the great Midland school at this time boasted a natural +history society, of which Leroux was a prominent member +as well as keeper of the ornithological note-book, the +incident of the taking of the herons' eggs at Tombe Abbey +might never have been known to anyone but a few of Leroux's +most intimate friends. However, at the next evening meeting +of the society, in the innocence of his heart Leroux +exhibited the great blue eggs, the contemplation of which +was still his chief joy. One of the undermasters, Mr. +Kitchener, was that night in the chair, and this unprincipled +pedagogue, after having obtained the admission from Leroux<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +that he had taken the herons' eggs himself, required him in +the most unsportsmanlike manner to state exactly when +and where he had become possessed of them. All prevarication +was foreign to Leroux's nature, and when thus challenged +he did not hesitate to tell the story of his visit to +Tombe Abbey, and how he had swum across the lake and +climbed to the herons' nests stark naked on a cold day in +early March. The hardihood of the exploit, however, made +no appeal to the mean soul of Mr. Kitchener, who not only +confiscated the herons' eggs on the spot, but ordered Leroux +to write out the fourth Georgic of Virgil, a very common +punishment at public schools in those days, as it runs to +almost exactly 500 lines. Through the good offices of his +own house-master the herons' eggs were given back to Leroux, +but the story of his adventure became noised abroad, even +beyond the confines of the school, as he was to discover a +few months later.</p> + +<p>"Although Leroux had become the happy possessor of a +saloon pistol, soon after his entrance to the school, he had +never found this a very satisfactory weapon, and had determined +to possess himself of something better as soon as +possible. He practised rifle-shooting regularly at the butts, +and in his third year shot in most of the matches for the +school eleven, always doing very well at the longer ranges +at which the boys were allowed to kneel or lie down, but +failing rather at the 200 yards, at which range in those days +even the youngest members of the rifle-corps were required +to shoot standing with heavy Enfield rifles with a very hard +pull. It was this excessively hard pull, combined with the +weight of the long Enfield rifle, which made it so difficult +for a young boy to shoot steadily standing at the 200 +yards' range. During the Easter holidays before his last +term at the great school, Leroux bought with his savings, +augmented by a liberal present from his mother, a good +pea-rifle with a detachable barrel, which could be concealed +up the coat-sleeve of the right arm, whilst the stock was +hidden under the coat on the other side of the body. But +Leroux never used this rifle on private ground unless he +was accompanied by a friend, so that in case of pursuit one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +boy could run with the barrel and the other with the stock. +There was an old disused canal not far away from the school, +on the property of a local landowner named Lowden Beigh, +which was a favourite resort of Leroux and his friends on +Sunday afternoons between dinner-time and afternoon +chapel. In the still waters of this old canal bordered with +beds of reeds and rushes, and in many places overspread +with waterlilies, pike were always to be found on a hot +summer's day, not exactly basking in the sun, but lying +motionless in the water, not more than a few inches from +the surface, and Leroux had discovered that the concussion +caused by a bullet fired into the water in the immediate +vicinity of these fish, even though it did not touch them, +was sufficient to stun them and cause them to float helpless +for a short time belly upwards on the top of the water, +from which they could be retrieved with a long stick. The +pike which were obtained in this way were, however, be it +said, always of small size. This old canal too swarmed with +moorhens which afforded excellent practice with the little +rifle. It was on a hot Sunday afternoon in late June, that +Leroux and a great friend of his, a very tall boy who had +somewhat outgrown his strength, paid what proved to be +their last visit to the canal. As it so happened, where they +first struck the canal they had only seen some very small +pike not worth shooting at and only one shot had been fired +at a moorhen, which had missed its mark. However, there +was a better hunting ground beyond the bridge where the +high road crossed the old canal, and this they proceeded to +make for. Before entering the last field which lay between +them and the high road, the little rifle was taken to pieces, +and Leroux then hid the stock under the left side of his +coat, his companion, whose arms were longer than his, +concealing the barrel up his right coat-sleeve. The two +boys then strolled leisurely along the bank of the canal, +towards the gate which opened into the high road just below +the bridge. They were close to this gate, in fact almost +touching it, when a gamekeeper, in velveteen coat and +gaiters, suddenly appeared from behind the hedge on the +other side of it and stood confronting them.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span></p> + +<p>"'Well, young gents,' he said, 'what have you been +doing along the canal?'</p> + +<p>"'We've been looking for cuckoos' eggs in the reed +warblers' nests,' said Leroux readily, and it was indeed a +perfectly true answer, though it did not cover the whole +scope of their operations.</p> + +<p>"'Well, I must have your names. Mr. Lowden Beigh<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> +means to put a stop to you young gents trespassing on his +ground every Sunday,' said the gamekeeper, pulling out a +pocket-book and pencil to take them down in. Leroux and +his friend at once gave their names, and told the keeper +how to spell them, for they knew that even if they were +reported to the headmaster, that good old sportsman would +not be likely to inflict any punishment on them for merely +strolling quietly along the bank of the old canal on a Sunday +afternoon, even though they had been trespassing on the +property of Mr. Lowden Beigh.</p> + +<p>"Having given up their names to the keeper the two boys +proceeded to climb over the gate into the high road, and +considering what they carried hidden under their coats, +this was a somewhat ticklish operation.</p> + +<p>"Leroux was nearest to the keeper, and having his right +arm free probably got over the gate without arousing any +suspicion in the man's mind, but the latter probably noticed +the unusual stiffness of the tall boy's right arm when he +was getting over the gate, though he did not immediately +grasp the cause of it. However, the probable meaning of +it must soon have flashed across his mind, for the boys had +not walked twenty yards down the road when they heard +him say, 'Darned if ye ain't got one o' they little guns +with ye.' They heard no more. 'Come on,' said Leroux, +and the two boys dashed off down the road at their best +pace, closely pursued by the keeper, who though middle-aged +was a spare-made, active-looking fellow. It was a +very hot day and the two boys were in their Sunday clothes +and wearing top-hats, and handicapped with the rifle, the +barrel of which was rather heavy. Still at first they gained +on the keeper, and at the end of a quarter of a mile had +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span>increased the distance between him and them to quite +fifty yards, when suddenly they came almost face to face +with old 'Froddy,' the great headmaster himself, who had +just emerged from a lane into the high road. With his +head held high in the air and his hat on the back of his +head, he came striding along all alone, at a pace of at least +four miles an hour. His thoughts were evidently far from +the earth he trod, and probably he never saw the boys at +all, but they instantly recognized him.</p> + +<p>"'Old Froddy, by Jove!' ejaculated Leroux; 'come on +through the hedge,' and without an instant's hesitation he +dashed at and broke his way into the field to the right of +the road, his friend scrambling through the gap he had +made in the hedge close behind him. The boys were now +in a large grass field across which they started to run +diagonally, the keeper following doggedly behind them, +though when they gained the further corner of the field he +was nearly a hundred yards behind them. As they climbed +the gate into the next field Leroux's tall young friend was +panting painfully, and before they were half-way across it +he said he would not be able to run much further with the +rifle-barrel. There was a large hayrick in the far corner of +this field, so Leroux urged his companion to try and carry +the rifle-barrel as far as there and then throw it down +behind the rick, just as they passed it, and were for the +moment hidden from the keeper. Leroux who was comparatively +fresh and whom the keeper would never have +caught, still stuck to the stock of his rifle, and intended to +return for the barrel the next day, which happened to be +one of the three-weekly Monday half-holidays. He did not +think there would be much chance of its discovery before +then. However, as bad luck would have it, and by an +extraordinary chance, the gamekeeper saw it as he passed +the rick. He had probably turned to look behind him, +thinking that possibly the boys had run round the rick, and +must have seen the glint of the sun on the barrel. The boys +had not got very far over the next field before they heard +the gamekeeper shouting, and on turning his head Leroux +saw that he was standing near the gate waving something<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +over his head, which as it glinted and flashed in the sun he +knew was the barrel of his rifle. It was no good running +any further, the keeper had their names and half the rifle, +so they walked back to him and Leroux had to surrender the +other half.</p> + +<p>"Now Leroux had great affection for this, his first rifle, +and hated the idea of having it confiscated, so he tried to +make terms with the keeper, and offered to give him all +the money he could afford, if he would return him the rifle, +and be content to report him and his friend for trespassing. +The keeper refused this bribe with much apparent indignation, +saying that no amount of money that might be offered +to him would tempt him to swerve from his duty, which +was to take the rifle straight to his master, Mr. Lowden +Beigh. So the two boys walked slowly and sadly back to +the school, arriving there just in time for the afternoon +service in the chapel, which, however, did nothing to cheer +them.</p> + +<p>"Every day during the following week Leroux expected +to be summoned to the headmaster's study and taxed with +trespassing with a rifle on Mr. Lowden Beigh's land. But +at the end of this time, as nothing happened, he felt convinced +that the keeper had never given up the little rifle to +his master at all, but had kept it himself, in the hope of +being able to dispose of it for more money than had been +offered him for its return. At any rate Leroux determined +to write to Mr. Lowden Beigh, tell him exactly what had +happened, and ask him to let him have the rifle back again +at the end of the term. This he did, and the following day +received an answer requesting him to call at the Hall with +the friend who was with him when the rifle was taken, on +the following Sunday afternoon. The two boys complied +with this request and they were very kindly entertained +and treated to wine and cake by Mr. Lowden Beigh. He +asked Leroux if it was he who had taken the herons' eggs +at Tombe Abbey, and when he admitted that it was, said, +'Why, you're the biggest poacher in the school.' He then +told the boys that the keeper had never said a word to him +about the rifle, but that he had demanded it from him<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> +immediately on reading Leroux's letter, and then dismissed +the man from his service. Finally, Mr. Lowden Beigh told +Leroux that if he would again come to the Hall, the day +before the big school broke up at the end of the term, he +would return him his rifle, and this promise he faithfully +kept.</p> + +<p>"It was whilst he was at home during the Christmas +holidays immediately preceding the commencement of his +second year at the great Midland school, that John Leroux, +then just fifteen years of age, was an eye-witness of, and +indeed, a participant in, the terrible disaster on the ice in +Regent's Park, which took place on January 15th, 1867.</p> + +<p>"At that time he was living with his parents at no great +distance from the scene of the accident, of which he wrote +an account to a school friend whilst the events related were +still fresh in his memory.</p> + +<p>"As a result of a long-continued frost, the ice on the +ornamental water in the park had become excessively +thick, and during the early part of January, 1867, thousands +of people might have been seen skating there daily. At +length, however, a thaw set in, and as the ice became +gradually more rotten in appearance, the skaters rapidly +decreased in numbers.</p> + +<p>"On the day of the accident Leroux went to the park +alone after lunch, and on his arrival at the ornamental water, +found that the ice had been broken all round the shore of +the lake by the men employed by the Royal Humane +Society, with the object of preventing people from getting +on to the ice. At the same time several servants of the +Society were doing their best to persuade the more adventurous +spirits who had got on to the ice by means of planks, +to leave it. At that time there were probably not more +than three or four hundred people on the whole expanse +of the ornamental water. At least they appeared to be very +thinly scattered over it, compared with the crowds of a few +days before, when the ice was sound and strong, before the +thaw had set in.</p> + +<p>"Having come to the park to skate, and being perhaps +of a somewhat self-willed and adventurous disposition,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +Leroux put on his skates, and watching his opportunity, +got on to the ice, which though quite three inches in thickness, +was seamed in every direction with a multiplicity of +cracks, through which the water constantly welled up and +ran over the surface. It was indeed evident that the solid +ice-slab with which the lake had been originally covered +was now formed of innumerable small pieces, really independent +one of another, but still fitting closely together +like the sections of a child's puzzle after they have been +put in their places. Leroux himself never doubted that it +was the breaking of the ice for the space of three or four +feet all round the shores of the lake, which allowed room +for the cracks in the unbroken ice gradually to widen until +at last the whole sheet broke into separate pieces. As the +skaters passed to and fro upon it, the whole surface of the +ice-sheet seemed to rise and sink in response to their passage, +and every moment the gaps gaped wider.</p> + +<p>"It was getting on towards four o'clock in the afternoon, +and Leroux was just then right in the middle of the lake, +midway between the largest island and the bridge leading +towards the Park Road, when he heard a cry behind him, +and looking round saw that the ice was breaking in the +direction of the bridge. It was a sight which he never +forgot. Right across the whole breadth of the lake the +sections into which the ice-sheet had been divided by the +cracks were disengaging themselves one from another. +The line of breaking advanced steadily towards where the +boy was standing, each separate section of ice as the pressure +was removed from behind, first breaking loose, and +after being tilted into the air, again falling flat into its place. +As no one fell into the water when the ice first broke +up, the pressure which was the immediate cause of the +catastrophe must have been exerted from a distance, and +it was probably the weight of the people on the ice some +way off which caused it to bulge where it first broke to +such an extent as to detach some of the smaller sections +which were already really separated one from another by +the ever-widening cracks.</p> + +<p>"There was a regular panic amongst the comparatively<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +small number of people between Leroux and the point near +the bridge where the ice first commenced to break up, +and they all went flying along as fast as their skates would +carry them, straight down the centre of the lake towards +the narrow channel between the two islands in front of +them. At the same time there was a stampede for the +shore from every part of the lake, and as the great bulk of +the people then on the ice were near the edge when it so +suddenly commenced to break up, most of them either +got to land without assistance, or being caught in the breaking +ice when within a rope's throw of the shore, were subsequently +rescued; but every one who got into the water +amongst the thick heavy ice-slabs at any distance from the +shore was drowned, and most of these unfortunate people +disappeared immediately beneath the heavy slabs of ice, +between which they fell into the water, and which closed +over them at once.</p> + +<p>"When the ice first began to break up, Leroux could not +help standing still for a few moments, and watching the +rapidly advancing line of breakage, and then when he turned +to run for it or rather skate for it, he was quite alone, and +at some little distance behind the crowd of people who +had first taken the alarm. Suddenly there was a wild, +despairing cry ahead, and Leroux saw that the ice was +breaking up in the narrow channel between the two islands. +At this juncture many people undoubtedly lost their heads +as they skated right into the broken ice and almost all of +them at once disappeared. It was between the two islands +that the greatest loss of life occurred, as of the forty-nine +bodies subsequently recovered in different parts of the +lake, twenty-four were found in close proximity to one +another at this spot, and yet there was scarcely a head to +be seen at the time of the accident above the broken ice, as +the weight of the heavy slabs forced those who fell in +between them under water almost immediately. Although +he was only a boy of fifteen at this time, he had never missed +a chance of falling through weak or rotten ice every winter +since he first went to school, and these various experiences +had no doubt given him a good deal of self-confidence. At<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +any rate he felt neither frightened nor flurried by the somewhat +alarming circumstances of the position in which he +now found himself, but quickly made up his mind as to the +best course to adopt to save his life. As the ice had already +broken up both before and behind him, but was still solid +immediately behind him he stopped short where he was, +and lay down at full length on the longest piece of ice he +could see which was free from widely open cracks. He had +scarcely done so, when the wave of breakage which had +commenced near the bridge passed him, all the great cracks +with which the ice-sheet was seamed opening to such an +extent that every separate slab became detached. Many +of these slabs were first tilted a little into the air, as had +happened when the ice first broke up near the bridge, +but they immediately fell flat again into their places, so +that the whole of the ice-sheet in the central part of the +ornamental water seemed to be in one piece, though in +reality the cracks which divided it into innumerable small +slabs were now so wide that each piece was independent +the one of the other, and most of them would not have been +large enough to support the weight of a man standing near +their edge, without heeling over and precipitating him into +the water.</p> + +<p>"Fortunately for Leroux the ice had not been broken +round the edge of the largest island in the lake to his left, +and although the cracks had opened all round where he lay, +as the wave of breakage passed, to such an extent as to have +made it impossible to have walked or skated across the disintegrated +slabs, without tilting one or other of them, +and so falling into the water, yet he was only a short distance +from the unbroken ice-sheet which rested on the island. +The slab on which he was lying was quite large enough to +bear his weight easily, and as he was out of all danger for +the time being, he was able to look around and note what +was going on. Directly the ice broke up there was, of course, +tremendous excitement on the shore of the lake nearest the +Zoological Gardens, where great crowds of people had been +congregated the whole afternoon. Many gallant and successful +attempts were made to rescue those who were fighting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +for life amongst the ice-slabs; but Leroux's impression was +that no one was saved who had got into the water at any +considerable distance from the shore. At the spot where +the largest number of people were drowned, almost everyone +who fell into the water disappeared immediately. +Still here and there men kept their heads above water for +a long time, and all these poor fellows might have been +rescued, had it not been for the breaking of a rope. It was +soon realized that it would be quite impossible to save the +people who were so far out amongst the ice that a rope +could not be thrown to them from the shore except by some +special means, and someone hit upon the idea of dragging +a boat to them over the ice. Leroux saw the boat pulled +up over the still unbroken ice beyond the bridge, and long +ropes were then made fast to its bow and carried over the +bridge to each side of the lake, where willing hands enough +were ready to work them. Had the ropes only held, the +boat might have been pulled from one side or the other of +the lake to all those who were in the water amongst the ice-slabs +at a distance from the shore; but unfortunately before +the boat had been pulled far beyond the bridge one of the +ropes broke, and as it was then apparently recognized that +they were not strong enough to stand the strain required, +the experiment was not tried again. There were only two +men in the water anywhere near Leroux, and they were +about half-way between where he lay and the shore of the +lake. He had seen them at first trying to force their way +through the ice, but the slabs were so thick and heavy that +they threatened at every moment to turn over on them, +and they soon became exhausted and remained quiet. At +last one of them disappeared and not long afterwards only +a hat on the ice remained to mark the spot where his companion +in misfortune had also sunk. Leroux soon realized +that there was no hope of rescue from the shore, and indeed +amidst all the excitement of saving or attempting to save +the lives of those who had got into the water within reach +he had probably been overlooked or possibly his position +had been considered hopeless.</p> + +<p>"At length when the light was commencing to fade<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +Leroux made up his mind to try and reach the island on +his left by crawling from one slab of ice to another. He fully +realized that if he once got into the water he would never +get out, but not being very heavy in those days, and by +moving only very slowly and cautiously, and carefully +selecting his route he succeeded at last in reaching the unbroken +ice near the island. He had one very narrow escape, +as a table of ice very nearly turned over on him before he +had got sufficiently far on it to keep it flat. Luckily there was +a much larger slab just beyond it, on to which he crawled +without much difficulty. After crossing the island he again +got on to unbroken ice and skated across it, to the shore +near the lower bridge.</p> + +<p>"By that time it was rapidly growing dusk, everybody +whom it had been possible to reach with a rope from the +shore had been rescued, and all the rest were still and cold +beneath the ice. But although Leroux knew that a considerable +number of people must have been drowned, until +he saw the long list of those who had lost their lives in the +next morning's 'Times' he had no idea that the disaster +was so serious as it really was."</p></div> + +<p>The following reminiscences of Selous as a schoolboy at +Rugby were contributed to the 'Meteor,' the Rugby school +paper (February 7th, 1917), by Canon Wilson, D.D.:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I first heard of Selous some time in 1863, soon after I +became a house-master. The master of his preparatory +school at Tottenham told me that a Mr. Slous—for so the +name was then spelt—was going to enter his son at my +house. 'Take my advice,' was the gist of the letter, 'and +say your house is full; the boy will plague the life out of +you.' I wrote to enquire the nature of the plague. 'He +breaks every rule; he lets himself down out of a dormitory +window to go birds'-nesting; he is constantly complained +of by neighbours for trespassing; he fastened up an assistant +master in a cowshed into which he had chased the young +villain early one summer morning; somehow the youngster +scrambled out, and fastened the door on the outside, so that +the master missed morning school.'<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Such were his crimes; so, of course, I wrote back and +said that he was the boy for me.</p> + +<p>"His father brought him down from town, a bright-eyed, +fair-haired boy of twelve or thirteen, who had no suspicion +that I knew all about his iniquities. When his father departed, +I had a little of the usual talk with a new boy, +about work and games and so on; and then I asked him +what he meant to be. 'I mean to be like Livingstone,' he +replied. I had seen Livingstone when he came to Cambridge, +in 1857, I think, and spoke in the Senate House, +appealing for a Universities Mission to Central Africa; so +we talked Livingstone and Africa, and Natural History. +I soon saw that he had the fire and the modesty of genius +and was a delightful creature.</p> + +<p>"He was quite exemplary as a young member of the +House and School, so far as I knew. He was 'late' for +chapel sometimes in long summer afternoons; how much +late I did not inquire. I guessed what he was about and he +did his lines like a man.</p> + +<p>"He was extraordinarily acute in all his senses—sight, +hearing, smell, taste. He asked me, for example, one day to +some brook a few miles away to watch kingfishers. We +crawled up warily when we got near the spot. He could +see exactly what they were catching and carrying, from a +distance at which I could only see a bird flying. His power +of hearing was also more than acute. One day at our table +in hall I told a lady who sat next me that a nightingale had +been heard singing in somebody's spinney. We decided to +drive down to it after dinner, and on reaching the spot, we +found Selous already there, roaming about in the spinney. I +called to him, and he came to the edge of the wood. 'What +are you doing there?' 'Looking for a nightingale's nest, +sir.' 'But why here?' 'I heard you say at dinner that +one was singing here.' Now he was sixteen or eighteen feet +away, at a different table, and we were fifty in hall, talking +and clattering with knives and forks. And yet he heard +me distinctly. He could disentangle the voices, and listen +to one, as a dog can follow one scent among many. Then +as to smell and taste. He told me that when he shot a new<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +bird with his 'tweaker'—you will learn presently what the +'tweaker' was in his case—he always <i>tasted</i> its flesh.</p> + +<p>"He was extremely accurate in his observation, and in his +estimates of distance, size, number, etc.; in fact, he was +the most truthful observer I can imagine; free from all +exaggeration and egotism, and he retained this simplicity +and accuracy and modesty all his life. He was a beautiful +runner, a football-player with singular dash and a first-rate +swimmer; but he left Rugby at seventeen, I think, so that +he did not win any great athletic distinctions at school.</p> + +<p>"But I must tell you some stories about him.</p> + +<p>"On some great public occasion of rejoicing the streets +of Rugby were decorated with flags. When my man called +me at 7.0 a.m., he said, 'I think I ought to tell you, sir, +that there is a broomstick and duster showing in every +chimney in the house.' 'Very well,' I replied, 'go and tell +Mr. Selous that they must be taken down by 12 o'clock.' +He had let himself down at night out of the dormitory +window that looks into the study quadrangle and had +collected brooms and dusters from the studies. He had +somehow clambered up waterpipes and gutters and roofs, +broomsticks and all; and when I went out people in the +road were admiring our extemporized decorations—duster +flags and broom-handles sticking out of the chimney pots +at all angles. There was another flag, of the same nature, +perilously near the top of the taller of two poplars that +stood close to the boys' entrance. They were all taken +down by dinner-time; I never enquired how, or by whom.</p> + +<p>"There used to be a vine, trained up the south face of +the house, and one year, I think in 1868, it bore an extraordinary +crop of grapes which ripened beautifully. One +day at dinner I told the head of the dormitory on the second +floor, over the drawing-room, that they might gather all +that they could reach from the window. <i>I forgot Selous</i> +as this was not his bedroom, but the dormitory did not +forget him. An aunt of mine was sleeping in the bedroom +below, and she remarked next morning at breakfast that +she heard, or thought she heard, voices at night quite close +to her windows. Had anything happened? I went out<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +into the garden to look, the vine was stripped more than +half-way down the windows of the first floor. It was Selous, +of course; they let him down somehow. I was told that +he filled a pillow-case with grape-bunches, and feasted the +House. Mr. C. K. Francis, the well-known Metropolitan +Police Magistrate, his contemporary in my house, has told +this story of Selous to the readers of the 'Daily Telegraph' +(January 15th), and says that they let Selous down in a +blanket.</p> + +<p>"Of course Selous was an active member of the School +Natural History Society. I must tell you about a meeting +of that Society. Dr. Walter Flight, who was in charge of +the minerals of the British Museum, was staying with me, +and I asked him whether he would like to come as a visitor +to an ordinary meeting of our Society. I knew it would be +an interesting one. Selous had shortly before raided the +heronry on the island at Coombe Abbey. He swam the +pond from the end distant from the house, climbed several +trees, took one egg from each nest, swam back and was +chased, but escaped by sheer speed. Lord Craven complained +to the H.M. The H.M. warned our Society pretty +plainly, and our committee censured Selous. At the meeting +we were going to attend, Selous, as was widely known, +was going to make his defence. The room, the old Fifth +Form Room, next to the School House Dining Hall, was +crowded. Flight and I squeezed in. 'Are your meetings +always like this?' he asked. 'You will see,' I replied, +'that the school takes a great interest in natural history.' +'I am very glad to see this,' he said.</p> + +<p>"Exhibits were made, a paper read, and then began the +real business of the evening—the official condemnation by +our president, Mr. Kitchener, and Selous' spirited defence.</p> + +<p>"Selous presented the eggs to the Natural History +Society, and they were safe in the collection twenty years +ago, I am told. I hope they are there still.</p> + +<p>"He also climbed the great elm trees, which then stood +in the close, for rooks' eggs. This feat was also performed +at night, and the cawing of the rooks roused Dr. Temple, +but Selous was not detected in the darkness.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Selous' special contribution to our Society was on birds. +If I remember right his first list of birds noted at Rugby +exceeded ninety. I will tell the story how one very rare +bird was added to our list. It was in the very hard winter +of 1867; snow was lying on the ground. In the evening, +some hours after lock-up a ring at the front door came at +the moment I was going to my study, the door of which is +close to the front door. I opened the front door and there +stood Selous, with a bird dangling from his hand. I don't +know which of us was most surprised. 'Come in to the +study; what have you got there?' 'Oh, sir, it's Williamson's +duck; it's very rare.' (I invent the name Williamson, +I know it was somebody's duck.) 'Go and fetch the bird-book +from the House Library.' (I had put an excellent +bird-book in several volumes into the Library for his use.) +'Leave the bird.' I examined the bird, neatly shot through +the neck. He was quite right, a note in the book said that +it had been occasionally seen at certain places on the East +coast; only once, I think, inland as far as Northamptonshire. +'How did you get it?' 'I saw it at Swift's and +followed it to Lilbourne and got it there.' 'How?' 'With +my tweaker,' was the reply. 'It must be a very powerful +tweaker?' I said. 'Yes, sir, it's a very strong one; I +thought you would not mind my being late for once, as it's +very rare.'</p> + +<p>"Some six years later, when he came back from a four +years' solitary travel and exploration in what is now called +Rhodesia, or even further inland, this incident of the +tweaker turned up. 'I did wonder,' he said, 'whether you +were such an innocent as really to believe it was a tweaker.' +'My dear Selous,' I said, 'I knew the bird was shot, and I +knew you had a gun, and the farmhouse where you kept it, +but you kept it so dark and made such excellent use of it +that I said nothing about it.'</p> + +<p>"One of the most difficult problems presented to all +who are in authority is: how much ought I <i>not</i> to know +and see?"</p> + +<p>"I think it was on this occasion that he came down to a +house-supper. He had told me lots of stories about his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +adventures in Africa during those four years. They are +told in his books, every one of which is, I hope, in the +School Library and well read. I asked him to tell some of +them to the house. No he would not; so finally at the +supper, I said that if he would not, I would, and I began +with the story of his going to ask Lobengula, King of the +Matabele, for leave to shoot elephants. 'You are only a +boy,' the King said. 'You must shoot birds. The first +elephant you hunt will kill you.' Selous jumped up. 'Oh, +sir, let me tell it,' and we had a never-to-be-forgotten +evening.</p> + +<p>"But it is time to stop. One of his friends, Sir Ralph +Williams, well said of him in a letter in 'The Times,' of +January 10th, 'The name of Fred Selous stands for all +that is straightest and best in South African story,' and I +will venture to say that it stands for the same in Rugby +annals.</p> + +<div class="right"> +"<span class="smcap">J. M. Wilson</span>. +</div> +<p> +"Worcester, 22 <i>January</i>, 1917." +</p> +</div> + +<p>In August, 1868, at the age of seventeen, Selous left Rugby +and went to Neuchâtel, in Switzerland, where he lived at +the "Institution Roulet." He spent his time learning +French and the violin and commenced his studies to be a +doctor, for which profession he evinced no enthusiasm. +Writing to his mother in November, he says:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"As for my future medical examinations I don't know +how I shall come off; I do not want particularly to be a +doctor, but I shall go in for that as I can't see anything else +that I should like better, except sheep-farming or something +of that sort in one of the colonies, but I suppose I +must give up that idea; however, if I become a surgeon +I do not intend to try and get a practice in England, but I +should try and get a post as ship's surgeon, or army surgeon +in India, if I could get any leave of absence which would +give me a little time to myself, but anyhow I am certain I +shall never be able to settle down quietly in England. You +talked about me being at an age of irresponsibility, but I +don't see that I am, as supposing I don't manage to learn +these infernal languages (why was anyone fool enough to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> +build the tower of Babel?) everyone will be disgusted with +me."</p></div> + +<p>In December there was more talk of his going to Dresden +to learn German, but he himself voted for Wiesbaden as +being more of a country district where he would have more +opportunities for shooting and fishing. After a short visit +home his father took him to Wiesbaden in the spring of +1869, when he wrote to his sister "Locky":—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Many thanks for your spiritual letter which almost +tempts me to commit suicide; if I can't get good shooting +and fishing in this world I'll have it in the next, if what +the Chinaman says is true; but by hook or by crook I +will have some in this world too, and make some rare +natural history collections into the bargain. But first I +must make a little money, but how? not by scribbling away +on a three-legged stool in a dingy office in London. I am +becoming more and more convinced every day that I should +never be able to stand that and everybody I know or have +ever had anything to do with says the same thing. I have +a great many qualifications for getting on in one of our +colonies, viz. perseverance, energy, and a wonderfully good +constitution. What makes me recur to the old subject is +this: I have made the acquaintance of a family here of +the name of K——. I always forget their name although I +know them intimately. This gentleman, a German from +Brunswick, has been twenty years in Natal (where he made +his fortune) and since then eight years in England, and now +has become regularly English (speaking English, indeed, +without the slightest accent). His wife is an Englishwoman +who was born in the Cape Colony, but has always lived with +him in Natal; and then he has a very large family. These +people give the most splendid accounts of Natal. Firstly, +they say that the climate is superb, there being no winter +and it not being so hot in summer as in Germany. Then +they say that the country is lovely beyond description. +They do not praise Cape Colony, only Natal, which they +describe as a perfect paradise. They say, too, that Natal +itself is a wonderfully gay place and that the society there +is very good. The wife says she can't stand Europe at all,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +the climate is so detestable compared with that of Natal. +She says that she often used to go for weeks and weeks up +country with her husband and children on shooting excursions, +sleeping out in tents all the time, and that taking into +consideration the beautiful climate and country there is +no enjoyment equal to it, and I am fully of her opinion. +They travelled once three days with Dr. Livingstone, but +you will hear all about it from them when you come over +here."</p></div> + +<p>He arrived at Wiesbaden in September and took up his +residence with Herr Knoch, who lived in the Roderallee. +In December he met the Colchester family, with whom he +became great friends.</p> + +<p>At this time he enjoyed the music every afternoon at the +Kursaal, and was amused in the evening to see the gambling +that went on. One night a Russian lost 100,000 francs. "What +an April fool!" is Selous' only comment. He had at this +time a nice dog named Bell, to whom he was much attached. +He is always writing for trout-flies, or books on sport or +natural history. "I wouldn't care to go to Rome and see +the Holy Week, but I should like to go to Russia, Sweden, +or some other country where some shooting or fishing is to +be had, but I must be patient and make some money, +though I don't know how. Yesterday I went down to the +Rhine, after my German and music lessons, but only brought +back three small fish. A few days ago an officer was shot +dead in a duel at Mayence. Verdict, 'Serve him right.'"</p> + +<p>Miss Colchester thus recalls certain incidents of +Selous' life at Wiesbaden. "As showing his sporting +nature, I may mention that he swam the Rhine near Biebrich +to retrieve a wild duck he had shot for us. It was +blocked with ice at the time, but that did not daunt him. +One day we were all skating on the frozen waters of the +Kursaal Gardens when the ice suddenly broke up and I +was thrown into the deep water. Without a moment's +hesitation Fred jumped in and supported me under the +arms until help came. He was a dear boy and we all loved +him."</p> + +<p>Selous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> set himself to learn the language as thoroughly +as he could in the time at his disposal, but the cold study of +German verbs was hard for a boy of seventeen with the +spring in his bones and the sun glinting on the forest oaks.</p> + +<p>When summer came young Selous spent all his spare +time chiefly with his friend Colchester, roving the woods +and opens in search of birds'-nests and butterflies. The +woods in the neighbourhood of Wiesbaden were, as is usual +in Germany, strictly preserved and, therefore, being forbidden +ground, offered an especial attraction to the young +naturalist. On two of these forays he had been stopped +and warned by a forester named Keppel, who though an +oldish man was immensely active and powerful. From him +Selous had several narrow escapes, but the day of reckoning +was at hand. In the heart of the forest Selous had one day +observed a pair of honey-buzzards, which being frequently +seen afterwards about the same spot, he concluded must +have a nest somewhere. These birds are somewhat uncommon +even in Germany, and Selous naturally longed to +find the nest and take the eggs. At last one day he and +Colchester found the nest on the top of a high fir tree, but +on climbing up to it Selous observed that there were no +eggs. A few days later the two marauders set off at dawn +and again approached the nest, Colchester being left at the +foot of the tree to keep watch. Selous was in the act of +descending the tree when Keppel suddenly appeared and +by his words and actions showed that he was in a furious +rage.</p> + +<p>"Now I shall take you to prison," he roared, as he seized +hold of the coat in which Selous had hidden the two eggs +he had taken.</p> + +<p>By this time, however, the fighting spirit was aroused +on both sides, for Selous had no intention either of being +captured or resigning his treasures quietly. A fierce struggle +ensued in which the coat was torn in half, when at last +Selous, losing his temper, gave the old forester a right-hander +on the jaw which dropped him like a felled ox.</p> + +<p>The boys were now alarmed and for a moment Selous +thought he must have killed the man, but as he showed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +signs of recovering they took to their heels and ran home +with all possible speed. Since complications were bound to +follow Selous at once consulted a lawyer, who advised him +to pack up his traps and leave Prussia. Accordingly he +took the train and went to Salzburg in Austria, where he +knew he would be beyond the power of German courts. +Selous' chief sorrow over the unfortunate affair seems to be +that he lost his rare eggs.</p> + +<p>Soon after he arrived at Salzburg Selous heard that his +friend, Charley Colchester, who had escaped to Kronberg, +but was followed and arrested, had been condemned to a +week's imprisonment (without the option of a fine) for +taking eggs on two occasions.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"If I had been caught," writes Selous, "I should have got +two or three months instead of a week's imprisonment, for +both the lawyer and the Burgomaster to whom I spoke, +said that the taking of eggs was but a small matter in the +eyes of Prussian law compared with resisting an official."</p></div> + +<p>The Austrian with whom he lived at Salzburg seems to +have been a pleasant fellow named Rochhart, who had +travelled much in Greece and America. Selous seems to +have liked the genial Austrians far better than the Prussians +and especially enjoyed the Tyrolese music and the butterfly +hunting in the woods when the weather was fine. Writing +to his mother (July 5th, 1870), he speaks of his enthusiasm +as a collector:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Why I feel the absence of the sun so very acutely is +because, when the sun is not shining no butterflies, or none +worth having, are to be got. Now this is just the time for +the Purple Emperors, some specimens of which I want very +much to get, and so I have been exceedingly provoked. I +found out the place where the P.E.'s were to be found and +for the last seven days I have been every day to that place +(which is from five to six miles from Salzburg) and there I +have waited from twelve to three, through rain and everything +else, hoping and hoping for a passing sunbeam, as I +could see them every now and then at the tops of the trees, +and if the sun had but come out for a few minutes some of +them would have been sure to have come down and settled in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +the road. Well, during all the hours of watching in those +seven days the sun never, never, never broke through the +clouds for one instant, and each day I returned home more +disappointed and more indignant against providence than +the day before. I think that if this sort of thing had continued +for another week I should have gone into a chronic +state of melancholy and moroseness for the rest of my life, +and people would have said, 'Ah, he must have had some +great disappointment in early life.' These are the sort of +things that rile me more than anything else, for you can't +think how I put my whole soul into egg and butterfly collecting +when I'm at it, and how I boil up and over with +impotent rage at not being able to attain the object of my +desires on account of the weather over which I have no +control. However, perseverance can struggle against anything. +This afternoon the sun shone out and I immediately +caught two Purple Emperors (<i>Apatura Iris</i>), and two very +similar butterflies unknown in England (<i>Apatura Ilia</i>), also +a great many White Admirals (<i>Limenitis Camilla</i>), not quite +the same as the English White Admiral (<i>Limenitis Sybilla</i>), +but very like; all butterflies well worth having. If the +weather will but continue fine for a few days I will soon +make some good additions to my collection, but it is hopeless +work collecting butterflies in bad weather. I think I must +be set down as a harmless lunatic by the peasants in the +neighbourhood already."</p></div> + +<p>Selous was not long at Salzburg before he found an old +chamois hunter and poacher, with whom he made frequent +excursions into the neighbouring mountains. On one of +these trips he killed two chamois, and the head of one of +these is still in the museum at Worplesdon.</p> + +<p>The Franco-German war now began and Selous was greatly +incensed that the general feeling in England was in favour +of Prussia.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Vive la France, à bas la Prusse," he writes to his +mother (July 22nd, 1870), "your saying the war is 'likely +to become a bloody butchery through all the Christian +nations of civilized Europe,' is rather a startler. Since this +morning I have read all the Cologne and Vienna papers for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +the last week and you are most certainly several miles ahead +of the most far-seeing and sanguinary politician, in either +Austria or Prussia. You say that Bavaria has joined +Prussia and Austria is likely to do so too. Bavaria cannot +help itself or would not have joined Prussia. The Crown +Prince of Prussia is in Munich with 15,000 Prussian troops, +and the Bavarians are forced by treaty to aid Prussia or +they would not do so. Prussia is the only power that is +likely to take any part in the war at present. Austria most +certainly will not interfere unless she is forced into it. And +England and America are less likely still to do so. The post +now goes to England by Trieste, by sea, of course, and supposing +the war does become a bloody butchery through all +the Christian nations of civilized Europe, an Italian passenger +steamer would surely not be meddled with. Whatever +happens, the war cannot come here, for there is nothing to +be fought for in the Tyrol and no room to fight for it in the +mountain valleys if there was. So that the route to Trieste +and from thence to England will always be open. The people +say that in 1866, when the war between Austria and Prussia +was going on, they never knew anything about it here. As +for the money, you can easily send a letter of credit to a +bank in Salzburg or Munich and that difficulty would be got +over. For several months at least it is not at all likely +that any other nation will join either party, England least +of all; and supposing that England were drawn into it +eventually, you would surely be able to tell long before war +was declared if such was likely to be the case, and send me +word, for the postal communications will not be stopped +until then via Trieste. It seems to me most ridiculous to +predict so much when so little is known. Unless you really +think in your heart of hearts that it is necessary for me to +come, please let me remain here a few months longer; +England taking part in the war is the only thing that can +stop either letters or myself from reaching you, and surely +you cannot tell me in cold blood that England is likely to +be drawn into the war for months and months to come, at +least all the Prussian papers declare most positively that it +is not likely that either America or England will take any<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +part in the war, and surely they as a party most intensely +interested would say something about it if they thought +that there was the slightest chance of England assisting. +Gladstone, you know, will do his utmost to keep England +neutral. Austria was almost ruined by the last war, but is +now rapidly increasing in wealth and if drawn into the war +would be utterly ruined, so that she will do her utmost to +keep out of it. Why I so particularly wish to remain here +a few months longer is because if I return to England all +the money and time that has been wasted in zither at any +rate, if not violin lessons, will have been utterly thrown +away and I shall lose a pleasure and a pastime that would +have lasted me my whole life. In three or four months +more, as I am working very hard at it, I shall know enough +of the zither to do without a master. The violin is all very +well, but it is not an instrument that one derives much +pleasure from playing unaccompanied, unless one plays +extremely well, whereas the zither, like the piano, needs no +accompaniment. The zither I have now is not the little +one you saw at Wiesbaden, but an Austrian zither which +is much larger and tuned lower, and altogether a finer +instrument."</p> +</div> + +<p>He seems to have formed a very accurate estimate of the +German character in war. Writing to his mother, October +20th, 1870, he says:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I have seen and spoken to several Bavarian soldiers +in a village just beyond the Bavarian frontier, who were +at Wörth and Sedan, and who have been sent back on the +sick list; they say there is a great deal of sickness among the +German troops, out of the 1000 men from the two villages +of Schellenberg and Berchtesgaden who were all in the +actions at Wörth and Sedan, not a single one has as yet been +killed, so I was told, though a great many have been wounded. +I see a great deal said in the English papers about the +'Francs tireurs' being little better than murderers. I think +that the French ought to consider all the soldiers composing +the German armies as so many burglars, and shoot them +down like rabbits in every possible manner; and, moreover, +as the Germans are murdering the peasants, men, women,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +and children, for such offences as being in possession of an +old sword, in every direction, I think the French would be +perfectly justified in shooting every German soldier they +take prisoner. After the affair at Bazeilles, I don't believe +any more in the humanity of the Germans."</p></div> + +<p>At this time Selous met an old Hungarian gentleman, +who had large farms in Hungary, and offered to take him +for two years to learn the business. But his father threw +cold water on this project and told his son to remain at +Salzburg until he had completed his German education. +Accordingly he continued to reside there until June, 1871, +when he went on a short visit to Vienna, of which he writes +(June 17th, 1871):-</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I think I have seen everything that is to be seen in +Vienna. The crown jewels, which I daresay you have seen, +were very interesting and very magnificent. The Emperor's +stables, too, I thought very interesting; he has an immense +number of horses, some of them very beautiful indeed. +We found an English groom there who had almost forgotten +his own language; he had been away from England nine +years, and so it is not to be wondered at, as I daresay he +rarely speaks anything but German and never reads anything +at all. The theatre in Vienna (I mean the new opera +house) is most magnificent. It was only completed in 1868, +so I don't suppose you have ever seen it. I believe it is +acknowledged to be at present the finest theatre in the world. +It is an immense size, almost as large as Covent Garden, +and the decorations inside and out, and the galleries and +everything appertaining to it are most beautiful and tasteful. +We saw 'Martha,' 'Tannhäuser,' and 'Faust' there, and +a little sort of pantomime entitled 'Flick and Flock.' I +liked 'Martha' very much. They have a splendid tenor +named Walter, who took the part of Lionel. I daresay you +will hear him in London some day. I didn't like 'Tannhäuser' +very much; I couldn't understand the story at all +and there were no pretty airs in it. 'Faust' was splendid, +Marguerite and Faust were, I should think, as near perfection +as possible, and Mephistopheles was very good, +though at first he gave me the impression of looking more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +like a clown than the devil. The scenery in all these pieces +was splendid. 'Flick and Flock' was exactly like an +English pantomime with dumb show. The scenery was +really wonderful; there were about half a dozen transformation +scenes, none of which would have disgraced a London +stage on Boxing Night."</p></div> + +<p>In August he arrived home in England, and during the +next three months he attended classes at the University +College Hospital (London) to gain some knowledge of +medical science preparatory to going to Africa.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a href="images/i081.jpg"><img src="images/i081-t.jpg" width="400" height="268" alt="The Plains of the Orange Free State in 1871." title="" /> +</a><span class="caption"><br />The Plains of the Orange Free State in 1871.<br /><br /></span> +</div> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> Mr. Boughton Leigh.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> +<h3>1871-1875</h3> + + +<p>There are few of us whose early aspirations and +subsequent acts are not influenced by literature. +Some book comes just at the time of our life +when we are most impressionable and seems exactly to fit +in with our ideas and temperament. To this rule Selous +was no exception, for he often admitted in after-life that +the one book which definitely sent him to Africa and made +him a pioneer and a hunter of Big Game, was Baldwin's +"African Hunting from Natal to the Zambesi," published +in 1864. Example in any line of adventure is recurrent, +and especially so if the field of adventure is not spoilt by +what we may call excessive "civilization." There have +been, as it were, landmarks in the literature of African sport +and travel, each book being more or less cumulative in its +effect. Amongst books that mattered, perhaps the first +was Burchell's fully-illustrated folio and the lesser writings +of an English officer who hunted in the Orange Free State +late in the eighteenth and early in the nineteenth century. +The works of these men incited Captain Cornwallis Harris +to undertake an extensive trip as far as the Limpopo. He +was a capable artist and an excellent writer, and published +a magnificent folio describing his adventures and the natural +history of the large mammals, which still commands a high +price. He at once inspired many hunters to follow in his +footsteps, and several of these, such as Roualeyn Gordon +Cumming, William Cotton Oswell, Sir Francis Galton, and +C. J. Anderson, wrote either books of great value or portions +of standard works. Gordon Cumming did an immense +amount of shooting—far too much most people now think—but +his volume, written in the romantic British style, is +one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> that will always remain a classic in the world of sporting +literature. His tales of the game he saw or what he killed +were not always accepted as true facts, but from all accounts, +gathered from independent sources, it is now admitted that +Gordon Cumming was a fearless hunter and did in the main +accomplish all the principal exploits to which he laid claim.</p> + +<p>"Lake Ngami, or Explorations in South-Western Africa," +by Charles John Anderson, published in 1856, with some +admirable early illustrations by Wolf, gives an account of +the author's four years' wanderings (partly with Francis +Galton) in the Western Wilderness, and is a truthful and +excellent record of the Great Game in these districts at that +time. Galton also published "Tropical Africa," but did +not give much space to sport or natural history. Oswell, a +great hunter and companion of Livingstone in many of his +travels, also wrote in the last days of his life an admirable +contribution to the "Badminton Library," which embodied +an account of his life and adventures amongst the Great +Game of South Africa in the forties. It is well illustrated +by Wolf, the greatest painter of birds and mammals who +ever lived. Other men of his date who were excellent +hunters, who left no records of their lives, were Vardon, +General Sir Thomas Steele, and Thomas Baines, who, without +prejudice, did perhaps as much exploration, geographical +work, painting, and hunting as any Afrikander of his time. +Baines, I believe, really discovered the Falls of the Zambesi +before Livingstone visited them, and no adequate tribute +to the work of this remarkable man has ever appeared. +The amount of maps he prepared of out-of-the-way corners +of South Africa from the Zambesi northwards, was very +great and his work was only known to the pioneers like +Livingstone, Oswell, Selous and others who followed after +him and made use of his industry. Baines, too, though +almost uneducated, was a very capable artist and I think +I must have seen at least two hundred of his paintings in +oil. He liked to depict landscapes and wild animals. Whilst +those of the latter were not above criticism, his views of the +rivers, lakes, forests, mountains, and plains of the Free +State, swarming with game, are a truthful record of the days +that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> are no more, and will doubtless live in South African +history when more ambitious, technically correct works +are forgotten.<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a></p> + +<p>After these sportsmen and writers came William Charles +Baldwin, who wandered, primarily with the object of hunting +elephants, from Zululand to the Zambesi and west to +Lake Ngami between the years 1852 and 1860. His book +"African Hunting and Adventure" was published in 1863, +and was beautifully illustrated by Wolf and Zwecker. It +was an immediate success and caused many, like Selous, +to leave the ways of civilization and seek adventure in the +wilds. Baldwin was an excellent and fearless rider (he +rode in a steeplechase when he was seventy) and a good shot, +and the accounts of his adventures could hardly have failed +to make their impress on the minds of young men of the right +kind, but, as he admits, the elephants were on the wane even +in his day (he never succeeded in hunting in the main +haunts in Matabeleland), so future travellers had to exploit +new fields.</p> + +<p>On the 4th of September, 1871, Selous landed at Algoa +Bay with £400 in his pocket. He went there determined +to make his way into the interior and to lead the free life +of the hunter as described by Gordon Cumming, Baldwin, +and others. First he decided to go to the Diamond Fields, +and left Port Elizabeth on September 6th with a young +transport rider named Reuben Thomas, who conveyed him +and his baggage for the sum of eight pounds. After a slow +journey of nearly two months he reached his destination. +On the road by hunting hard he had managed to kill "one +bushbuck ram, one duiker, one springbuck, one klipspringer, +and eight grey and red roebucks, all of which I carried on +my own shoulders to the waggons."</p> + +<p>Most unfortunately, however, a valuable double breechloading +rifle with which he had been shooting was stolen +on the day he reached Kimberley. Next day he bought a +horse and rode over to Pniel. There he met Mr. Arthur +Lang,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> and on October 31st went with him on a trading trip +through Griqualand, passing down the Vaal and Orange +rivers. He found the Bechuanas an industrious race, "but +they are the stingiest, most begging, grasping, and disagreeable +set of people that it is possible to imagine." He was +much disappointed to find the country so bare of game. +"The great drawback was that there was no game whatever, +not even springbucks, the Kafirs having hunted everything +into the far interior, so that now there is more game +within five miles of Cape Town than here, where we were +more than 600 miles up country." The party returned to +the Diamond Fields at the end of March and sold off their +produce—cattle, goats, and ostrich feathers at a profit of +about £100.</p> + +<p>Selous then set about his preparations for a journey into +the far interior. From a trader he purchased a waggon, +a span of young oxen, and five horses. A young fellow +named Dorehill and a Mr. Sadlier then agreed to accompany +him. The whole party seems to have been very badly +armed with indifferent weapons. At the end of April, 1872, +Selous and his two friends trekked north and only got as +far as Kuruman, a delay of a fortnight being caused through +the horses running away. Here Selous met Mr. William +Williams, an experienced trader and hunter, from whom he +purchased two unprepossessing-looking large-bore elephant +guns as used by the Boer native hunters. Cheap as these +guns were, about six pounds a-piece and using only common +trade gunpowder, they were most effective weapons, for +in three seasons with them (1872-1874) Selous killed seventy-eight +elephants, all but one of which he shot whilst hunting +on foot. He used to load them whilst running at full speed +by simply diving his hand into a leather bag of powder +slung at his side. "They kicked most frightfully, and in +my case the punishment I received from these guns has +affected my nerves to such an extent as to have materially +influenced my shooting ever since, and I am heartily sorry +I ever had anything to do with them."</p> + +<p>After a trying trek the party arrived at Secheli's in twenty +days through more or less waterless country, but just before<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +reaching these kraals an accident happened which might +easily have cost Selous and Dorehill their lives. Selous was +taking some cartridges from a box on the side of the waggon, +in which was about a pound of loose gunpowder, when Dorehill +came up and dropped some ashes from his pipe into the +box. An immediate explosion followed and both were +badly burnt. Sadlier, however, rose to the emergency and +"at once rubbed a mixture of oil and salt into our skinless +faces; it was not a pleasant process." After a visit to +Secheli, who was a most completely civilized Kafir, Selous +and his friends moved northward on the 28th June, with +Frank Mandy, who was about to trade in the Matabele +country. On the road to Boatlanarma they experienced +great difficulties and were once three days and three nights +without water. About the middle of August they left +Bamangwato, where Selous purchased a salted horse. By +exchanging his new waggon for a smaller second-hand one, +a trade rifle and the horse itself valued at £75, he made +a deal with a shrewd but uneducated Scotchman named +Peter Skinner. Of course the new purchase ran away at +the first opportunity, which delayed the party for another +week. Near Pelatsi Selous had his first experience of real +African hardship, and his subsequent account of being lost +in the bush for four days and three nights, without covering +except his shirt and breeches and without food or drink, is +one of the most thrilling he ever wrote.<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a></p> + +<p>Selous and his comrades here met their first giraffes and +proceeded to give chase.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"After a time the giraffes separated, and suffice it to +say that, at the end of an hour or so, I found myself lying +on my back, with my right leg nearly broken, by coming +violently into contact with the trunk of a tree; and, on +getting up and remounting my horse, not only were the +giraffes out of sight, but nowhere could I see either of my +two companions. Though, of course, my inexperience contributed +much to the unsuccessful issue of this, my first +giraffe hunt, yet I cannot help thinking that my horse also +had a good deal to do with it, for, having been bred in the +open plains<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> of the Transvaal Republic, he was quite at sea +in the thick forests of the interior; and if, when going at +full gallop through a thick wood, you intend to pass on one +side of a tree, but your horse, being of a different opinion, +swerves suddenly and goes to the other, it is awkward, to +say the least of it.</p> + +<p>"My first object was to rejoin my companions; so, not +having heard a shot, and imagining they must by this +time have given up chasing the giraffes, I fired as a signal, +and at once heard a shot in answer far to my right, and rode +in that direction. After riding some distance I again pulled +up, and shouted with all my might, and then, not hearing +anything, fired another signal shot, but without effect. As +my horse was very tired, I now off-saddled for a short time +and then fired a third shot, and listened intently for an +answer, but all was silent as the grave; so, as the sun was +now low, I saddled up again and struck a line for the waggon +road, thinking my friends had already done the same thing. +In this way I rode on at a slow pace, for my horse was tired +and thirsty, keeping steadily in one direction till the sun, +sinking lower and lower, at last disappeared altogether. +I expected I should have reached the road before this, and, +attributing my not doing so to the fact of the path having +taken a turn to the right, still kept on till twilight had given +place to moonlight—a fine bright moonlight, indeed, for it +wanted but two nights to the full, but, under the circumstances, +perhaps a trifle cold and cheerless. Still, thinking +I must be close to the road, I kept on for another couple +of hours or so, when, it being intensely cold, I resolved to +try and light a fire, and pass the night where I was and ride +on again early the following morning. Having no matches, +I had to make use of my cartridges, of which I had only three +remaining, in endeavouring to get a light. Breaking one +of these open, I rubbed some of the powder well into a bit +of linen torn from my shirt, slightly wetted, and, putting +it into the muzzle of the rifle, ignited it with the cap and a +little powder left in the bottom of the cartridge. So far +well and good, but this was, unfortunately, almost as far +as I could get; for, though I managed to induce some grass<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +to smoulder, I couldn't for the life of me make it flare, and +soon had the mortification of finding myself, after two +more unsuccessful attempts, just as cold and, hungry as +before, and minus my three cartridges to boot. Were the +same circumstances to occur again, no doubt everything +would be very different; but at that time I was quite a +tyro in all forest lore. It was now piercingly cold, though +during the day the sun had been as hot as at midsummer +in England—regular South African fashion. Still, I thought +it better to pass the night where I was; so, tying my horse +to a tree, I cut a little grass with my pocket knife to lie +upon, and turned in. My entire clothing consisted of a hat, +shirt, pair of trousers, and veldt shoes, as I had ridden +away from the waggon without my coat. However, lying +on my back, with my felt hat for a pillow, I put the saddle +over my chest and closed my eyes in the vain hope that I +should soon fall asleep and forget my cares; vain indeed, +for the bitter cold crept in gradually and stealthily from my +feet upwards, till I was soon shivering from head to foot as +if my very life depended on it. After having worked hard +at this unpleasant exercise for a couple of hours or more, +watching the moon all the time, and cursing its tardy pace, +I could stand it no longer; so, getting up with difficulty—for +I was regularly stiffened by the cold—I ran backwards and +forwards to a tree at a short distance until I was again warm, +when I once more lay down; and in this manner the weary +hours wore away till day dawned. During the night a couple +of hyenas passed close to me, enlivening the silence with +their dismal howlings. I have often thought since that +they must have been on their way to drink, perhaps at some +pit or spring not far off; how I wished that I had known +where! I will take this opportunity of saying that the howl +of the African hyena is about the most mournful and weird-like +sound in nature, being a sort of prolonged groan, rising +in cadence till it ends in a shriek; they only laugh when +enjoying a good feed.</p> + +<p>"At first dawn of day I once more saddled up and rode +in the same direction as before. My poor horse was so +tired and thirsty that he would only go at a very slow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +pace; so I didn't make much progress. On coming to a +high tree I stopped and climbed up it, and looked about +me to try and recognize some landmark. On every side +the country was covered with forest, and in the distance +were several low ranges of hills, yet nothing seemed familiar +to my eye. Right ahead, in the direction in which I had +been riding, appeared a line of densely wooded hills, with one +single kopje standing alone just in front of them, and thither +I determined to ride. On the way I passed three beautiful +gemsbuck, which allowed me to come quite close to them, +though they are usually very wild; but they had nothing to +fear from me, as I had no cartridges, and so could do nothing +more than admire them. Thus I rode on and on, until the +idea occurred to me that I must have ridden across the road +(a mere narrow track) without noticing it in the moonlight, +as I had constantly been star-gazing after the sun went +down, so as to guide my course by the position of the +Southern Cross. After a time, I at last felt so sure that this +was the case, that I turned my horse's head to the right-about, +and rode back again in the direction from which I +had just come."</p></div> + +<p>He was now hopelessly lost but did not give way to +despair, as so many in a similar position have done. Nothing +but a level sea of forest surrounded him, so he turned his +jaded horse to the setting sun in the west in the hope of +again striking the road. After another night in the wilderness +he awoke to find his horse gone. Far to the south-west +was a line of hills and after walking without food or water +till the moon rose, he reached the mountains. At sunrise +he topped the crest of the range, hoping to see the maize +fields of Bamangwato, but saw nothing. Worn out with +thirst, fatigue, and hunger he started again at sunrise and +at last at sundown he met two Kafirs who eventually took +him to their kraal and gave him water and milk.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The next morning, as soon as it was light, accompanied +by the Kafir who carried my rifle, I made a start, and, +though very tired and worn out from privation, managed +to reach the waggons late in the afternoon, after an absence +of five days and four nights. How I enjoyed the meal that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +was hastily prepared for me, and how delightful it was to +keep out the bitter cold with a couple of good blankets, I +will leave the reader to conjecture."</p></div> + +<p>Of course, he lost his valuable salted horse, which although +hobbled, found its way back to Bamangwato. But Selous +could never claim it as he had sold his right to it to a Mr. +Elstob at Tati. At Goqui he saw his first lions. Unfortunately +he had fired a shot at two lionesses running away, +when a fine lion with dark coloured mane stood up and +offered him a splendid shot at 80 yards, but his rifle was +empty, and as he had no dogs to follow the lions when they +had vanished, his first encounter with lions gave him much +disappointment. At the end of August they reached Tati, +and on leaving this place and passing the Ramaqueban +river the following day, Selous says: "Here I first saw a +sable antelope, one of the handsomest animals in the world," +and anyone, indeed, who sees this magnificent creature for +the first time never forgets it.</p> + +<p>Next day he reached Minyama's kraal, the frontier outpost +of the Matabele country, where most of the inhabitants +were Makalakas in native dress. The country now became +beautiful and park-like in character, and this extends to +Bulawayo, the town founded by Lobengula in 1870, and +where the sable king dwelt. On receipt of messages announcing +their arrival, the king arrived, dressed in a +greasy shirt, a costume which shortly afterwards he discarded +for native dress. "He asked me what I had come +to do," writes Selous. "I said I had come to hunt elephants, +upon which he burst out laughing, and said, 'Was it not +steinbucks' (a diminutive species of antelope) 'that you +came to hunt? Why, you're only a boy.' I replied that, +although a boy, I nevertheless wished to hunt elephants +and asked his permission to do so, upon which he made +some further disparaging remarks regarding my youthful +appearance, and then rose to go without giving me any +answer."</p> + +<p>But Selous was persistent and again begged for permission. +"This time he asked me whether I had ever seen an +elephant, and upon my saying no, answered, 'Oh, they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +will soon drive you out of the country, but you may go +and see what you can do!'" When Selous asked him +where he might go, Lobengula replied impatiently, "Oh, +you may go wherever you like, you are only a boy."</p> + +<p>It was about this time that the famous Boer elephant +hunter, Jan Viljoen, arrived at Bulawayo and offered to +take Sadlier and Selous to his waggons on the River Gwenia +to join his hunting party. This was an opportunity not to +be lost. In eight days the party, after crossing the Longwe, +Sangwe, Shangani, and Gwelo, reached the Gwenia and +found the patriarchal encampment of the Boer elephant +hunters. The Boers then, as now, travelled even into the +far interior with wives, children, cows, sheep, goats, and +fowls, and established a "stand-place" whilst the men +hunted in all directions, being absent for a week to a month +at a time. A slight accident now prevented Selous from +going in on foot with the Viljoens to hunt in the "fly." +He went off at the Boer's request to buy some corn and on +the way back, in passing some Griqua waggons at Jomani, +he saw for the first time a Hottentot named Cigar, with +whom later he became better acquainted.</p> + +<p>Cigar was an experienced hunter and as it seemed now +hopeless to follow Viljoen he decided to go in and hunt with +the Hottentot. It may be gathered how roughly they lived +from Selous' own words: "Having now run through all +my supplies of coffee, tea, sugar, and meal, we had nothing +in the provision line but Kafir corn and meat of the animals +we shot, washed down by cold water."</p> + +<p>Cigar—besides two Kafirs who were shooting for him, +and carried their own guns and a supply of ammunition—had +only three spare boys who carried his blankets, powder, +Kafir corn, and a supply of fresh meat. He himself carried +his own rifle, a heavy old four-bore muzzle-loader. "As +for me," says Selous, "having had to leave two of my +Kafirs to look after my horses and oxen, I had but one +youngster with me, who carried my blanket and spare +ammunition, whilst I shouldered my own old four-bore +muzzle-loader, and carried besides a leather bag filled with +powder, and a pouch containing twenty four-ounce round<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +bullets. Though this was hardly doing the thing <i>en grand +seigneur</i>, I was young and enthusiastic in those days and +trudged along under the now intense heat with a light +heart."</p> + +<p>It must be remembered that at this time nearly all the +old Boer and English elephant-hunters, such as men like +Piet Schwarz, William Finaughty, Hartley, the Jennings +family, J. Giffard, T. Leask, and H. Biles, had given up the +game of elephant-hunting when horses could be no longer +used and the elephants themselves must be pursued on foot +in the "fly." Only George Wood, Jan Viljoen,<a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a> and the +greatest hunter of all in South Africa, Petrus Jacobs, still +pursued the elephant, but the difficulty, danger, distance, +and scarcity of elephant haunts were now so defined and +the results so small that none save the very hardiest were +able to follow them.</p> + +<p>At this time (1873) Piet Jacobs was undoubtedly the +most famous hunter in South Africa. During a long life, +most of which was spent in the Mashuna and Matabele +country, he is supposed to have shot between 400 and 500 +bull elephants, mostly killed by hunting them from horseback, +but even after as an old man he killed many on foot +in the "fly" country. Unlike most Boers, he constantly +attacked lions whenever he had the opportunity, and Selous +considers that he shot "more lions than any man that ever +lived." His usual method in hunting these animals was, if +the first shot missed, to loose three or four strong "Boer" +dogs, which quickly ran the lion to bay. Then, as a rule, it +was easily killed. One day, however, in 1873, on the +Umniati river he was terribly mauled by a lion that charged +after being bayed by his three dogs. His shot at the charging +lion missed, and he was thrown to the ground and severely +bitten on the thigh, left arm, and hand. The dogs, however, +now came up and saved his life, but it was a long time +before he recovered. He said that, unlike the experience of +Dr. Livingstone, the bites of the lion were extremely painful, +at which Selous humorously remarks that the absence +of suffering in such a case is an especial mercy "which +Providence does not extend beyond ministers of the Gospel."</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span></p> +<p>Of William Finaughty, the greatest of the English +elephant-hunters, neither Selous nor any contemporary +writer gives any particulars, so I am indebted to Mr. G. L. +Harrison, an American gentleman, for his "Recollections +of William Finaughty," which was privately printed in +1916. He met Finaughty, who was then a very slight old +man, with a wonderful memory and much weakened by +attacks of fever, in 1913. Finaughty was one of the first +white men to hunt elephants in Matabeleland, and his +activities extended from 1864 to 1875, when he gave up +serious hunting because he could no longer pursue them on +horseback.</p> + +<p>Finaughty describes himself as a harum-scarum youth +who left Grahamstown at the age of twenty-one early +in 1864. He passed north through the Free State, then +swarming with tens of thousands of black wildebeest, blesbok, +springbok, quagga, blue wildebeest, and ostrich, and made +his way to Matabeleland, then ruled by Mzilikatse, a brother +of the Zulu king Chaka. After sport with lion and buffalo +on the road, for all game, including elephants, were abundant +at this time, he reached Tati. Old Mzilikatse was then a +physical wreck but treated the Englishman well, although +at times he had violent outbursts of passion. Finaughty +was witness of a great dance in which 2500 warriors took +part, and on which occasion 540 oxen were slaughtered. +Horse-sickness was then rife in the country and the party +lost fourteen horses out of seventeen within thirty hours. +In this, his first trip, Finaughty only killed three elephants, +which he attributed to lack of experience. On his second +trip in 1865 he did better, whilst a third in 1866 was made +purely for trading, yet he shot eight elephants and then +decided to become a hunter only.</p> + +<p>On the fourth trip he shot nineteen elephants, but in +1868, on the Umbila, he states that he had "the two finest +months of my life. In all I shot 95 elephants, the ivory +weighing 5000 lbs."</p> + +<p>One<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> day he had a narrow escape in the sandy bed of the +Sweswe river. He had wounded an old bull when he fired +at it again as it was on the point of charging. His boy had +put in two charges and the hunter was nearly knocked out +of the saddle by the recoil. The elephant then charged +and got right on the top of him, but, at the moment when +death seemed imminent, the elephant's shoulder-bone broke +and he was helpless—thus Finaughty escaped. In those +days the elephants did not know the meaning of gunfire. +Finaughty one day bagged six bulls in a river bed, as they +did not run on the shots being fired.</p> + +<p>In 1869 he went into the elephant country one hundred +miles beyond the Tuli and remained there three years, +sending out his ivory and receiving fresh provisions and +ammunition on the return of his waggons. In five months +he killed fifty-three elephants yielding 3000 lbs. of ivory. +In one day he killed five bulls and five cows, which was his +"record" bag for one day. In the two following years he +killed a large number of elephants, but does not state the +precise number. In 1870 he again hunted elephants without +giving particulars.</p> + +<p>From 1870 to 1874 Finaughty remained at Shoshong as +a trader and prospered.</p> + +<p>It is interesting to note that Finaughty, like many +experienced hunters, does not agree with Selous in considering +the lion the most dangerous of all African game. He +repeatedly says that buffalo-hunting is the most risky of all +forms of hunting.<a name="FNanchor_7_7" id="FNanchor_7_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a> "Far better," he says, "follow up a +wounded lion than a wounded buffalo, for the latter is the +fiercest and most cunning animal to be found in Africa." +He himself had many narrow escapes from buffaloes and +only one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> or two unpleasant incidents with lions. "No," +he remarks again, "a man who is out after buffalo must +shoot to kill and not to wound, and if he fails to bring his +quarry down he should on no account venture to follow up +unless in open country. He should never follow a buffalo +into cover, unless he is accompanied by a number of good +dogs. Many a good man has lost his life through neglect +of this precaution." Finaughty lived in the Transvaal +from 1883 to 1887, and then moved to Johannesburg in the +early days of the "boom." In the nineties he returned to +Matabeleland to spend the rest of his days on his farm +near Bulawayo. He was still alive in 1914.</p> + +<p>What would, however, have been only toil and hardship +to older men was small discomfort to a tough young fellow +like Selous, who was now in his natural element. Almost at +once he and Cigar tracked and killed a grand old bull which +carried tusks of 61 and 58 lbs. On the following days they +killed six elephants, Cigar accounting for four. Selous here +pays a high tribute to the good qualities of his dusky companion. +"Cigar was a slight-built, active Hottentot, +possessed of wonderful powers of endurance, and a very +good game shot, though a bad marksman at a target. These +qualities, added to lots of pluck, made him a most successful +elephant-hunter; and for foot hunting in the 'fly' country +I do not think I could have had a more skilful preceptor; +for although only an uneducated Hottentot—once a jockey +at Grahamstown—he continually allowed me to have the +first shot, whilst the elephants were still standing—a great +advantage to give me—and never tried in any way to over-reach +me or claim animals that I had shot, as is so often +done by Boer hunters. Strangely enough, Cigar told me, +when the celebrated hunter, Mr. William Finaughty, first +took him after elephants on horseback, he had such dreadful +fear of the huge beasts that, after getting nearly caught by +one, and never being able to kill any, he begged his master +to let him remain at the waggons. When I knew him this +fear must have worn off, and I have never since seen his +equal as a foot hunter." Selous did very well with Cigar, +getting 450 lbs. of ivory which he had shot himself, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +another 1200 lbs. which he had traded with the natives, +thus making a clear profit of £300. When he saw the king, +he told him that the elephants had not driven him out of +the country, but that he had killed several, to which Lobengula +replied, "Why, you're a man; when are you going +to take a wife?" and suggested that he should court one +at once.</p> + +<p>Selous' friends had now all left the country, but he himself +decided to remain in Matabeleland to be ready to hunt +in the following year with George Wood. As usual, however, +Lobengula took months to give his permission, so that it +was not until the 15th June, 1873, that he gave permission +to the two hunters to make a start. Even then he would +not allow them to go to the Mashuna country and stated +that they must hunt to the westward of the river Gwai.</p> + +<p>A fortnight after leaving Bulawayo Selous and Wood +reached Linquasi, where they began to hunt, and two days +later they killed two fine bull elephants. Here they established +their main hunting-camp and made raids into the +"fly." During this season of four months Selous killed +forty-two elephants and George Wood fifty. They also +accounted for a good many rhinoceros and buffalo. Their +main hunting veldt was the "fly" region between the +rivers Zambesi and Gwai. It was a broken country full of +hills, "kloofs," dense bush and park-like opens. This area +was formerly inhabited by the Makalakas, but these had +been driven across the Zambesi by raiding Matabele. These +regions were consequently a great game preserve and full +of elephant, black and white rhinoceros, buffalo, zebra, +sable, roan, koodoo, impala, reedbuck, klipspringer, grysbok, +bushbuck, waterbuck, and other antelopes. In "A Hunter's +Wanderings" Selous gives many interesting accounts of his +hunts after elephants, but perhaps his best is the splendid +narrative of his great day, of which I am permitted to give +his own description.<a name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a></p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"As soon as the day dawned, we sent a couple of Kafirs +down to the water to see if any elephants had been there, +and on their return in a quarter of an hour with the joyful +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span>tidings that a fine troop of bulls had drunk during the +night, we at once started in pursuit. We found they had +come down from the right-hand side, and returned on their +own spoor, feeding along nicely as they went, so that we +were in great hopes of overtaking them without much +difficulty. Our confidence, however, we soon found was +misplaced, for after a time they had ceased to feed, and, +turning back towards the N.E., had taken to a path, along +which they had walked in single file and at a quick pace, +as if making for some stronghold in the hills. Hour after +hour we trudged on, over rugged stony hills, and across +open grassy valleys, scattered over which grew clumps of +the soft-leaved machabel trees, or rather bushes; but, +though the leaves and bark of this tree form a favourite +food of elephants, those we were pursuing had turned neither +to the right nor to the left to pluck a single frond.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<a href="images/i099.jpg"><img src="images/i099-t.jpg" width="307" height="400" alt="Selous as a Young Man, in Hunting Costume." title="" /> +</a><span class="caption"><br />Selous as a Young Man, in Hunting Costume.<br /></span> +</div> + +<p>"After midday, the aspect of the country changed, and +we entered upon a series of ravines covered with dense, +scrubby bush. Unfortunately the grass here had been +burnt off, but for which circumstance the elephants, I feel +sure, would have halted for their midday sleep. In one +of these thickets we ran on to three black rhinoceroses +(<i>R. bicornis</i>) lying asleep. When we were abreast of them +they got our wind, and, jumping up, rushed close past the +head of our line, snorting vigorously. It was a family party, +consisting of a bull, a cow, and a full-grown calf; they +passed so near that I threw at them the thick stick which I +used for a ramrod, and overshot the mark, it falling beyond +them.</p> + +<p>"Shortly after this incident, we lost the spoor in some +very hard, stony ground, and had some trouble in recovering +it, as the Kafirs, being exhausted with the intense heat, +and thinking we should not catch the elephants, had lost +heart and would not exert themselves, hoping that we +would give up the pursuit. By dint of a little care and +perseverance, however, we succeeded, and after a time +again entered upon a more open country. To cut a long +story short, I suppose it must have been about two hours +before sundown when we came to a large tree, from +which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +the elephants had only just moved on. At first we thought +they must have got our wind and run, but on examination +we found they had only walked quietly on. We put down +the water-calabashes and axes, and the Kafirs took off their +raw-hide sandals, and then we again, quickly but cautiously, +followed on the spoor. It was perhaps five minutes later +when we at last sighted them, seven in number, and all +large, full-grown bulls. W. and I walked up to within +thirty yards or so, and fired almost simultaneously; he at +one standing broadside, and I at another facing me. Our +Hottentot boy also fired, and, as the animals turned, a +volley was given by our Kafirs, about ten of whom carried +guns. Not an elephant, however, seemed any the worse, +and they went away at a great pace. Judging from the lie +of the land ahead that they would turn to the right, I made +a cut with my two gun-bearers, whilst W. kept in their +wake. Fortune favoured me, for they turned just as I had +expected, and I got a splendid broadside shot as they +passed along the farther side of a little gully not forty +yards off. The Kafir having, as he ran, reloaded the gun +which I had already discharged and on which I placed +most dependence, I fired with it at the foremost elephant, +an enormous animal with long white tusks, when he was +exactly opposite to me. My boy had put in the powder +with his hand, and must have overloaded it, for the recoil +knocked me down, and the gun itself flew out of my hands. +Owing to this, I lost a little time, for, when I got hold of +my second gun, the elephants had turned back again (excepting +the one just hit) towards W. and the Kafirs. However, +I gave another a bullet behind the big ribs as he was +running obliquely away from me. The first, which I had +hit right in the middle of the shoulder, was now walking +very slowly up a steep hill, looking as though he were +going to fall every instant; but, nevertheless (as until an +elephant is actually dead, there is no knowing how far he +may go), I determined to finish him before returning to +the others. On reaching the top of the hill, and hearing me +coming on not a dozen yards behind him, the huge beast +wheeled round, and, raising his gigantic ears, looked ruefully +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +towards me. Poor beast, he was doubtless too far gone +to charge, and, on receiving another ball in the chest, he +stepped slowly backwards, and then sinking on to his +haunches, threw his trunk high into the air and rolled over +on his side, dead.</p> + +<p>"During this time, the remainder of the elephants, harried +and bewildered by the continuous firing of W. and our +little army of native hunters, had come round in a circle, +and I saw the four that still remained (for, besides the one +I had killed, two more were down) coming along in single +file, at the long, quick half run, half walk, into which these +animals settle after their first rush. I at once ran obliquely +towards them; but, before I could get near, one more first +lagged behind, and then fell heavily to the ground, so that +there were but three remaining. W., being blown, had been +left behind; but most of the Kafirs were still to the fore, +firing away as fast as they could load, from both sides. It +was astonishing what bad shooting they made; their +bullets kept continually striking up the ground all round +the elephants, sometimes in front of their trunks, sometimes +behind them, and ever and anon one would come whistling +high overhead. It was in vain that I shouted to them to +leave off firing and let me shoot; their blood was up, and +blaze away they would.</p> + +<p>"Just as I was getting well up alongside, the elephants +crossed a little gully, and entered a small patch of scrubby +bush, on the slope of the hill beyond, in the shelter of which +they at once stopped and faced about, giving me a splendid +chance. I had just emptied both my guns, hitting one +animal full in the chest, and another, that was standing +broadside to me, in the shoulder, when loud lamentations +and cries of 'Mai-ai!' 'Mai mamo!' burst from my +Kafir followers close behind. At the same time my two +gun-carriers, throwing down their guns, ran backwards, +clapping their hands, and shouting like the rest. Turning +hastily round, I saw a Kafir stretched upon the earth, his +companions sitting round him, wailing and clapping their +hands, and at once comprehended what had occurred. +The poor fellow who lay upon the ground had fired at the +elephants,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> from about thirty yards behind myself, and then +ran up an ant-hill, just as another Kafir, who preferred to +keep at a safer distance, discharged a random shot, which +struck poor Mendose just between the shoulder-blades, the +bullet coming out on the right breast. I ran up at once to +see what could be done, but all human aid was vain—the +poor fellow was dead. At this moment two more shots +fell close behind, and a minute or two afterwards W. and our +Hottentot boy John came up. One of the three elephants had +fallen after my last shot, close at hand, and a second, sorely +wounded, had walked back right on to W. and John, who +were following on the spoor; and the two shots I had just +heard had sealed his fate. The third, however, and only +surviving one out of the original seven, had made good his +escape during the confusion, which he never would have +done had it not been for the untimely death of Mendose.</p> + +<p>"The sun was now close down upon the western skyline, +and little time was to be lost. The Kafirs still continued +to shout and cry, seeming utterly paralysed, and I began to +think that they were possessed of more sympathetic feelings +than I had ever given them credit for. However, on being +asked whether they wished to leave the body for the hyenas, +they roused themselves. As luck would have it, on the side +of the very ant-hill on which the poor fellow had met his +death was a large deep hole, excavated probably by an anteater, +but now untenanted. Into this rude grave, with a +Kafir needle to pick the thorns out of his feet, and his +assegais with which to defend himself on his journey to +the next world, we put the body, and then firmly blocked +up the entrance with large stones, to keep the prowling +hyenas from exhuming it. Poor Mendose! he was an +obedient, willing servant, and by far the best shot of all +our native hunters.</p> + +<p>"The first thing to be done now was to cut some meat +from one of the elephants, and then get down to a pool of +water which we had passed during the hunt, and make a +'skerm' for the night. On reaching the nearest carcase, +which proved to be in fair condition, I was much surprised +to see my Kafirs throw aside every semblance of grief, and +fight<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> and quarrel over pieces of fat and other titbits in their +usual manner. Even the fellow who had had the misfortune +to shoot his comrade, though he kept asserting that 'his +heart was dead,' was quite as eager as the rest. In the +evening they laughed and chatted and sang as usual, ate +most hearty suppers, and indeed seemed as if all memory +of the tragedy which had occurred but a few hours before, +and which at the time had seemed to affect them so deeply, +had passed from their minds.</p> + +<p>"Thus ended the best day's hunting, as regards weight +of ivory, at which I had ever assisted. The next day we +set the Kafirs to work with three American axes, and before +nightfall the twelve tusks (not one of which was broken) were +lying side by side, forming one of the finest trophies a sportsman's +heart could desire to look upon. The largest pair +of tusks weighed 57 lbs. apiece, and the smallest 29 lbs. and +31 lbs. respectively—a very fair lot of bull ivory."</p> + +<p>A few days later he had an interesting day in the valley +of the Dett and experienced something of the difficulties +and dangers of the hunter's life.<a name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a></p> + +<p>"About an hour later, we came up with them, standing +some fifty yards away, on our right, under a clump of +camel-thorn trees, and in a rather open place compared +with the general density of the surrounding jungle. Besides +the small troop of bulls we had followed, and which were +nearest to us, there was a very large herd of cows standing +just beyond, which, as we had not crossed their spoor, had +probably drunk at Sikumi—a water-hole not many miles +distant—and come to this rendezvous from the other side.</p> + +<p>"Taking a hasty gulp of water, we at once walked towards +them. As we advanced, the slight rustling of the +bushes must have attracted the attention of one of the bulls, +for he raised his trunk high in the air, and made a few steps +forward. 'I'll take him, and do you fire at the one with +the long white tusks on the left,' whispered W. 'Right +you are!' was the reply, and the next moment we fired. +I just had time to see my elephant fall on his knees, when +he was hidden by the troop of cows that, awakened from +their sleep<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> by the shots, and not knowing exactly where +the danger lay, came rushing towards us in a mass, one or +two of them trumpeting, and others making a sort of rumbling +noise. Seizing our second guns and shouting lustily, +we again pulled trigger. Our Hottentot boy John, and +five of our Kafirs, who still carried guns, also fired; on +which the herd turned and went off at right angles, enveloped +in a cloud of dust. My gun had only snapped the cap, +but my Kafir, to whom I threw it back, thinking in the +noise and hurry that it was discharged, reloaded it on the +top of the old charge—a fact which I only found out, to +my sorrow, later on. The cloud of sand and dust raised +by the panic-stricken elephants was at first so thick that +we could distinguish nothing; but, running behind them, +I soon made out the bull I had wounded, which I recognized +by the length and shape of his tusks. He was evidently +hard hit, and, being unable to keep up with the herd, he +turned out, and went off alone; but he was joined almost +immediately by four old cows, all with small, insignificant +tusks, and, instead of running away, they walked along +quite slowly, first in front of and then behind him, as if to +encourage him. Seeing how severely he was wounded, I at +once went after him, accompanied only by my two gun-carriers, +Nuta and Balamoya, W. and the rest of the Kafirs +going on after the troop. My bull was going so slowly that +I had no difficulty in threading my way through the bushes +and getting in front of him, which I did in order to get a +broadside shot as he passed me. One of the four cows that +still accompanied him walked along, carrying her head high +and her tail straight in the air, and kept constantly turning +from side to side. 'That cow will bother us; shoot her,' +said Nuta, and I wish I had taken his advice; but her +tusks were so small, and the bull seemed so very far gone, +that I thought it would be a waste of ammunition. I +therefore waited till he was a little in front of where I stood, +and then gave him a bullet at very close quarters, just +behind the shoulder, and, as I thought, exactly in the right +place; but he nevertheless continued his walk as if he had +not felt it. Reloading the same gun, I ran behind him, +holding<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> it before me in both hands, ready to raise at a moment's +notice, and, the four cows being some twenty yards +in advance, I shouted, hoping he would turn. The sound +of my voice had the desired effect; for he at once raised +his ears and swung himself round, or rather was in the act of +doing so, for immediately his ears went up my gun was at my +shoulder, and as soon as he presented his broadside I fired, +on which he turned again, and went crashing through the +bushes at a trot. I thought that it was a last spasmodic +rush and that he would fall before going very far; so, +giving the gun back to Nuta to reload, I was running after +him, with my eyes fixed on the quivering bushes as they +closed behind him, when suddenly the trunk of another +elephant was whirled round, almost literally above my head, +and a short, sharp scream of rage thrilled through me, +making the blood tingle down to the very tips of my fingers. +It was one of the wretched old cows, that had thus lain +in wait for me behind a dense patch of bush.</p> + +<p>"Even had my gun been in my hands, I should scarcely +have had time to fire, so close was she upon me; but, as +it was, both my Kafirs were some fifteen yards behind, +and the only thing I could do was to run. How I got away +I scarcely know. I bounded over and through thorn-bushes +which, in cold blood, I should have judged impenetrable; +but I was urged on by the short piercing screams which, +repeated in quick succession, seemed to make the whole air +vibrate, and by the fear of finding myself encircled by the +trunk or transfixed by the tusk of the enraged animal. +After a few seconds (for I don't think she pursued me a +hundred yards, though it seemed an age), the screaming +ceased. During the chase, the elephant was so close behind +me, that looking over my shoulder was impossible, and all +that I did was to dash forward, springing from side to side +so as to hinder her from getting hold of me, and it was only +when the trumpeting suddenly stopped that I knew I was +out of her reach. I was barelegged—as I always am when +hunting on foot—and my only garment before the beast +charged was a flannel shirt; but I now stood almost <i>in +puris naturalibus</i>, for my hat, the leather belt that I wore +round my waist,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> and about three parts of my shirt, had +been torn off by the bushes, and I doubt if there was a +square inch of skin left uninjured anywhere on the front +of my body."</p></div> + +<p>Soon after another old bull charged him.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Taking a good sight for the middle of his shoulder, I +pulled the trigger. This time the gun went off—it was +a four-bore elephant gun, loaded twice over, and the powder +thrown in each time by a Kafir with his hands—and I went +off too! I was lifted clean from the ground, and turning +round in the air, fell with my face in the sand, whilst the +gun was carried yards away over my shoulder. At first I +was almost stunned with the shock, and I soon found that +I could not lift my right arm. Besides this, I was covered +with blood, which spurted from a deep wound under the +right cheek-bone, caused by the stock of the gun as it flew +upwards from the violence of the recoil. The stock itself—though +it had been bound round, as are all elephant-guns, +with the inside skin of an elephant's ear put on green, +which when dry holds it as firmly as iron—was shattered +to pieces, and the only wonder was that the barrel did not +burst. Whether the two bullets hit the elephant or not I +cannot say; but I think they must have done so, for he +only went a few yards after I fired, and then stood still, +raising his trunk every now and then, and dashing water +tinged with blood over his chest. I went cautiously up to +within forty yards or so of him, and sat down. Though I +could not hold my arm out, I could raise my forearm, so +as to get hold of the trigger; but the shock had so told on +me, that I found I could not keep the sight within a yard +of the right place. The elephant remained perfectly still; +so I got Nuta to work my arm about gently, in order to +restore its power, and hoped that in the meantime the Kafir, +whose shouting had originally brought the elephant to me, +would come up and be able to go and fetch W. No doubt, +if I had shouted he would have come at once, for he could +not have been very far off; but had I done so the elephant +might either have charged, or else continued his flight, neither +of which alternatives did I desire. After a short time, seeing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> +no chance of aid arriving, and my nerves having got a little +steadier, I took my favourite gun from Nuta, and, resting +my elbow on my knee, took a quiet pot shot. I was, however, +still very unsteady even in this position, but I do not think +the bullet could have struck very far from the right place. +The elephant on receiving the shot made a rush forwards, +crashing through the bushes at a quick walk, so that we +had to run at a hard trot to keep him in sight. He now +seemed very vicious, for, hearing a dry branch snap, he +turned and ran towards us, and then stood with his ears +up, feeling about in all directions with his trunk to try and +get our wind.</p> + +<p>"Nuta, who up to this day had always been a most staunch +and plucky gun-bearer, now seemed seized with a panic, +and refused to bring me the gun any more, calling out, +'Leave the elephant, sir; this day you're bewitched, and +will surely be killed.' However, as the elephant was evidently +very severely wounded, I had no idea of giving over +the chase as long as I could keep up, and, after bestowing a +few Anglo-Saxon idioms upon Nuta, I again ran on. The +bush now became very thick, and, as the elephant was going +straight away, I could not get a chance of a shot. About +a mile farther on, however, we came to one of those large +open turf flats which occur here and there in the midst of +the sinangas. It was quite a mile square, and perfectly +bare, with the exception of a few large camel-thorn trees, +which were scattered about in clumps. On reaching this +opening, the elephant, instead of turning back into the bush, +as I should have expected, kept his course, making straight +for the farther side, and going at that long, swinging walk, +to keep up with which a man on foot must run at a fair +pace. I had now been a long time bare-headed, exposed +to the heat of the fierce tropical sun, and the kick I had +received from the gun had so much shaken me, that I felt +dead-beat, and could scarcely drag one leg after the other. +I saw that I should never be able to run up to within shot +of the elephant, which was now about 150 yards ahead; +so, taking the gun from Nuta, I told him to try and run +right round him, and by shouting turn him back towards<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> +me. Relieved of the weight of the gun, and being a splendid +runner, he soon accomplished this, and standing behind +the stem of a camel-thorn tree a long way in advance, +holloed loudly. Accordingly, I had the satisfaction of seeing +the elephant stop, raise his ears, look steadily in the direction +of the noise, and then wheel round, and come walking +straight back towards the jungle he had just left, taking a +line which would bring him past me, at a distance of about +fifty or sixty yards. I stood perfectly still, with Balamoya +kneeling close behind me; for, though elephants can see +very well in the open, I have always found that if they do +not get your wind, and you remain motionless, they seem +to take you for a tree or a stump. To this I now trusted, +and as the elephant came on I had full leisure to examine +him. The ground between us was as bare as a board, except +that it was covered with coarse grass about a foot high, +and he looked truly a gigantic and formidable beast; his +tusks were small for his size, one of them being broken at +the point, and I do not think they could have weighed +much over 30 lbs. apiece. He came steadily on, swinging +his trunk backwards and forwards, until he was about +seventy yards from where I stood, when suddenly I was dismayed +to see his trunk sharply raised, as if to catch a stray +whiff of wind, and the next instant he stopped and faced +full towards us, with his head raised, and his enormous +ears spread like two sails. He took a few steps towards us, +raising his feet very slowly, and bringing them down as if +afraid of treading on a thorn. It was an anxious moment; +he was evidently very suspicious, but did not know what +to make of us, and had we remained motionless I believe he +would still have turned and walked on again. 'Stand +still!' I whispered between my teeth to Balamoya; but +the sight of the advancing monster was too much for him—he +jumped up and bolted. The instant he moved, on came +the elephant, without trumpeting, and with his trunk +straight down. Though very shaky just before, the imminence +of the danger braced up my nerves, and I think I +never held a gun steadier than upon this occasion. As he +was coming direct at me, and as he did not raise his trunk,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +his chest was quite covered; there was therefore nothing +left but to fire at his head. He came on at an astonishing +pace, and I heard only the 'whish, whish' of the grass as his +great feet swept through it. He was perhaps twenty yards +off when I pulled the trigger. I aimed a little above the +root of the trunk and just between the eyes, and directly I +fired I ran out sideways as fast as I could, though I had not +much running left in me. Looking over my shoulder, I +saw him standing with his ears still up and his head slightly +turned, looking towards me; the blood was pouring down +his trunk from a wound exactly where I had aimed, and, +as it was inflicted by a four-ounce ball, backed by a heavy +charge of powder, I cannot understand why it did not +penetrate to his brain; it had half-stunned him, however, +and saved my life, for, had he come on again, it would have +been utterly impossible for me, fatigued as I was, to have +avoided him. After standing still for a short time, swaying +himself gently from side to side, he again turned and took +across the flat. Nuta, seeing what had happened, instead +of trying to turn him again, cleared out of his road, and, +making a large circle, came back to me. Perhaps it was as +well he did so."</p></div> + +<p>Selous now gave up the pursuit without having killed a +single elephant, and it was ten days before he could use his +arm again.</p> + +<p>In November, the rainy season having set in, Selous and +Wood returned to Bulawayo carrying 5000 lbs. weight of +ivory. Selous bears testimony to the extraordinary abundance +of game at this time in South Africa, and gives a +wonderful word-picture of the extraordinary collection of +animals he saw one evening in October, 1873, in the valley +of the Dett.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"First, a few hundred yards higher up this valley than +where we were working, a herd of nine giraffes stalked +slowly and majestically from the forest, and, making their +way to a pool of water, commenced to drink. These giraffes +remained in the open valley until dark, one or other of +them, from time to time, straddling out his forelegs in a +most extraordinary manner in order to get its mouth down<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +to the water. No other animals came to drink in the pools +between us and the giraffes. Possibly some got our wind +before leaving the shelter of the forest, though the evening +was very still. But below us, as far as one could see down +the valley, the open ground was presently alive with game. +One after another, great herds of buffaloes emerged from +the forest on either side of the valley and fed slowly down +to the water. One of these herds was preceded by about +fifty zebras and another by a large herd of sable antelopes. +Presently two other herds of sable antelopes appeared upon +the scene, and a second herd of zebras, and five magnificently +horned old koodoo bulls, whilst rhinoceroses both of +the black and white species (the latter predominating in +numbers) were scattered amongst the other game, singly or in +twos and threes all down the valley. Of course all this great +concourse of wild animals had been collected together in the +neighbourhood of the valley of the Dett owing to the drying +up of all the valleys in the surrounding country, and during the +rainy season would have been scattered over a wide area."<a name="FNanchor_10_10" id="FNanchor_10_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_10_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a></p></div> + +<p>In 1874, Wood, Selous, Mr. and Lieutenant Garden +trekked north, intending to hunt on the Zambesi and Chobe +rivers. They left Tati on May 6th and approached the +Victoria Falls on June 10th, stopping on the way at Daka, +where Wood and Selous killed some elephants, and the latter +had a somewhat narrow escape from a charging bull which +he managed to kill just at the right moment. On June 27th +they viewed the wonderful Falls of Zambesi, and Selous, +like all other travellers, goes into ecstasies at their beauty +and grandeur. Here they encountered for the first time a +rare antelope, the pookoo, which gave Selous much pleasure, +for it may be said that from this date he commenced his +wonderful collection of African mammals. During, and +after, 1874, he never failed to preserve and keep for his own +collection all the best specimens of big game he shot, +then having unrivalled opportunities for getting the finest +trophies. This can, of course, only be achieved when animals +are abundant. He often lamented afterwards that he did +not take more care to get some buffalo bulls of the first +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span>quality, for he certainly saw and killed great numbers in +those early years, yet he only kept three or four heads of +bulls that were in no way remarkable, when he could have +possessed the best specimens in existence. When he wanted +them it was too late.</p> + +<p>At the Zambesi, Wood decided to go eastward to the +Gwai, so Selous and the Gardens travelled west into the +unknown country of the Chobe. On the first day Selous +killed a splendid koodoo bull which he preserved, and shortly +afterwards encountered numerous herds of pookoo and other +antelopes. The country about the Chobe was in fact about +the best for mixed game at this period, and Selous revelled +in the wealth of animal life, though he devoted most of his +energies to looking for elephants, which were here difficult to +kill owing to shifting winds. One day he had quite a little +battle with the fierce buffalo cow.<a name="FNanchor_11_11" id="FNanchor_11_11"></a><a href="#Footnote_11_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a></p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"On again arriving at the open valley mentioned above, +I found it occupied by a large herd of two or three hundred +buffaloes, that had emerged from the surrounding jungle +during my absence, and were now feeding quietly down +towards the river for their evening drink. Though I hardly +liked to fire, for fear of disturbing elephants, some of which +might, for all I knew, be within hearing, yet, on the other +hand, I had a strong desire to secure a nice fat buffalo steak +for supper, and at last forgetting all more prudent resolves, +and sympathising with the feelings of my Kafirs who kept +entreating me to shoot them a fat cow, I took my four-bore +elephant-gun and advanced towards the still unconscious +herd, resolved to kill one if possible. Those that were +nearest were about one hundred and twenty yards from the +edge of the bush, beyond which there was no shelter, save +that afforded by a few large scattered goussy trees. However, +by creeping cautiously forward on my hands and +knees, I managed to get within eighty yards or so, when an +old cow observing me, raised her head and gazed steadily +towards where I crouched. There was no time to be lost, +as I saw she was thoroughly alarmed, so, singling out a fine +fat cow, that stood broadside on close beside her, I raised +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span>my heavy gun, and taking a quick aim behind her shoulder, +fired. The loud bellow that followed the shot told me she +was hard hit, but I could see nothing, for the whole herd, +startled by the report of the gun, rushed together in wild +affright, and now stood in a dense mass, facing towards +their hidden foe, effectually screening the wounded cow +from my view. In another instant, seemingly satisfied +that something dangerous was near, they turned about and +galloped away across the valley, making for the bush on +the opposite side, and on the dust raised by their many feet +subsiding, I beheld the one I had wounded still standing +where she had been shot, and thought she was about done +for; but on seeing me step from behind a tree, she immediately +wheeled round and made for the jungle.</p> + +<p>"When the herd ran together, after I had fired, with +several nasty-looking old bulls in their front, my native +attendants had all retreated precipitately to the edge of the +bush (with the exception of one of the Masaras, who was +carrying a small gourd of water slung on an assegai over his +shoulder), or I might have given the cow another shot with +my second gun before she turned to run. Although evidently +severely wounded, she still managed to get over the +ground at a great rate, and entered the bush at least 100 +yards in advance of myself and the Bushman, who were +following at our best pace, the Kafirs carrying my guns +being a considerable distance behind. Just within the edge +of the jungle was one very thick patch, unlike the greater +part, covered with foliage, and behind this the wounded +buffalo turned and stood at bay waiting for her pursuers. +Not thinking of this stratagem (a very common one with +both buffaloes and elephants), and imagining her to be a +considerable distance ahead, I ran into her very horns before I +saw her, and she at the same time seeing me at once charged, +with eyes on fire, and her nose stretched straight out, +grunting furiously. Luckily she was not standing head on, +but broadside to me, and so could not come straight at me, +but had first to turn round the bush. This gave me time to +spring through the bushes to one side, as she rushed past, +when she immediately made at the Bushman, who, springing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +into a small sapling, just swung his body up out of reach +as she passed beneath. So close was she, that, as the +calabash full of water, which he had been carrying slung on +an assegai, fell to the ground behind him, she smashed it +to atoms, either with her feet or horns, just as, if not before, +it touched the ground. After this she turned and stood +under the very slender tree on which the Bushman hung, +looking up at him, and grunting furiously, but not attempting +to butt the tree down, which I think she could have +accomplished had she but tried. At this instant the Kafir +who carried my ten-bore rifle, reaching the scene of action +unperceived by the buffalo, fired at and missed her, on which +she again retreated behind the bush from whence she had +first charged. By this time, however, I had my second +elephant-gun in my hands, and creeping up gave her +another bullet on the point of the shoulder, just as she +caught sight of me and was again turning to charge. On +receiving this second ball, she fell to the ground, and +snatching up an assegai, and followed by several of the +Kafirs, we ran in and despatched her before she could rise. +She proved to be a dry cow in splendid condition."</p></div> + +<p>He killed several good bull elephants in the Chobe bush and +had some narrow escapes, once nearly losing his life owing +to the caps missing fire. What delighted him most was the +abundance of other game he saw. He believed the sable +antelopes here carried finer horns than in any part of +South Africa, south of the Zambesi, and often wished +afterwards he had shot one or two, but when he encountered +them he was always after elephants, so he did not fire. The +best specimen of this grand animal he killed in Northern +Mashunaland three years later, and its horns measured +44½ ins. in length, but he always thought that somewhere +in Africa there were greater sable antelopes than this, and +one day, in later years, he found in the museum at Florence +a wonderful single horn of 60 inches. For years he tried to +find out where it came from without success. Now we +know it must have been sent from Angola, Portuguese West +Africa, for on the Quanza river some remarkable specimens +have been obtained, reaching up to 63 inches but it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +is feared that they are few in number there, and nearly +extinct.</p> + +<p>Near the Chobe on some marshy flats he found the +lechwe antelope for the first time and killed some good +examples, and he accurately described<a name="FNanchor_12_12" id="FNanchor_12_12"></a><a href="#Footnote_12_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</a> the curious movements +of these antelopes.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"When first they make up their minds to run, these +lechwe buck stretch out their noses, laying their horns flat +along their backs, and trot like an eland, but on being +pressed break into a springing gallop, now and then bounding +high into the air like impalas. Even when in water up +to their necks they do not swim, but get along by a succession +of bounds with great rapidity, making a tremendous +splashing and general commotion. Of course when the +water becomes too deep for them to bottom they are forced +to swim, which they do well and strongly, though not as fast +as the natives can paddle, and in the rainy season, when the +country is flooded, great numbers are driven into deep +water and speared before they can again reach the shallows +where they can touch ground. It is owing to their being +thus driven about and harried by the natives in canoes, I +suspect, that they are so wild, as I don't think they can +often have heard the sound of a gun before."</p></div> + +<p>In September he was very lucky with the elephants, +killing five each day on September 4th and September 8th. +Altogether he shot twenty-four in 1874.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"During the intensely hot weather in September and +October, just before the rains fall, elephants soon become +fatigued if driven about and exposed to the fierce sun. +When they get hot and tired they insert their trunks into +their mouths and draw out water from their stomachs, +which they dash over their breasts and shoulders to cool +themselves; and when the supply of water is exhausted they +will sometimes throw sand over their bodies, which one would +suppose would only make them hotter than they were +before. Though, as I have said, elephants get knocked up +comparatively soon when hunted during the hot weather, +yet, as may be imagined, it is killing work following them +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span>on foot at that season, in deep sandy ground and under a +tropical sun, and with nothing to drink but a very limited +allowance of water carried in a gourd, which soon gets +lukewarm from the intensity of the heat."<a name="FNanchor_13_13" id="FNanchor_13_13"></a><a href="#Footnote_13_13" class="fnanchor">[13]</a></p></div> + +<p>On September 11th he made a start for home, reaching +Daka on September 26th, after an absence of three months. +He then went east to trade at Wankie, where he got 300 lbs. +of good ivory. In December he trekked south to the Tati, +where he shot his first lion. Thus it was three years before +Selous actually shot a lion in Africa—a fact that may seem +somewhat strange, but not so much when we consider the +nocturnal habits of these animals. I knew a man in East +Africa who lived in a district where lions are far more +abundant than they were in South Africa, who, though +constantly shooting and travelling in lion haunts, had never +once seen one of these beasts in the course of several years.</p> + +<p>Selous' first lions were evidently of the fighting order, as +they always are, when pressed by a mounted man.<a name="FNanchor_14_14" id="FNanchor_14_14"></a><a href="#Footnote_14_14" class="fnanchor">[14]</a></p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"On this occasion, as Dorehill and myself were riding +through a patch of bush, our ears were suddenly saluted +with a muffled growling that we did not immediately +interpret. The next instant, however, Hartebeest rushed +forward, pointing with his assegai, and shouting, 'Isilouan! +isilouan!' (lions! lions!). I saw nothing, but galloped +through the bush in the direction he pointed, Dorehill +heading a little to the right. A few moments later, coming +to a more open part, I saw two large lionesses trotting along in +front of me. Upon hearing me behind them, they both +stopped, and standing broadside to me, turned their heads +and looked towards me. Pulling in my horse, I jumped to +the ground, upon which they started off again at a gallop. +I fired at the hindermost one as she ran, and evidently +struck her, for she threw up her tail and gave a loud growl. +They now went into a patch of short mopani bush, beyond +which the country was open forest, with no underwood. +At first they trotted out into this open forest, but the +wounded one not seeming to like it, turned, and squatting +on the ground,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> crept back like a cat, with her shoulders +above her back, and her eyes all the time fixed upon me, +until she reached a little thorn-bush, under which she +stretched herself at full length, and lay watching me with +her head couched on her outstretched paws. All this time +the other lioness was standing in the open, and I was just +going to dismount and fire at her, when, turning towards me, +she trotted a few steps forwards, and then, throwing her +tail two or three times straight into the air, came galloping +forwards, growling savagely. Turning my horse's head I +pressed him to his utmost speed, closely pursued by the +lioness. I do not know how near she got, but her loud +purring growls sounded unpleasantly close. As soon as the +growling stopped, I knew she had given up the chase, and +so rode round in a half-circle to get a view of her. She then +trotted to a large mopani tree, in the shade of which she +stood. When I rode to another tree about sixty yards off, +she lowered her head and stood looking at me, snarling +savagely, with her tail held straight in the air. I think that +she had done her best to catch me, as her flanks were +heaving like those of a tired dog, with the exertion of her +run. Feeling sure that she would charge again as soon as +she recovered her breath, I steadied myself and fired from +the saddle, but missed her. She never took the slightest +notice of the shot, but continued snarling and growling. +Resting the butt of my rifle (a single ten-bore muzzle-loader) +on my foot, I now reloaded with all expedition, and +fired again, the lioness all this time having preserved the +same position, standing exactly facing me. This time I +struck her right in the mouth, knocking out one of the +lower canine teeth, breaking the lower jaw-bone, and +injuring her neck. She fell to the shot instantly, and lay +quite still. I thought she was dead, but took the precaution +to reload before riding up to her. On my dismounting and +walking towards her, she raised herself on her fore-quarters, +when I gave her a ball in the shoulder which effectually +settled her. Dorehill now came up with the Kafirs. He +had seen the other lions, a male and two females, for there +were five altogether, but they had given him the slip in a +patch<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> of thick bush. We now went to look for the one I had +first wounded, but though there was a little blood under the +bush where she had been lying, we could discover no further +trace of her, and the ground being very hard no sign of her +spoor was visible, even to the keen eyes of the Bushmen. +So, after skinning the one I had killed, which was in beautiful +condition, we returned to the waggons."</p></div> + +<p>At Tati Selous received his first letters from home since +he left the Diamond Fields three years previously, and after +reading their contents he decided to go home, and so turned +his face southward on February 1st, 1875.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> There was an exhibition of Baines' collected works at the Crystal +Palace some years ago, but few people took any notice of them. Baines +published an excellent book "The Gold Regions of South-Eastern Africa" +in 1877.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> "A Hunter's Wanderings," pp. 15-23.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a> Finaughty states that in 1867 Jan Viljoen and his party killed 210 +elephants in one trip. This is probably the largest bag of elephants ever +made in one season.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_7_7" id="Footnote_7_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7_7"><span class="label">[7]</span></a> In this matter Finaughty received powerful support in the evidence +of William Judd, possibly the most experienced African hunter now +living; he writes: "As for buffalo I consider them far and away the most +dangerous game. The difficulty of stopping a direct charge, as they very +rarely swerve even to the heaviest bullet—the way they can force themselves +through bush absolutely impenetrable to man and the nasty habit +they have, when wounded (and sometimes when not wounded) of breaking +away, making a detour and charging up again from behind, make them +an adversary worthy of the greatest respect. I personally have had more +close shaves from these brutes than I have had from all other big game +put together—lions and elephants included."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_8_8" id="Footnote_8_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8_8"><span class="label">[8]</span></a> "A Hunter's Wanderings," pp. 84-88.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_9_9" id="Footnote_9_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9_9"><span class="label">[9]</span></a> "A Hunter's Wanderings," pp. 89-99.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_10_10" id="Footnote_10_10"></a><a href="#FNanchor_10_10"><span class="label">[10]</span></a> "African Nature Notes and Reminiscences," p. 134.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_11_11" id="Footnote_11_11"></a><a href="#FNanchor_11_11"><span class="label">[11]</span></a> "A Hunter's Wanderings," pp. 120-123.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_12_12" id="Footnote_12_12"></a><a href="#FNanchor_12_12"><span class="label">[12]</span></a> "A Hunter's Wanderings," pp. 137-138.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_13_13" id="Footnote_13_13"></a><a href="#FNanchor_13_13"><span class="label">[13]</span></a> "A Hunter's Wanderings," p. 181.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_14_14" id="Footnote_14_14"></a><a href="#FNanchor_14_14"><span class="label">[14]</span></a> <i>Ibid.</i>, pp. 187-189.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> +<h3>1876-1878</h3> + + +<p>The years 1872-1874 were undoubtedly the most +strenuous of Selous' life, for after his return to +South Africa in 1876 he used the horse in the +greater part of his journeys in the interior, except on such +trips as he made into the "fly," when he seldom met with +elephants. He landed again at Algoa Bay on March 15th, +1876, and at once organized another trip into the interior, +taking four months before he reached the Matabele country +by bullock waggon. Here he met his old friend Dorehill, +Lieutenant Grandy, R.N., and a Mr. Horner, and as it was +too late to make an extensive trip after elephants the party +spent the remainder of the year in short hunting trips down +the Tati, Shashi, and Ramokwebani rivers. Much of this +time was spent in hunting giraffes, and he gives many lively +accounts of this exhilarating sport, also of hunting buffaloes +and the larger antelopes. One day on the Ramokwebani +Selous and his friends had a thrilling hunt after an old male +lion which gave much trouble. Selous broke the animal's +shoulder with the first shot and then followed into thick +bush in which the lion kept retreating. For that evening +he was lost as night came on, but next day Selous tried his +dogs, which seemed disinclined to face the quarry. The +lion, however, was soon found, as a wet night had made +"spooring" easy, and he kept up a continuous roaring, +which is unusual. Grandy and Horner had shots, after +which the lion continued his retreat from one thicket to +another, but roaring at intervals.<a name="FNanchor_15_15" id="FNanchor_15_15"></a><a href="#Footnote_15_15" class="fnanchor">[15]</a></p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"As it was, however, I was peering about into the bush +to try and catch sight of him, holding my rifle advanced in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span>front of me, and on full cock, when I became aware that he +was coming at me through the bush. The next instant out +he burst. I was so close that I had not even time to take +a sight, but, stepping a pace backwards, got the rifle to my +shoulder, and, when his head was close upon the muzzle, +pulled the trigger and jumped to one side. The lion fell +almost at my very feet, certainly not six feet from the +muzzle of the rifle. Grandy and Horner, who had a good +view of the charge, say that he just dropped in his tracks +when I fired, which I could not see for the smoke. One +thing, however, I had time to notice, and that was that he +did not come at me in bounds, but with a rush along the +ground. Perhaps it was his broken shoulder that hindered +him from springing, but for all that he came at a very great +rate, and with his mouth open. Seeing him on the ground, +I thought that I must have shattered his skull and killed +him, when, as we were advancing towards him, he stood +up again. Dorehill at once fired with a Martini-Henry +rifle, and shot him through the thigh. On this he fell down +again, and, rolling over on to his side, lay gasping. We +now went up to him, but, as he still continued to open his +mouth, Horner gave him a shot in the head. I now examined +my prize with great satisfaction. He was an +average-sized lion, his pegged-out skin measuring 10 ft. 3 in. +from nose to tip of tail, sleek, and in fine condition, and +his teeth long and perfect. Grandy and Horner must both +have missed him when they first fired, as we could find no +mark of their bullets on the skin; so that when he charged +the only wound he had was the one I had given him on the +previous evening. This bullet had merely smashed his +shoulder-blade and lodged under the skin just behind it. +The bullet with which I so luckily stopped him when +charging had struck him fair on the head, about half an +inch above the right eye; here it had cracked the skull, +but, without penetrating, had glanced along the bone and +come out behind the right ear. I believe that this shot +must have given him concussion of the brain and caused +his death, and that when he stood up after it was merely +a spasmodic action, for the shot that Dorehill gave him was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +only a flesh wound through the thighs, and the last shot +that Horner gave him in the head as he lay on the ground +had passed beneath the brain-pan."</p></div> + +<p>At the Ramokwebani Selous met for the first time George +Westbeech, the well-known trader, who had for years +traded in the far interior as a pioneer. He principally +worked the ivory business on the Zambesi and all its confluents +north and south. In 1871 he opened up a lucrative +business with Sepopo, king of the Barotsi, and between +that year and 1876, when Sepopo was assassinated, he +brought out no less than 30,000 lbs. of ivory. He also +traded much with the Portuguese on the Zambesi, and his +operations extended as far north as the Mashukulumbwe +country. Selous, as well as all travellers in the interior at +this period, had a great respect for Westbeech, and bears +testimony to his high character and integrity in dealings +with the natives. He regarded him as a fine type of the +best class of English pioneer, and is scathing in his denunciation +of "stay-at-home aborigines' protectionists, +who, comfortably seated in the depths of their armchairs +before a blazing fire, are continually thundering forth +denunciations against the rapacious British colonist, and +the 'low, immoral trader,' who exerts such a baneful +influence upon the chaste and guileless savages of the +interior. I speak feelingly, as I am proud to rank myself as +one of that little body of English and Scotch men who, as +traders and elephant-hunters in Central South Africa, have +certainly, whatever may be their failings in other respects, +kept up the name of Englishmen amongst the natives for +all that is upright and honest. In the words of Buckle, we +are neither monks nor saints, but only men."</p> + +<p>Late in 1876 Selous went down to the Diamond Fields to +fetch some property, and trekked south via Bamangwato. +This occupied five months before he returned to Matabeleland. +On December 6th he had an adventure with lions at +Pelatse. He was awakened at 2.30 by his boy, January, +who told him there was something on his horse. It was, +however, too dark to see to shoot, but he crept near and +saw two lions leave the dead horse. He then crawled close<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> +to the carcase and another lion rose and sprang away. +Just as daylight came in, however, he saw a lion lying +"between me and the horse, its tawny body pressed flat +upon the yellow sand and its great head couched upon its +outstretched paws." He fired at it at a distance of twelve +paces and the lion rolled over, recovered, and made off. +When day broke he followed the wounded lion for several +miles, but never found it again. A few days later some +Bushmen found the lion dead and took the skin, but Selous +never recovered it, as he had by this time gone south.</p> + +<p>In "A Hunter's Wanderings," "The Lion in South +Africa" (Badminton Library), and "The Gun at Home +and Abroad," Selous gives the most complete account of +the lion and its habits and mode of hunting that has been +written by any hunter of wide experience.</p> + +<p>It is somewhat curious to notice that three first-class +authorities, namely Selous, Finaughty, and Neumann, who +all had a wide experience with lions, buffaloes, and elephants, +all differ entirely as to the respective danger in +dealing with these formidable animals. Selous considered +that the lion was much the worst when cornered, Finaughty +is emphatic that the buffalo is by far the most dangerous +opponent, whilst Neumann gives the elephant first place. +Each hunter had ample opportunities for gauging the +fighting qualities of these animals, and all agree that they +are very dangerous, and give numerous examples from +their own experience, so that we are still left in doubt as +to the real issue. The experience of men who have only +seen and shot a few lions, buffaloes, and elephants is not +of much value, because these beasts are judged according +to their behaviour in special cases, but Selous shot many +of all kinds when rifles were clumsy and inefficient, and +even when armed with the most accurate and powerful +weapons, and yet adheres to his point, that the lion never +refuses battle when once he is stopped, whilst buffaloes and +elephants almost invariably try to get away unless severely +wounded. It is possible, however, that in past times lions +in South Africa were more savage than they are to-day in +East Africa and Somaliland, just as probably they were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +more prone to attack without provocation in the days +when Jules Gerard hunted lions in French Algeria. At +any rate this is the opinion of Sir Frederick Jackson, an +experienced hunter in East Africa, who, although admitting +he had not had a wide experience with lions, seems to +think they always try to sneak off whenever they can—even +when wounded. William Judd, perhaps the most experienced +hunter of all game in East Africa, and a man who has +also killed many lions in South Africa, places the buffalo +first as the most dangerous animal, and his opinion is +worthy of the highest consideration.</p> + +<p>Selous bases his argument on the following:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"That more accidents have happened in encounters +with buffaloes than with lions is not that the former is a +more dangerous animal than the latter, but because, for +every lion that has been killed in the interior, at least +fifty buffaloes have been brought to bay."</p></div> + +<p>All of which is perfectly true.</p> + +<p>Whilst on the subject of the comparative danger of +various wild beasts it may be interesting briefly to summarize +the views of other experienced hunters. Cuninghame +and Tarlton place the elephant and the lion equal first, +with the buffalo third. Sir Frederick Jackson and William +Judd say the buffalo is easily first as a dangerous foe; +whilst Captain Stigand assigns the danger in the following +order, viz.: lion, elephant, rhinoceros, leopard, buffalo. +Sir Samuel Baker makes a more curious order—elephant, +rhinoceros, buffalo, and lion the last. Oddly enough, only +one hunter, namely Drummond, places the rhinoceros as +the worst, but it must be remembered that when he hunted +in South Africa heavy rifles were scarce and somewhat +inadequate.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, despite all these very divided opinions, it +is generally agreed amongst all professional hunters, both +Boers and British, with whom I have discussed the question, +both in East and South Africa, that the buffalo is perhaps +the most dangerous animal, because he is so hard to stop +and offers generally so sudden, so determined, and so unfavourable +a target when actually charging.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span></p> + +<p>When actually wounded and charging there is little +doubt that the buffalo is the toughest of all, because he +bursts out suddenly from a concealed spot and presents no +vulnerable target, and I know from actual experience how +helpless a man feels when one of these brutes comes grunting +fiercely at his heels. Of course no man of sense does go +poking about in dense bush after a wounded buffalo, but +then all hunters are foolhardy sometimes and trouble +ensues. We hate to leave a wounded animal, especially if +it carries a good head. Thus have nearly all the numerous +fatal accidents happened. A charging elephant is nearly +always turned by a frontal shot, whereas a buffalo is never +stopped unless it is mortally hit, but the chief danger in +elephant-hunting seems to be (so Neumann thought) from +outside sources—that is from vicious cows in the same herd +which may be encountered suddenly. Neumann was an +exceedingly brave man, and in his first trips was only +armed with an ordinary ·256 Mannlicher throwing a solid +bullet. His method was to creep right in amongst a herd +and shoot the best bull through the heart. This often did +not kill it at once, and rendered him liable to be charged +suddenly by other members of the herd. Wherefore he +rightly estimates that his own form of hunting was the most +dangerous of all African hunting. When he got a double +·450 high-velocity Rigby he killed elephants much more +easily and did not have nearly so many narrow escapes. +It therefore seems to be the case that, armed with modern +weapons, the hunter of elephants runs no especial risk if +he does not try in the first instance to get too close to his +quarry and gives it a side shot in the right place, whilst in +the case of a charging animal the lion is the easiest to stop +and the elephant the easiest to turn and the buffalo the +hardest to kill. Yet if a quiet shot can be got at a buffalo +bull before he has seen the hunter there seems to be little +if any danger to the hunter.</p> + +<p>Men who have encountered thousands of buffalo have told +us that they have never seen an unwounded buffalo charge +and that this only occurs when the hunter suddenly meets +one face to face in the bush. But even this is not quite correct.</p> + +<p>Speaking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> of buffaloes and their aggressiveness, Selous +says: "Although many accidents happen in the pursuit +of these animals, yet, in my opinion, the danger incurred +in hunting them is marvellously exaggerated. Having +shot nearly two hundred buffaloes to my own rifle, and +followed very many of them when wounded into very +thick bush, I think I have had sufficient experience to +express an opinion on the subject." He suggests that, in +the majority of cases when disasters occurred from a sudden +attack, apparently without provocation, the buffalo which +charged had probably been wounded by another hunter, +and cites many instances to confirm this. Moreover, it +may be added that buffaloes in old age often become deaf +and lie in the bush until suddenly encountered by a man. +Then a charge generally ensues because the meeting was +unexpected.</p> + +<p>Although Selous held that lions are the most dangerous +of all opponents, by his own accounts his escapes from infuriated +buffaloes were quite as numerous as those from the +great cats.</p> + +<p>Whilst hunting on the Chobe in 1877 he knocked down +a young bull from a herd which gave him a very bad five +minutes. As he was standing close to the bull, which he +saw was only stunned, it suddenly rose to its feet and +seemingly took no notice of a bullet fired point-blank into +its chest. Selous ran past the bull, which catching sight +of some of the Kafirs at once charged them, grunting +furiously.<a name="FNanchor_16_16" id="FNanchor_16_16"></a><a href="#Footnote_16_16" class="fnanchor">[16]</a></p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I was now by my tree, watching events and putting +another cartridge into my rifle. The buffalo having missed +my boys, who had all climbed into or were standing behind +trees, soon slowed down to a trot, but was evidently still +eager for revenge, as he came round in a half-circle with +nose upraised and horns laid back. I was just going to fire +at him, when he must have got my wind, for he suddenly +swung round and, seeing me, came on at a gallop as hard as +he could. He was about one hundred yards off when he +started, and when he was some sixty yards from me I fired +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span>for his throat; but he neither stopped nor swerved nor +showed in any way that he was hit, but came straight on. +I had plenty of time, and could have swarmed up the +branchless stem of the sapling by which I was standing, +and got out of his reach with the greatest ease; but, as +my legs were bare, I knew that such a course meant the +loss of a lot of skin, so I determined to dodge him. I was +young and active in those days, and full of confidence in +my nerve, so, holding the stem of the tree in my left hand, +I leant out as far as possible and awaited the onset. When +he was very near me—so close, indeed, as to preclude the +possibility of his being able to swerve and pass on the other +side of the tree—I pulled my body with a sudden jerk up +to and beyond the stem, and, shooting past the buffalo's +hind-quarters, ran as hard as ever I could to another tree +standing in the direction from which he had come. I knew +that by this manœuvre I should gain a good deal of ground, +as, even if my adversary had followed me, the pace at +which he was going was such that he would not have been +able to turn till he had got some way past the tree where I +had given him the slip. Had he come round after me I +should now have climbed for it; but, as I expected, when +I dodged from under his very nose and shot past behind +him he lost me entirely and ran straight on. He did not, +however, go far, but stopped and lay down, and I killed +him with another bullet."</p></div> + +<p>Again on the Chobe in 1879 he wounded an old bull, +which he followed through open bush. The buffalo was, +however, concealed as usual, and charged suddenly at ten +yards' distance.</p> + +<p>"I had no time to raise the rifle to my shoulder," he says, +"but swinging it round to my hips, just pulled the trigger, +and at the same time sprang to one side. At the same +moment I was covered with a shower of sand, and some +part of the buffalo, nose or horn or shoulder, touched my +thigh with sufficient force to overthrow me, but without +hurting me in the least. I was on my feet again in a moment, +ready to run for it, but saw that my adversary was on the +ground bellowing, with a hind-leg, evidently broken,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> +dragging out behind him. Before he recovered himself I +despatched him with a bullet through the lungs."</p> + +<p>In April, 1877, Selous again reached Tati and, after a +visit to Lobengula, at once trekked north to the Zambesi +in the hope of securing elephants. This time he was accompanied +by Mr. Kingsley, an Englishman, and Mr. Miller, +a young colonist who was a first-rate shot. He had also +several native hunters in his service. However, the whole +trip resulted, as far as elephants were concerned, in a +complete failure, only Miller killing two male animals. At +Gerva he met his old friends Dorehill and Horner, who had +both been seriously ill with fever, while his good friend +Lieutenant Grandy had died from the same cause.</p> + +<p>When Selous reached the Chobe he found that the elephants +had all disappeared, but does not state the cause, +which I have since ascertained was probably due to the +great drives organized by Sepopo, Chief of the Barotsi, in +the triangle of the Chobe-Zambesi delta. Apropos of this, +my friend McLeod of McLeod gave me the following account. +In 1875 he, with Dorehill and W. Fairlie, trekked up from +the south and left their waggons at Pandamatenka on the +Zambesi. Here they crossed the river and went in on foot, +intending to hunt in the Barotsi country. After good +sport with game, Sepopo received the party kindly and +invited them to a great elephant drive which annually took +place in September in the junction formed by the meeting +of the Chobe and Zambesi rivers. Many thousands of +natives took part in this great hunt. A line of fire enclosed +the base of the triangle, into which several hundred elephants +had been driven, whilst some thousands of natives +in canoes lay in the rivers on each flank to cut off elephants +and shoot and spear them in the water as they broke out. +When all was in readiness the lines from the base fires +advanced and the elephants began to break back and the +shooting began. "Such a fusillade," remarked McLeod, +"more resembled a battle than a hunt; the firing was of +the wildest description, and so inaccurate that we were in +constant danger of losing our lives. At the end of the day +only nine elephants were killed by our party and the natives<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +round us, whilst the majority broke through our cordon +and that of the fire behind and escaped. A considerable +number, however, were speared and shot on the rivers on +each flank. Several men were killed and wounded in the +attack."</p> + +<p>The following year (1876) another great hunt of similar +character took place, and late in the season Sepopo was +assassinated and the whole country thrown into a state of +anarchy.</p> + +<p>These great hunts, scaring the elephants out of the whole +district, would account for Selous' bad luck in 1877, but he +seemed to have enjoyed himself hunting buffalo, of which +he killed no fewer than forty-five in four months on the +Chobe. He states that he experienced a few dangers and +one rather narrow escape.</p> + +<p>Selous, although he did not consider the buffalo so +dangerous an antagonist as the lion, had his full share of +adventures with them. His escape from an old bull which +killed his horse under him, on the Nata river in May, 1874, +was almost miraculous, for a buffalo seldom leaves his +victim once he has got him down.</p> + +<p>He found two old buffalo bulls and galloped within three +yards of them, and the rifle missed fire. After another chase +one of the bulls, getting annoyed, stood and offered a good +shot, and the cap again played the hunter false.<a name="FNanchor_17_17" id="FNanchor_17_17"></a><a href="#Footnote_17_17" class="fnanchor">[17]</a></p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Putting on a third cap, I now kept it down with my +thumb, and was soon once more close behind him, and had +galloped for perhaps a couple of minutes more, when, +entering a patch of short thick mopani bush, he stopped +suddenly, wheeled round, and came on at once, as soon as +he caught sight of the horse, with his nose stretched straight +out and horns laid back, uttering the short grunts with +which these animals invariably accompany a charge.</p> + +<p>"There was no time to be lost, as I was not more than +forty yards from him; so, reining in with a jerk and turning +the horse at the same instant broadside on, I raised my gun, +intending to put a ball, if possible, just between his neck +and shoulder, which, could I have done so, would either +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span>have knocked him down, or at any rate made him swerve, +but my horse, instead of standing steady as he had always +done before, now commenced walking forward, though he +did not appear to take any notice of the buffalo. There +was no time to put my hand down and give another wrench +on the bridle (which I had let fall on the horse's neck), and +for the life of me I could not get a sight with the horse in +motion. A charging buffalo does not take many seconds to +cover forty yards, and in another instant his outstretched +nose was within six feet of me, so, lowering the gun from +my shoulder, I pulled it off right in his face, at the same +time digging the spurs deep into my horse's sides. But it +was too late, for even as he sprang forward the old bull +caught him full in the flank, pitching him, with me on his +back, into the air like a dog. The recoil of the heavily-charged +elephant-gun with which I was unluckily shooting, +twisted it clean out of my hands, so that we all, horse, gun, +and man, fell in different directions. My horse regained +its feet and galloped away immediately, but even with a +momentary glance I saw that the poor brute's entrails were +protruding in a dreadful manner. The buffalo, on tossing +the horse, had stopped dead, and now stood with his head +lowered within a few feet of me. I had fallen in a sitting +position, and facing my unpleasant-looking adversary. I +could see no wound on him, so must have missed, though +I can scarcely understand how, as he was so very close when +I fired.</p> + +<p>"However, I had not much time for speculation, for the +old brute, after glaring at me a few seconds with his sinister-looking +bloodshot eyes, finally made up his mind and, with +a grunt, rushed at me. I threw my body out flat along the +ground to one side, and just avoided the upward thrust of +his horn, receiving, however, a severe blow on the left +shoulder with the round part of it, nearly dislocating my +right arm with the force with which my elbow was driven +against the ground, and receiving also a kick on the instep +from one of his feet. Luckily for me, he did not turn again, +as he most certainly would have done had he been wounded, +but galloped clean away.</p> + +<p>"The first thing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> to be done was to look after my horse, +and at about 150 yards from where he had been tossed I +found him. The buffalo had struck him full in the left +thigh; it was an awful wound, and, as the poor beast was +evidently in the last extremity, I hastily loaded my gun +and put him out of his misery. My Kafirs coming up just +then, I started with them, eager for vengeance, in pursuit +of the buffalo, but was compelled finally to abandon the +chase, leaving my poor horse unavenged."</p></div> + +<p>Curiously enough, McLeod met with an almost identical +accident on the Nata in 1875. The buffalo struck the horse +behind in his charge, and horse, rifle, and rider were all +thrown to the ground. Although McLeod was lying helpless, +the buffalo confined its fury to the horse and struck it with +his horns till life was extinct. Then, without looking at +McLeod, who had been thrown into a thorn-bush, it galloped +away.</p> + +<p>Selous gives several instances of the tenacity of life and +viciousness retained to the last moment of the buffalo.<a name="FNanchor_18_18" id="FNanchor_18_18"></a><a href="#Footnote_18_18" class="fnanchor">[18]</a></p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Once, in 1874, when hunting with George Wood near +the Chobe, we came upon an old buffalo bull lying down in +some long grass. My friend gave him a bullet as he lay, +upon which he jumped up and stood behind some mopani +trees, only exposing his head and hind-quarters on either +side their stems. After eyeing us for a few seconds he +turned and went off at a gallop, but before he had gone +many yards, Wood fired at him with his second gun and +knocked him over; he was on his legs again in a moment, +and, wheeling round, came straight towards me at a heavy +gallop, his nose stretched straight out and grunting furiously. +When he was about twenty yards from me I fired with my +large four-bore elephant-gun and struck him fair in the +chest. This staggered but did not stop him, for, swerving +slightly, he made straight for the Kafir carrying my second +gun; this the man at once threw down and commenced +climbing a tree. The buffalo just brought his right horn +past the tree, and scraping it up the trunk so as to send all +the loose pieces of bark flying, caught the Kafir a severe +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span>blow on the inside of the knee, nearly knocking him out of +the tree. The sturdy beast then ran about twenty yards +farther, knelt gently down and, stretching forth its nose, +commenced to bellow, as these animals almost always do +when dying; in a few minutes it was lying dead."</p></div> + +<p>Buffaloes wounded by man or lions are always dangerous.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"One cold winter morning in 1873, I left my camp before +sunrise, and had not walked a quarter of a mile skirting +round the base of a low hill, when, close to the same path I +was following, and not twenty yards off, I saw an old buffalo +bull lying under a bush. He was lying head on towards us, +but did not appear to notice us. My gun-carriers were +behind, having lingered, Kafir-like, over the camp-fire, but +had they been nearer me I should not have fired for fear of +disturbing elephants, of which animals I was in search.</p> + +<p>"As I stood looking at the buffalo, Minyama, one of my +Kafirs, threw an assegai at it from behind me, which, +grazing its side, just stuck in the skin on the inside of its +thigh. Without more ado, the ugly-looking old beast +jumped up and came trotting out, with head up and nose +extended, evidently looking for the disturbers of its peace, +and as Minyama was hiding behind the trunk of a large tree, +and the rest of the Kafirs had made themselves scarce, it at +once came straight at me, grunting furiously. I was standing +close to a very small tree, not more than six inches in +diameter, but as I was unarmed, and to run would have +been useless, I swarmed up it with marvellous celerity. +The buffalo just came up and looked at me, holding his nose +close to my feet, and grunting all the time. He then turned +and went off at a lumbering canter, and I then, for the first +time, saw that he had been terribly torn and scratched on +the hind-quarters and shoulders by lions. Had he tried to +knock my little sapling down, he might, I think, easily have +accomplished it; as it was, my legs being bare, and the +bark of the tree very rough, I had rubbed a lot of skin off +the insides of my knees and the calves of my legs."<a name="FNanchor_19_19" id="FNanchor_19_19"></a><a href="#Footnote_19_19" class="fnanchor">[19]</a></p></div> + +<p>Buffaloes, if the ground is hard, can go at a great pace +and can outrun a horse for some distance. It once took +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span>me a chase of five miles before I got up with a big bull on +whose head I had set my desires. "In 1873," writes Selous, +"a buffalo cow, although severely wounded, ran down in +the open a horse Lobengula had lent me, and on which +my Hottentot driver was mounted; she struck the horse +as it was going at full speed between the thighs with her +nose, and, luckily striking short, knocked it over on one side +and sent its rider flying, but before she could do further +damage a bullet through her shoulders from George Wood +incapacitated her for further mischief."</p> + +<p>He seems to have been much depressed at this time as +to his prospects of making a living—at any rate as an +elephant-hunter and trader. "Nothing<a name="FNanchor_20_20" id="FNanchor_20_20"></a><a href="#Footnote_20_20" class="fnanchor">[20]</a> has gone right +with me since I left England, nor do I think it ever will +again. I was born under an unlucky star, for even if I do +not suffer from personal and particular bad fortune, I seem +just to hit off the particular year and the particular part of +the country for my speculation when and where everything +has gone to rack and ruin. Had I left England in October, +1875, instead of February, 1876, I should in all human +probability have done fairly well, and been able to return +to England at the beginning of the next year (1878), for +last year 40,000 lbs. of ivory were traded at the Zambesi +alone, and every hunter did well. This year, owing principally +to Sepopo's assassination, only 2500 lbs. have been +traded, and not a hunter has earned his salt. But, mind +you, I do not yet despair; I am still well to the good, and, +if I can only get to a country which is not worked out, I will +soon get a few pounds together." Later the same year he +writes to his father (October 17th, 1877): "On this side +of the river elephant-hunting is at an end, all the elephants +being either killed or driven away. I am now going to try +and go down the Zambesi to Tete—a Portuguese settlement, +and from there to the new missionary settlement at Lake +Nyassa."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a href="images/i133.jpg"><img src="images/i133-t.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="Elephants" title="" /> +</a><span class="caption">Elephants</span> +</div> + +<p>After returning to Pandamatenka in 1877, Selous went +down the Zambesi with a Mr. Owen and with donkeys, bent +on trading and hunting in the "fly" north of the river. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span>Eight days later he crossed at Wankie's Town and reached +Mwemba's kraal—that chief being an important local chief +of the Batongas. Mwemba was much pleased to see the +travellers, as he stated they were the first white men he had +ever met. The donkeys, too, were new beasts to him.</p> + +<p>We need scarcely follow Selous' wanderings in the pestilential +climate of the Zambesi valley during the next few +months. He was completely disappointed in finding +elephants, and both he and his companion suffered severely +from fever in the deadly climate. All down the river he +had daily evidence of the evil doings of the Portuguese, who +employed the Shakundas to capture and enslave Batongan +girls for their use and subsequent trade in human flesh. +The price paid for a girl was usually an old musket or +about twenty rupees. Near the mouth of the Kafukwe the +travellers met Canyemba and Mendonca, head chiefs of the +Shakundas, who appeared to be a proper pair of scoundrels, +but small-pox was raging here, so Selous and Owen did not +stay for long, but went north into the Manica country on +December 13th. Hence they got up to the high country +and shot a little game, including some konze (Liechtenstein's +hartebeest), the first Selous had seen.</p> + +<p>On January 6th they reached the kraal of Sitanda, head +chief of the Manica country. "We found the old fellow a +slight-built old Kafir, with an astute thin-featured face, +sitting outside his hut with about a dozen cronies. When +his people first come up to him to report any news, they +roll on their backs in the dust before him, and subsequently, +when talking to him, lie down on their sides and rub one +shoulder in the dust at the conclusion of every sentence."</p> + +<p>The Kafukwe country looking unpromising for elephants, +Selous then resolved to go north to the Mashukulumbwe +country, but this was prevented by the breakdown of Owen, +who became seriously ill with fever. A few days later, after +hunting lechwes in a swamp, Selous himself became ill, +and for a fortnight both the travellers experienced all the +trials of malarial fever. Sitanda was of course delighted, +and hoped they would soon die and he could annex all their +trade goods. He, in fact, refused them all help in the way<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> +of food and porters in the manner usual to a savage who +thinks he has white men in his power. The chief had given +orders to all his people not to help the unfortunate invalids, +no matter what payment was offered. Finally, poor Selous +was reduced to "buying," for 320 loaded cartridges, one +Kafir boy from a Portuguese. "The Portuguese told me I +must watch him well in the daytime, and tie him up at +night; however, I explained to him, through one of my +boys, that, although I had bought him, I did not want to +keep him for a slave, and that if he would carry for me as +far as the Zambesi, he might go where he liked afterwards, +or continue working with me for wages."</p> + +<p>On January 24th Selous and Owen left this "accursed +spot where we had spent eighteen miserable days." Ill and +weak they staggered south, and five days later "the slave" +ran away with a valuable breechloading elephant-gun. +This, however, was recovered, but not the whole stock of +Martini-Henry cartridges and corn which was essential to +existence.</p> + +<p>Thoroughly worn out, they reached the Zambesi at last +on February 18th. No game had fallen to their rifles, as +both were too ill to hunt.</p> + +<p>After getting more provisions and carriers from Mendonca +the party struck south, but after April 1st Owen was so +weak that he had to be carried. Selous, however, improved +a little when he reached the healthier country, but was still +weak and unsuccessful in what little hunting he did. Moreover, +the Banyais carrying Owen struck work, so Selous +decided to leave him in charge of his faithful Basuto servant +Franz and himself to push on to the waggons at Inyati and +to send back help to his friend. On April 17th, he bade good-bye +to Owen, and reached Inyati on May 4th, sending seven +men to the Gweo, where Owen rested, and they eventually +brought him out safely to the Matabele country.</p> + +<p>After this unfortunate trip Selous was much depressed in +mind, feeling that the whole country south of the Zambesi +was played out for the trader and the hunter. Writing to +his mother from Tati (May 28th, 1878), he expresses all his +gloomy anticipations—doubtless the after effects of fever<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +from which he had not yet recovered. "I am afraid that +if I ever get home again you will find me much changed for +the worse in temper and disposition. Continual never-ending +misfortune in small matters and the failure of every +speculation has changed me from a tolerably light-hearted +fellow into a morose sad-tempered man. It is all very well +to say that one can but do his best and that sort of thing, +but in this world a man's merit and worth are measured +solely according to his success and by no other standard. +During the last year almost everybody has been ruined, and +all the smaller traders sold up. Next year I am going to +try a new country to the north of Ovampoland in Southwestern +Africa. Things cannot be worse there than they +are here, and from all I can learn probably much better. +If there is nothing to be done there, I am sure I don't know +what I shall do, but think of trying the Western States of +North America. To try farming in this country with the +luck against one would never do, for there is not one but +twenty diseases to which all sorts of live stock are subject; +all of them unknown in America and Australia."</p> + +<p>Selous was far from well after this trying trip, and it took +him two months to recover from its effects, so it was not till +August that he set off again, after getting permission from +Lobengula, to hunt in the Mashuna country, where he +hoped to join his friends Clarkson, Cross, and Wood, who +had gone north in the previous June.</p> + +<p>On August 20th he left Inyati, in company with Mr. +Goulden (Clarkson's partner), and trekked north. On the +30th he reached the Gwenia, where he found the old Boer +hunter Jan Viljoen and his family. Here he had some sport +with sable antelopes, and moved on the next day and reached +the Umniati on September 6th, and on September 8th the +Gwazan, where he shot a bull sable. After crossing the +Sweswe, where he found the Neros, well-known Griqua +elephant-hunters, he heard that his friends were on the +Umfule river, two days north. Here he learnt that Clarkson +and Wood had killed eight bull elephants in one day, +September 8th; so was anxious to join them as soon as +possible after this exciting piece of news.</p> + +<p>On reaching<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> the encampment of his friends he heard they +were away on the Hanyane river, so he at once decided to +follow them. Next day Selous killed a sable bull and met his +friends close to the scene of the elephant slaughter of the +previous Sunday. Clarkson and Wood had already killed +forty elephants, and had to record the death of Quabeet, +Wood's head Kafir, by a tuskless bull elephant. Selous +gives some particulars of this unhappy event in a letter to +his mother (December 25th, 1878): "Mr. Clarkson came +across a troop of elephants and commenced shooting at +them. Whilst killing one he heard another screaming +terrifically, and galloped in that direction but saw nothing. +In the evening Quabeet was missing, but no one thought +anything could have happened to him except that he had +lost himself. On the second day, however, as he did not +turn up, Clarkson bethought him of the continuous screaming +he had heard, and remembered to have seen a gigantic +tuskless bull turn out by himself, whose spoor he resolved +to follow the next morning. This he did, and soon found the +place where the elephant had chased a man; there he found +Quabeet's gun, and near it the odds and ends of skin he +had worn round his waist and finally what remained of +Quabeet. The poor fellow had been torn into three pieces. +The elephant must have held him down with his foot and +then torn him asunder with his trunk."</p> + +<p>On September 14th the party found a herd of cow elephants +and shot six, and on September 17th they all went +north-east to the mahobo-hobo forests which lie between +the Umsengasi and Hanyane rivers to look for elephants. +The same evening they found two old bulls near the Umbila +river. Selous quickly killed three bulls and a cow. "The +fourth I tackled," he says, "cost me six bullets and gave +me a smart chase, for my horse was now dead beat. I only +got away at all by the skin of my teeth as, although the +infuriated animal whilst charging trumpeted all the time +like a railway engine, I could not get my tired horse out of a +canter until he was close upon me, and I firmly believe that +had he not been so badly wounded he would have caught me. +I know the shrill screaming sounded unpleasantly near."</p> + +<p>Immediately<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> after this episode the herd of elephants +showed signs of exhaustion. "The poor animals were now +completely knocked up, throwing water (taken from their +stomachs) over their heated bodies as they walked slowly +along." But the hunters stuck to them until their cartridges +were exhausted; all, that is to say, except Selous, +who had still thirteen left.</p> + +<p>Selous then selected a big cow for his next victim, and +experienced one of the narrowest escapes of his whole +adventurous life.<a name="FNanchor_21_21" id="FNanchor_21_21"></a><a href="#Footnote_21_21" class="fnanchor">[21]</a></p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Having picked out a good cow for my fifth victim, I +gave her a shot behind the shoulder, on which she turned +from the herd and walked slowly away by herself. As I +cantered up behind her, she wheeled round and stood +facing me, with her ears spread and her head raised. My +horse was now so tired that he stood well, so, reining in, I +gave her a shot from his back between the neck and the +shoulder, which I believe just stopped her from charging. +On receiving this wound she backed a few paces, gave her +ears a flap against her sides, and then stood facing me again. +I had just taken out the empty cartridge and was about to +put a fresh one in, when, seeing that she looked very vicious, +and as I was not thirty yards from her, I caught the bridle +and turned the horse's head away, so as to be ready for a +fair start in case of a charge. I was still holding my rifle +with the breech open when I saw that she was coming. +Digging the spurs into my horse's ribs, I did my best to +get him away, but he was so thoroughly done that, instead +of springing forwards, which was what the emergency +required, he only started at a walk and was just breaking +into a canter when the elephant was upon us. I heard two +short sharp screams above my head, and had just time to +think it was all over with me, when, horse and all, I was +dashed to the ground. For a few seconds I was half-stunned +by the violence of the shock, and the first thing I became +aware of was a very strong smell of elephant. At the same +instant I felt that I was still unhurt and that, although in +an unpleasant predicament, I had still a chance for life. +I was, however,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> pressed down on the ground in such a way +that I could not extricate my head. At last with a violent +effort I wrenched myself loose, and threw my body over +sideways, so that I rested on my hands. As I did so I saw +the hind legs of the elephant standing like two pillars +before me, and at once grasped the situation. She was on +her knees, with her head and tusks in the ground, and I had +been pressed down under her chest, but luckily behind her +forelegs. Dragging myself from under her, I regained my +feet and made a hasty retreat, having had rather more than +enough of elephants for the time being. I retained, however, +sufficient presence of mind to run slowly, watching her +movements over my shoulder and directing mine accordingly. +Almost immediately I had made my escape she got +up and stood looking for me, with her ears up and head +raised, turning first to one side and then to the other, but +never quite wheeling round. As she made these turns, I +ran obliquely to the right or left, as the case might be, +always endeavouring to keep her stern towards me. At +length I gained the shelter of a small bush and breathed +freely once more."</p></div> + +<p>After a time he recovered his rifle and again attacked a +cow which he thought was his late assailant, and killed her +with two more shots, but she proved to be a different beast.</p> + +<p>Selous did not escape quite scatheless from this encounter, +for his eye was badly bruised and the skin all rubbed off the +right breast. His horse, too, was badly injured, though he +recovered after two months. Altogether, on this great and +exciting day, no fewer than twenty-two elephants, realizing +700 lbs. of ivory, were killed by Selous, Clarkson, and Wood.</p> + +<p>On September 24th the hunters killed five old bull +elephants near the Hanyane, and shortly afterwards, +elephants becoming shy, the party broke up, Cross, Goulden, +and Wood going to the Umfule, and Clarkson and Selous +remaining near the Hanyane. Both parties were, however, +quite unsuccessful in hunting bull elephants, either in the +neighbourhood of these rivers or in short trips they made +into the "fly" region along the Umniati, Sebakwe, and +Se-quoi-quoi rivers.</p> + +<p>After enjoying<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> some sport with the various large antelopes +and witnessing an exciting chase and attack made by +a single hunting-dog on a sable antelope, the party turned +northwards and reached Gwenia, where the Viljoens were +camped, on December 11th, just as the heavy rains set in.</p> + +<p>Here Selous had a piece of good luck. A lioness attacked +the Viljoens' cattle at ten o'clock one morning and went off +with a calf. The dogs, however, were at once loosed, and +soon brought the marauder to bay. Jantje, a Hottentot, +and one of the Viljoens' Kafirs ran at once to the scene of +tumult, when both of them fired and missed, but Selous +got an easy chance at forty yards, and killed her with a +bullet through the shoulders. On December 25th he wrote +to his mother telling her that his plans for the following +year were uncertain. He hoped to go "to the country +north of Lake Ngami, but may spend the winter with the +Volunteers against the Zulus if the war comes on."</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_15_15" id="Footnote_15_15"></a><a href="#FNanchor_15_15"><span class="label">[15]</span></a> "A Hunter's Wanderings," pp. 244-245.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_16_16" id="Footnote_16_16"></a><a href="#FNanchor_16_16"><span class="label">[16]</span></a> "A Hunter's Wanderings," pp. 433-434.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_17_17" id="Footnote_17_17"></a><a href="#FNanchor_17_17"><span class="label">[17]</span></a> "A Hunter's Wanderings," pp. 279-281.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_18_18" id="Footnote_18_18"></a><a href="#FNanchor_18_18"><span class="label">[18]</span></a> "A Hunter's Wanderings," pp. 282-283.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_19_19" id="Footnote_19_19"></a><a href="#FNanchor_19_19"><span class="label">[19]</span></a> "A Hunter's Wanderings," p. 283.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_20_20" id="Footnote_20_20"></a><a href="#FNanchor_20_20"><span class="label">[20]</span></a> Letter to his mother.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_21_21" id="Footnote_21_21"></a><a href="#FNanchor_21_21"><span class="label">[21]</span></a> "A Hunter's Wanderings," pp. 339-340.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER V</h2> +<h3>1879-1880</h3> + + +<p>Like all big game hunters Selous always dreamed +of a land teaming with game where other hunters +had not been and scared the game away. He saw +by this time that the old hunting-grounds, at least as far as +elephants were concerned, were finished, and that he must +find for himself a new field to exploit if such a place existed. +The difficulties, however, even to such a man as himself, were +immense, because the "fly" debarred him to the east and +north, whilst to the west was nothing but a waterless desert +where no elephants could live. If therefore he was to find +the virgin country it must be far to the north where he could +not take his waggons. The country on which he had set his +heart was the Mashukulumbwe, and though no hunters had +been there, he heard from natives that it was full of elephants. +In 1877 he had tried to reach it, but owing to the hostility +of the Portuguese and local chiefs beyond the Zambesi, and +the subsequent illness of himself and his friend, he had been +obliged to abandon the venture. Now, however, in 1879, he +conceived a plan to cross the desert to Bamangwato, when +he hoped to kill gemsbuck, which had so far eluded him, and +to hunt on the Chobe, which always held a peculiar attraction +for him, then to leave his waggons and visit the unknown +portions of the Barotsi country and strike east to +the Mashukulumbwe. He expected that this journey would +extend over two or three years, so in January he trekked +south to Klerksdorp in the Transvaal, where he laid in +stores and ammunition for the long trip.</p> + +<p>On April 14th he reached Bamangwato and obtained +permission from Khama to travel through the Kalahari to +the Mababe river. This time young Miller again accompanied<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> +him as well as another young colonist of German +extraction named Sell. Khama sent with Selous a grumpy +disagreeable old Kafir named Ai-eetsee-upee (the man who +knows nothing) to look after the waggons. Five other +coloured men completed the party.</p> + +<p>On May 4th they reached the Botletlie river. "This," +says Selous, "is one of the most abominable spots I have +yet visited: one small mud hole from which a little filthy +water was all we could get for ourselves or the oxen, yet on +the map this river looks like a young Mississippi."</p> + +<p>On May 8th to the west of the Botletlie, Selous reached +an encampment of bushmen, who told him there were +giraffes in the bush close at hand. An old bull was soon +found. "I gave the giraffe four shots," says Selous, "and +then, seeing that he was done for, galloped round him, upon +which he stood reeling under a tree, and I was just pulling +my horse in, when a lion, a lioness, and two half-grown cubs +jumped out of the bushes just in front of me and trotted +slowly away. Just at this moment, too, I saw four stately +giraffe cows walk out of the bush in single file about 500 +yards ahead. The lion, after trotting a few paces, turned +round and stood, broadside on, looking at me, offering a +splendid shot. I was on the ground in a moment and gave +him a bullet just behind the shoulder. With a growl he +galloped away for about 100 yards, and then rolled over on +his side, stone dead. I just rode up to assure myself of the +fact, and then galloped on after the giraffe cows." Two of +these he also killed.</p> + +<p>On May 10th he saw the first gemsbuck, "the antelope +of all others of which I longed to shoot a fine specimen," but +after wounding one he lost it. Next day, however, he killed +a young cow.</p> + +<p>On May 28th they reached the so-called "fountain" of +Sode-Garra, where the bushmen told him that the country +to the north was impassable owing to no rain falling the +previous summer. Never having known the untutored +savage to tell the truth Selous imagined that the bushmen +were lying, and so decided to risk it and trek on. The poor +oxen then had a terrible time; they got no water for two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> +days and nights except a little moisture at one spot. On +the fourth day they reached the sand-belts and pans just +south of the Mababe flats, and still there was not a drop of +water. It was here two years previously the famous Boer +elephant-hunter Martinus Swartz and ten members of his +family died of fever, only six individuals surviving out of a +party of seventeen.</p> + +<p>At these dried-up pans, however, Selous found some +comparatively fresh spoor of buffalo and that meant there +must be water at no very great distance. Accordingly, he +abandoned the waggons and accompanied by bullocks, +horses, dogs and Kafirs went north to the great plain known +as the Mababe flat. Here they saw grass fires at a distance +of about twelve miles, but the presence of numerous zebras +indicated that there was water still nearer. Old Jacob, one +of his Kafirs, now said there was a small vley close at hand. +"We went to look," writes Selous, "and five minutes later +found a long shallow vley full of water. I could have hugged +the dirty old man with delight. What a sight it was to see +the poor thirsty oxen come trotting down to the pan, as +soon as they smelt the longed-for water, and rush knee-deep +into it! What a sudden relief the sight of that pool of +muddy water was, too, and what a weight of fear and +anxiety it lifted from our hearts! Only an hour before it +had seemed that I was doomed to lose all my live stock—nearly +everything I possessed in the world—from thirst; +and now the danger was past, and not a single ox had given +in." Next day the oxen were sent back and brought the +waggons to the vley.</p> + +<p>On June 4th he encountered three lionesses, at one of +which he had a running shot which knocked her over. +Soon a second lioness stood and turned to bay, and Selous +killed her dead with a shot in the head just as she was on +the point of charging. He then returned to the first wounded +animal and gave her a shot through the lungs. Two days +later whilst stalking giraffes he met two full-grown lions +lying under a bush.<a name="FNanchor_22_22" id="FNanchor_22_22"></a><a href="#Footnote_22_22" class="fnanchor">[22]</a></p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I now turned my attention to the second lion. As, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span>owing to the grass, I could not see him clearly, I mounted +my horse and gave him a shot from the saddle, as he lay +half-facing me, gazing towards me with anything but a +pleasant expression of countenance. Whether he realized +the misfortune which had befallen his comrade or not I +cannot say, but he certainly had an angry, put-out sort of +look. As I fired, a loud roar announced that the bullet had +struck him, and I could see that he was hard hit. He now +sat on his haunches like a dog, holding his head low, and +growling savagely. In this position he exposed his chest, +so hastily pushing in another cartridge, I jumped to the +ground before he could make up his mind what to do, and +firing quickly, struck him in the centre of the breast, just +under the chin. This rolled him over, and riding up, I saw +that he was in his last agonies, so left him, and took a look +at the first I had shot, a magnificent old lion with a fine +black mane, and a skin in beautiful condition, and of a very +dark colour all over. All this, which has taken so long to +relate, must have occupied less than a minute of time, and +the lions being both dead, I again turned my attention to +the giraffes."</p></div> + +<p>Two of these, a bull and a cow, he chased and killed.</p> + +<p>A few days later Selous' friend, H. C. Collison, arrived in +his camp. Collison, with French, had also trekked north +across the thirst-land, and lost several of their oxen on the +way. Moreover, to add to these disasters, Clarkson, an +intimate friend of all three, had been struck by lightning +and killed near Klerksdorp shortly after their departure +for the interior. Speaking of Clarkson, to whom he was +much attached, Selous says: "A better fellow never stepped. +Short of stature, but very strong and active, he was, like +most colonists, a capital shot and first-rate rough-rider, +qualities that could hardly fail to make him a successful +hunter. Morally speaking, too, he was upright and honourable +in his dealings with his fellow-men, cool in danger, and +as plucky as a bull-dog. May his spirit find a good hunting-country +in the next world!"</p> + +<p>A few days later Collison, French and Selous established +a permanent hunting-camp on the Mababe river and went<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> +north on foot into the "fly." Owing to the size of the party +they soon separated, French and Miller going to the Sunta +river, whilst Collison, Sell and Selous went on up the +Machabe, but afterwards they met on the Chobe. Miller +and Selous then passed on to Linyanti, where they killed +four elephants, many buffaloes, and several of the small +spotted and striped bushbucks peculiar to the Chobe. Here +Selous tried unsuccessfully to kill a specimen of the sitatunga +antelope by hunting in a canoe at dawn amongst the reed +beds, but only saw one female, although he found lying dead +a fine male killed by a rival.</p> + +<p>On August 23rd Selous obtained permission to hunt +elephants in the angle of the Chobe and the Zambesi from +the Barotsi chief Mamele. After a visit to the waggons to +get stores and ammunition he returned to the Chobe angle +with French and Miller. Close to Mamele's town the party +met four lionesses, one of which Selous shot. Buffaloes at +this time were in immense herds feeding out in the open all +day, even amongst the native cattle, and Selous shot several +to provide meat for the Kafirs.</p> + +<p>It was not until September 24th that the party found any +elephants, and then Selous and Miller killed a young bull, +four large cows and a heifer. Poor French on this day +wounded and lost a cow, and contrary to advice, followed +it into the bush. He was never seen again, and died of +thirst in the bush. For days Miller and Selous tried to find +his tracks, but without avail. The loss of his good friend +made a deep impression on Selous, and for years afterwards +he never spoke of French, to whom he was greatly attached, +without showing signs of emotion. To have lost two of his +best friends in one year depressed him greatly, and to this +were added constant attacks of malarial fever which made +him very weak.</p> + +<p>However, at the time he always hoped that French might +have reached some place of safety on the river and be alive. +So Selous continued to hunt for elephants until one day +"Boy," French's gun-bearer, crawled into camp and gave +an account of his master's death. It appeared that after +hunting for days in the bush in the wrong direction poor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +French collapsed, and as he was dying wrote on his rifle the +words "I cannot go any further; when I die, peace with +all." French's two boys, "Boy" and "Nangora," then +walked all night and struck the river at Linyanti. "For +several nights," says Selous, "I never slept, as the vision +of my lost friend wandering about and dying by inches +continually haunted me."</p> + +<p>Seriously ill as he was, Selous then went to Linyanti, +hoping to recover the body of his friend and give it decent +burial, and Mamele promised to send all his people out to +look for it when the rains came, but it was never found. +Selous himself was so depressed in mind and worn with +fever that he did not care to hunt any longer on the Chobe, +so made for his waggons, which he reached on October 11th, +where he found Sell dangerously ill. Miller, too, was +attacked with malaria but soon recovered.</p> + +<p>It was now necessary to wait for the rains, but as they +did not come Selous, tired of shooting wildebeest and zebra +on the Mababe flats, once more returned to the Chobe to +look for elephants. He went as far as Maimi's town, and +as the rain was now threatening he retraced his steps. By +the middle of November he again reached the waggons, and +the much desired rains at last fell. The party got to the +Botletlie with ease, but between that river and Bamangwato +the oxen again suffered terribly and were nearly lost owing +to thirst. Later, in December, Selous reached the Diamond +Fields, and was there attacked by a low fever which nearly +cost him his life; in fact, nothing but the unremitting +attention and care of his friends, Mrs. Frederick Barber and +her daughter, Mrs. Alexander Baillie, rescued him from +death.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, owing to political blunders, South Africa and +all its white and black races were in a ferment, and the Zulu +War in full progress. The usual cause of England's wars +with savages was acts of rapine or insolence on the part of +natives living in wild country where the black or red man +predominated in numbers and a small white population was +threatened with danger. No such reason, however, was +the cause of the Zulu war in 1879. Since 1861 the Natal<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +colonists had lived alongside the Zulus in perfect amity, and +the colonists "felt no real alarm concerning the Zulus until +the idea was suggested to them by those in authority over +them."<a name="FNanchor_23_23" id="FNanchor_23_23"></a><a href="#Footnote_23_23" class="fnanchor">[23]</a></p> + +<p>The real cause, apart from the fact that the Natal farmers +were annoyed that at their side dwelt a great black population +they could neither tax nor force to work for them, was +the aggression of the Transvaal Boers in a small portion of +territory owned by Cetawayo, the Zulu king, and lying on +the Transvaal border. There were two disputed boundary +lines. The one between Zululand and the Transvaal to the +south of the Pongolo river, and the other between the Zulus +and the Swazis, to the north of and parallel with the Pongolo +river.</p> + +<p>The Swazis had always been hereditary enemies of the +Zulus, and there was bitter feeling between the two races. +Nevertheless the real cause of both disputes was the acquisitiveness +of the Boers. In the case of the territory on +the second boundary line they professed to have obtained +by cession from the Swazi king in 1855 a strip of land to +the north-east of the Pongolo river, so as to form a barrier +between the Swazis and the Zulus; but the Swazis denied +having ever made such a cession. It is doubtful, however, +whether the Swazis had any power to have made such a +contract, even if it had been made, because the territory in +question was occupied until 1846 by two Zulu chiefs, +Puttini and Langalibalele. These chiefs, however, had been +driven out of Zululand by Umpande (Panda), then king of +the Zulus.</p> + +<p>As time went on efforts were made to induce Cetawayo +to allow the boundary territory to be occupied by the Boers, +but the king sagely replied that as we had suggested that +this territory belonged to Zululand, and he wished it for +his own people, he did not see how it could belong to two +parties. A boundary commission was, however, eventually +formed, and asserted that neither party had a claim to the +whole, whilst distinctly stating that no cession of land had +been made by the Zulu king past or present.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span></p> +<p>Other minor causes of the Zulu war were the raids of +Umbilini, a Swazi chieftain living under Cetawayo's protection, +and the forcible capture in Natal of Zulu brides and +girls who had run away to escape disagreeable marriages.</p> + +<p>On December 11th, 1878, the Zulus were presented with +an ultimatum, of which the demand for the disbandment of +the Zulu army was the principal clause. Cetawayo agreed +to some of the demands but asked for time to consult his +Indunas as regards demobilization. This was, however, +refused. It would appear that even Cetawayo was anxious +to avoid war if possible, for at his side stood John Dunn, who +well knew the power of England. Lord Chelmsford had, +however, completed his preparations for war, and on +January 12th crossed the border into Zululand. Then +followed the disaster of Isandlwana, the splendid defence +of Rorke's Drift, the battle of Ngingindhlovu, in which the +Zulus lost heavily, and in July the great battle of Ulundi, +which finally broke the Zulu forces.</p> + +<p>Selous always enjoyed meeting people who had taken +part in events in the recent history of South Africa, and one +day he met at my house General Sir Edward Hutton, who +told us the following story of the capture of Cetawayo.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"After the defeat of the Zulus at Ulundi," remarked Sir +Edward, "they scattered in all directions and we sent out +small patrols throughout the country to search for the +king. On this occasion the Zulus behaved in the most +magnanimous manner. Although they could with ease +have annihilated the majority of these patrols, not one was +attacked, for they felt that the supreme test had been +passed and their army utterly defeated. I believe that one +day after the battle of Ulundi it would have been safe for +an English lady to have walked across Zululand unmolested, +so noble was the behaviour of the natives. I was attached +to a patrol under Major Marter, <span class="smcap">K.D.G.</span>, and we came up +with the king at Nisaka's kraal in the Ngome Forest.</p> + +<p>"Cetawayo was seated in a hut attended by two of his +chief wives. Marter entered the hut with myself and +explained to the king that his presence was required by +Sir Garnet Wolseley, and that he must come at once.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> +Cetawayo promptly refused. Marter took out his watch +and stated that he would give him five minutes to decide. +The black monarch still refused to move. 'I will now give +you five minutes more,' said Marter, 'and then if you are +still obstinate I shall set fire to the hut.'</p> + +<p>"The King remained obdurate. Then Marter drew from +his pocket a box of matches, and I still seem to see clearly +the expression on Cetawayo's face as he listened to the +scraping of the match on the box. Cetawayo, who was an +immense man, and at the moment perfectly naked, then +rose with great dignity and stalked out of the hut. Here he +threw a large kaross over his shoulder and stood there +looking every inch a king.</p> + +<p>"'Where are you taking me?' he observed.</p> + +<p>"'That I cannot tell you,' replied Marter.</p> + +<p>"'Well, I refuse to go,' came the answer.</p> + +<p>"The King was then seized by soldiers and put upon a +litter and thus carried with his wives to a waggon which was +awaiting."</p></div> + +<p>Selous was much interested in this story, and then told +us the following interesting tale which I never heard him +repeat before or later. It has always been a puzzle to me +how he knew Cetawayo, for after many enquiries amongst +his family and friends I have been unable to learn when he +visited Zululand, for otherwise he could not have known +the Zulu king. Yet the fact remains that he distinctly said +on this occasion that he had met the black monarch in some +of his past wanderings.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I had known Cetawayo formerly, and when he was +confined in Robben Island shortly after the conclusion of +the war, I thought I would go down one day when I was in +Cape Town and have a chat with him. I found him much +as I had known him, but more corpulent and somewhat +depressed. After some general conversation I said:</p> + +<p>"'Well, Cetawayo, what do you think of John Dunn +now?'</p> + +<p>"This I knew was a sore point with the king, for he had +treated John Dunn like a brother and given him wives, +slaves and lands as one of his own head indunas. Dunn had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> +afterwards deserted him and given all his help and information +to Sir Garnet Wolseley.</p> + +<p>"Cetawayo thought deeply for a few moments, and then +said, 'One very cold and stormy night in winter I was +seated before a large fire in my hut when there was a noise +without as if someone was arriving. I asked the cause +from my attendants, and they told me a white man in a +miserable state of destitution had just arrived and claimed +my hospitality. I ordered the slaves to bring him in, and +a tall splendidly made man appeared. He was dressed in +rags, for his clothes had been torn to pieces in fighting +through the bush, and he was shivering from fever and ague. +I drew my cloak aside and asked him to sit by the fire, and +told the servants to bring food and clothing. I loved this +white man as a brother and made him one of my head +indunas, giving him lands and wives, the daughters of my +chiefs. <i>Now Shaunele</i> (<i>the sun has gone down</i>), <i>and John +Dunn is sitting by the fire but he does not draw his cloak +aside.</i>'"</p></div> + +<p>Such is the black man's reasoning, and can we controvert +it with uplifted heads?</p> + +<p>After the Zulu war McLeod asked some of the chiefs +why they went to war with us. They replied, "The Right +of the Strong. Now you have proved you are the strongest +we will look up to you and follow you." Except for one +trifling insurrection under Denizulu, which was quickly +nipped in the bud, the Zulus have since accepted our +suzerainty.</p> + +<p>The following example of the intellect and common-sense +of the South African native is given to me by McLeod of +McLeod, who was in charge of the Swazis both in the Zulu +war and the subsequent attack on Sekukuni, the paramount +chief of Basutoland.</p> + +<p>McLeod called upon Ubandini, the Swazi king, to raise +some 8000 levies. This army was then about to set out for +Basutoland, there to join our forces under Sir Garnet +Wolseley. The following conversation took place:—</p> + +<p>McL. "It is agreed that your people may have all the +cattle they can capture, but the English Government<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> +insists that on no account are your men to injure the Basuto +women and children."</p> + +<p>Ubandini thought deeply for a moment, and then remarked, +"Mafu (the McLeod's native name), do you like +rats?"</p> + +<p>McL. "No."</p> + +<p>U. "In fact you kill them whenever you can."</p> + +<p>McL. "Yes."</p> + +<p>U. "But surely you spare the females and little rats?"</p> + +<p>No answer.</p> + +<p>The black man will do much from fear or for utilitarian +motives, but to him as a rule charity simply does not exist. +One day in 1874 an old man came to Sepopo, the paramount +chief of the Barotsi, and claimed his help. Sepopo, who +was drinking beer with a white trader, turned to some of +his men and said: "He's a very old man; can he do any +work?" Being answered in the negative he ordered his +servants to take the old man down to the river and hold +his head under water. On being informed that the unfortunate +victim was dead he coolly said: "Then give him +to the crocodiles," and then went on chatting quietly and +drinking beer with his white friend. The whole affair was +a matter of no importance.</p> + +<p>Of the intentions and views of the Zulus and the Boers +at this time Selous writes to his mother, January 25th, +1880, and it is interesting to notice that at this time his +attitude towards the Boers was not so sympathetic as it +eventually became on more intimate knowledge.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Last year when I went in hunting I thought to have +done well, as I obtained leave to hunt in a country where a +few years ago elephants were very plentiful. But, alas, +during the last two years Moremi's hunters from Lake +Ngami have overrun the whole district and effectively +driven away the elephants, so that I have again made an +unsuccessful hunt. I shall now give up hunting elephants, +as it is impossible to make it pay. However, I must make +one more journey into the interior, which I intend to be my +last. If I keep my health it will be a long one, for I intend +to cross the Zambesi again and endeavour to penetrate<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> +through the Mashukulumbwe country to Lake Bangwolo, +for which purpose I have bought twelve donkeys that will +carry my traps and make me independent to a great extent +of native carriers.</p> + +<p>"During the last four years, though I have led a life of +great hardship and privation, yet I have lost much money +and almost ruined a good constitution; to throw away a +little more money and health after what has already gone, +will not much matter, and the former I may not lose at all, +for I may shoot elephants, indeed, most likely I shall. I +intend publishing a book, and think that a journey into a +country where no one has ever been before would greatly +enhance its value. My plans are liable to modification +owing to fever, tsetse flies, and various minor circumstances.</p> + +<p>"The Zulu war is over. You think it was unjustifiable, +but it was not so, for so long as the military power of the +Zulus remained unbroken there could be no peace in South +Africa and the white inhabitants of Natal and the Transvaal +would have had an assegai constantly dangling over their +heads. Sir Bartle Frere knew this, and no doubt manœuvred +so as to bring on a war, a war which he knew to be inevitable +sooner or later. Of course but little glory has been gained, +and one cannot but admire and pity the Zulus, who made a +brave but unavailing resistance to our men armed with far +superior weapons. I think they are far better off than +before, and are not burdened with the cruel despotism of +Cetawayo. It seems that after all there will be a disturbance +with the Transvaal Boers. I hope not, but of course, if +they force it upon themselves, their blood will be upon their +own heads. I do not admire them; mentally they are, I +should think, the most ignorant and stupid of all white +races, and they certainly have not one tenth part of the +courage of the Zulus. Physically they are immensely big +as a rule and capital shots, but there can only be one end +for them to an open rupture with the British authorities, +death and confiscation of property which will leave another +legacy of hatred between Dutch and English inhabitants of +this country for many years to come."</p></div> + +<p>Early<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> in 1880 Selous, having completely recovered from +his attack of fever and settled up French's affairs, turned +his attention to the preparations for his big expedition across +the Zambesi. Difficulties, however, arose which foiled all +his plans. In the first place the Matabele were supposed +(officially) to be in a disturbed state, so it was necessary for +Selous to go to Pretoria to obtain from Sir Owen Lanyon, +the administrator of the Transvaal, permission to carry a +good supply of ammunition. This, however, Sir Owen +blankly refused. The secretary to the administrator was +Mr. Godfrey Lagden (afterwards Sir Godfrey Lagden, +Governor of Basutoland for many years, and a close friend +of Selous). Sir Godfrey thus writes to me:-</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Selous approached me to get the Governor's permit to +proceed with firearms through a forbidden or restricted +route to Matabeleland, then closed owing to political +reasons. This route was dangerous to travel in consequence +of the threatening attitude of Lobengula. I was able to +help in a measure—who could refuse to help so bold and +charming a personality?—but not to the full measure he +wanted. He went away saying: 'I want you some day to +come and trek with me, and enjoy as you do the beautiful +big game as well as the small without killing it. Meanwhile +I must away, and as a permit cannot take me over the +Crocodile river, I must swim it in spite of crocodiles and +Matabele.'"</p></div> + +<p>The refusal of a permit to carry sufficient ammunition +undoubtedly caused him to abandon the long journey—that +is to say, for the time being—and in his letters home +at this period he is once again depressed at the financial +outlook and the difficulty of making a living. "I hope to +be in England," he says (March, 1880), "by the end of the +year. I shall then go in for writing a book, for which I may +get a little money. I know that people have got good sums +for writing bad books on Africa, full of lies, though I do not +know if a true book will sell well. My book at any rate will +command a large sale out here, as I am so well known, and +have a reputation for speaking nothing but the truth."</p> + +<p>Before going home he decided to go to Matabeleland and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> +join his friends Collison, J. S. Jameson, and Dr. Crook in a +hunting trip to the Mashuna country.</p> + +<p>Here it is necessary to say a few words concerning +Selous' friend, J. S. Jameson, for in later days he took a +prominent part in the page of African history.</p> + +<p>James Sligo Jameson was born at Alloa, N.B., on 17th of +August, 1856. His father, Andrew Jameson, was the son of +John Jameson, who founded the business in Dublin. From +his early youth he evinced a great taste for sport and +natural history, with a desire to travel and doing something +big. After schooldays at Dreghorn and the International +College, Isleworth, he began to read for the army, but soon +abandoned his intention, and his father being a rich man he +went on his travels in 1877 to Ceylon, Calcutta, Singapore, +and Borneo, where he made a good collection of birds and +insects. In 1878 he went to South Africa and hunted on the +borders of the Kalahari in Montsioa's veldt until 1879, when +he returned to Potchefstroom and outfitted for an extensive +trip to Matabeleland and the Zambesi in 1880. Whilst at +Potchefstroom he carried despatches to Sir Garnet Wolseley +at Pretoria and then returned, completed his preparations, +and trekked north across the Limpopo to Matabeleland, +where later on he met Selous.</p> + +<p>In the spring of 1881 Jameson returned to England with +a fine collection of heads, birds and insects, and the following +year, in company with his brother, J. A. Jameson, he went +to the upper waters of the Mussel Shell river in Montana and +hunted successfully bear, sheep, wapiti, mule deer and +antelope. In 1883 he again hunted in the Rockies with his +brother on the North Foot of Stinking Water, then a great +game country, and killed thirty-six mountain sheep, +buffalo, bears and wapiti.</p> + +<p>In 1884 he travelled in Spain and Algeria, and in 1885 +married Ethel, daughter of Major-General Sir Henry +Durand.</p> + +<p>It was in January, 1887, that the English public were +interested in the proposed expedition for the relief of Emin +Pasha—Gordon's friend—under the command of H. M. +Stanley. The whole idea was one that appealed to Jameson's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> +chivalrous nature, and as it seemed to offer good opportunities +for collecting specimens of big game, birds and +insects in a part of Africa that was practically unknown, he +offered a thousand pounds to be allowed to accompany the +expedition as an officer acting under Stanley's orders. This +offer was at once accepted.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Why all the ambitions of my lifetime should have been +concentrated at this time, with a seemingly prosperous issue, +I know not; but I assure you that I did not accept the +position without weighing well all there was for and against +it. Ever since childhood I have dreamt of doing some good +in this world, and making a name which was more than an +idle one. My life has been a more or less selfish one, and +now springs up this opportunity of wiping off a little of the +long score standing against me. Do not blame me too +much."<a name="FNanchor_24_24" id="FNanchor_24_24"></a><a href="#Footnote_24_24" class="fnanchor">[24]</a></p></div> + +<p>After a wearisome journey up the Congo, Stanley decided +to make a base camp at Yambuya on the Aruwimi, and to +leave there all the sick and useless Soudanese and Zanzibari +soldiers and porters, extra stores, etc., and to push on himself +to the Ituri forest and Lake Albert with the main +expedition. Two officers had to be left in charge at Yambuya, +and to his great disgust Jameson found that he was +one of those selected for this uncongenial task. Almost +from the first the whole outfit suffered from semi-starvation. +The site of the camp was badly chosen, the natives were +more or less hostile, and Jameson and his gallant friend, +Major Barttelot, were often at their wits' ends to feed their +men and keep down the continuous death-rate.</p> + +<p>Stanley, it seems, had promised to return in November, +and that if he did not return he had arranged with Tippu-Tib, +the Arab chieftain, ivory and slave-trader, and actual +master of the Upper Congo, to permit a thousand porters +to bring on the rearguard and join him at Lake Albert.</p> + +<p>At last things became so desperate that Jameson himself +went up the Congo, a twenty-four days' journey, to see +Tippu-Tib to try and induce him to supply the men with +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span>which to cross Africa—even offering a bond for five thousand +pounds on his and Major Barttelot's private account if +Stanley's word was not considered sufficient. Tippu-Tib +seems to have behaved well, and accompanied Jameson +back to Stanley Falls, from which he and Barttelot +presently started with some four hundred unruly Manyema +savages.</p> + +<p>We need not follow poor Jameson's troubles in the +ensuing months of June to August, 1888, when, the move +failing, owing to ceaseless thefts, desertions and small-pox, +Jameson at last reached Unaria and Barttelot returned to +Stanley Falls. Barttelot was then murdered, and Jameson +returned to Stanley Falls, where he found it impossible to +re-organize the expedition without monetary help, which +at the time he could not obtain. There being no prospect of +doing anything in the way of crossing Africa, and no word +or orders having been received from Stanley, Jameson then +went down the river to Bangala in order to obtain some +reply from the Emin Relief Committee. Tippu-Tib indeed +offered himself to go with Jameson, but demanded £20,000—a +sum which at the time it was not possible for Jameson +to guarantee. On this journey Jameson got wet and caught +a chill which soon developed into acute fever. He was a +dying man when his good friend Herbert Ward lifted him +from the canoe at Bangala, and he only lived for a few days.</p> + +<p>Jameson was to all who knew him well of a generous and +gentle nature, full of thought for others and a man of high +courage.</p> + +<p>At the end of May, 1880, Selous reached Bulawayo and +met his friends, and left a few days later for the hunting +veldt, where they had fine sport with all sorts of game +except elephants. On July 24th Jameson and Selous left +their waggons on the Umfule river and went in on foot +with thirteen natives into the "fly" country to the north. +This was a rough, hilly country where rhinoceros were +numerous in the hills and hippopotami in the river. The +country was quite unknown, but the object of the hunters +was to strike east to the Hanyane and follow it down +to the Portuguese town of Zumbo on the Zambesi. At Lo<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> +Magondi's kraal they decided to abandon the Hanyane +route and to follow the Umfule to its junction with the +Umniati.</p> + +<p>On July 31st they reached a pool and killed several +hippopotami, and the hunters and natives were soon +revelling in meat and fat. The next day Selous killed a very +fine buffalo bull. In a few days they reached the Umniati +and entered the first Banyai village. The party got game +almost every day, and on August 10th Selous killed another +fine buffalo bull. On the Umniati the natives engaged in +the practice of enclosing a space of the river over 200 yards +broad and 400 yards in length to confine a herd of hippopotami +so as to starve them to death. In one of these the +travellers saw ten unfortunate animals which had been +enclosed for about three weeks. Occasionally one was +speared by the natives when it became exhausted.</p> + +<p>On August 17th Jameson and Selous turned homewards +towards their waggons, and whilst travelling through the +bush suddenly came upon two fine bull elephants. Jameson +was in great excitement, as they were the first he had ever +seen. The elephants passed broadside and both hunters +fired, but the beasts made off. After several more shots—Jameson +having got hold of his big rifle—both hunters +killed their quarry, then following the course of the +Umzweswe for some distance, where Jameson got his first +lion, and by striking east to the Umfule river, they got back +to their waggons on August 30th.</p> + +<p>In a letter to his mother (November 2nd, 1880) Selous +says: "I will send you an account of a lion that came to +our camp whilst we were away and did a bit of mischief, +causing the death amongst other things of Mr. Jameson's +servant, a white man named Ruthven." No details of this +unfortunate incident are, however, available.</p> + +<p>Jameson and Selous continued hunting until November, +and then trekked out to Bulawayo. In December Selous +bade farewell to Lobengula and reached Bamangwato at +the end of the month. Early in 1881 war broke out in the +Transvaal, so Jameson and Selous travelled along the +borders of the Kalahari desert to Griqualand and reached<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> +the Diamond Fields. Here Selous disposed of his waggon, +oxen and horses, travelled to Port Elizabeth, and took ship +for England. As soon as he landed he heard that "the +wretched war with the Transvaal—a war that will leave a +legacy of hatred for generations to come to be equally +divided between the Dutch and English colonists in South +Africa—had been concluded by a most humiliating peace, +and a more disgraceful page added to the history of England +than any that have yet been written in its annals."</p> + +<p>On April 17th, 1877, Sir T. Shepstone, on behalf of H.M. +Government, annexed the Transvaal. It is true that for a +long time the management of the affairs of the Boer Republic +had been going from bad to worse. Its government +had no longer powers to enforce laws or to collect taxes. +Nevertheless, many thought our action was unjust as long +as their affairs did not affect us. On one point, however, +we had a right, for the conduct of the Boers to the native +tribes had been abominable. One of the causes alleged for +our interference was the desultory war carried on with great +brutality by the Boers against Sekukuni, chief of the Bapedi. +This war was brought on by the encroachment of the Boers +on the Bapedi, just as the Zulu war was brought on by +similar causes. The object of the Boers in their attacks on +native races was firstly the acquisition of territory, and +secondly the capture of children to be brought up as slaves.</p> + +<p>When the annexation was announced, the Zulus rejoiced +greatly, but their joy was soon dashed when they found +that, far from removing the bitter trouble of the boundary +question, the English had turned against them in this +matter. They were sore at our having espoused the cause +of their enemies, the Boers, whom they had refrained from +attacking for many years, when they could have done so +with impunity, without coming into collision with the +English. Even at this time they still believed in us; but +considered that Sir T. Shepstone in undertaking the government +of the Boers, had become a Boer himself.</p> + +<p>At first the Boers took the annexation quietly, and sent +two commissions to London, in 1877 and 1878, with a +memorial signed by thousands of Boers stating their rights<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> +in the matter, in order to avoid war, but obtained no +satisfaction from the Secretary of State for the Colonies. +A considerable feeling of unrest therefore remained after +their return, and the Boers went into laager near Pretoria, +where Sir Bartle Frere met them on September 10th, 1879. +The Boers then complained bitterly of the annexation and +of the manner in which it had been carried out. The answer +given on the 29th of September by Sir Garnet Wolseley was +that we intended to keep the Transvaal.</p> + +<p>On the 12th of December there was a meeting of over six +thousand Boers at Wonderfontein, and many resolutions +were passed which in the main proclaimed their continued +independence. At the end of 1879, however, the Home +Government established a sort of Executive Council for the +Transvaal which consisted of both Boers and Englishmen. +In March, 1880, the first legislative assembly under Her +Majesty's rule was opened at Pretoria by Colonel Owen +Lanyon, and for a short time after this the Home Government +was assured that the agitation amongst the Boers was +dying out, whereas in reality it was only the calm before +the storm.</p> + +<p>On November 11th some disaffected Boers forcibly +stopped an execution sale for non-payment of taxes. +Soon after this the Boers gathered and refused to pay taxes. +This led to collisions, and Sir Owen Lanyon ordered up +troops to Potchefstroom. On December 13th, 1880, the +first shot was fired and England began to reap the fruit of +her disastrous policy. The result of the war of 1881 and the +subsequent peace made by Gladstone immediately after the +disaster of Majuba are too well known to need recapitulation.</p> + +<p>As soon as Selous arrived in England he began preparing +for the Press an account of his travels which was published +by Richard Bentley & Son in the same year under the title +of "A Hunter's Wanderings in Africa."<a name="FNanchor_25_25" id="FNanchor_25_25"></a><a href="#Footnote_25_25" class="fnanchor">[25]</a> As was expected +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span>by his friends, but not himself, it achieved an immediate +success and stamped the author at once not only as a great +hunter, naturalist and explorer, but as one who could +narrate his experiences in an entertaining fashion. Since +Baldwin's "African Hunting and Adventure," published +in 1863, there had been no first-class book on South African +sport, so Selous' book was welcomed by all men who love +the rifle and the wilderness. If he made a mistake it was in +publishing the lists of game shot by himself between January, +1877, and December, 1880. They amount to such a formidable +total that, both at the time and subsequently reviewers +attacked him for what they call "this wholesale senseless +slaughter." Selous was wont to reply to this charge by +saying that the greater part of the meat killed was consumed +by his own followers and hungry natives who would do +nothing for him unless he killed some animal for food.<a name="FNanchor_26_26" id="FNanchor_26_26"></a><a href="#Footnote_26_26" class="fnanchor">[26]</a> This +is very true, but it must be admitted there was enormous +waste on some days when four or five giraffes or elephants +were killed. Selous, however, was no different from other +hunters of all time, and thought that in the case of very +abundant species they would last for ever, or in the case of +others—such as the great game—if he did not shoot them +somebody else would. Nevertheless, he was far more +considerate than the majority of the early hunters, and +never shot an animal except for a definite purpose. Between +the years 1860-1870 the destruction of game in South Africa +was very great, but the real disappearance of the large fauna +probably dated from the introduction of the modern breechloading +rifle, roughly about 1875, and the commencement of +the sale of hides for commercial purposes. It will give the +reader a better idea of what this wholesale destruction +meant when I state that one dealer in Kroonstad (Orange +River Colony) told me by reference to his books that +between the years 1878-1880 he exported nearly two +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span>million skins of springbuck, blesbok and black wildebeest. +He, it is true, was the principal dealer in hides for that part +of the Vaal river district, but there were many others who +also exported very large numbers. It has been abundantly +proved that game of all kinds must disappear at the advent +of railways and modern weapons. In a new country every +man carries a rifle and uses it, whilst history teaches us that +nothing has ever been done to save the game until it is on +the verge of extinction. East Africa, alone of all countries, +made adequate Game Laws in time, but how long the game +will last there, near railways, is a doubtful point, for the +settlers have now taken matters into their own hands and +are destroying the game wholesale on the pretext of wanting +the grass for the cattle. This is done indiscriminately by all +settlers whether they have cattle or not. Considering that +Big Game shooting parties furnish a good part of the +revenue (over £10,000 annually in shooting licences) of +British East Africa, and that the country, except for coffee, +black wattle and hemp, all of which grow where there is +little or no big game, is mostly unsuitable for ranching, the +state of things is deplorable.</p> + +<p>There are many who sneer at Big Game shooting, and are +opposed to the slaughter of animals, but if we look upon this +sport in a wider sense, in its magnificent opportunities for +training the body and developing the best qualities in men +of the right stamp, and in the matter of shooting, endurance +and the organization of material, we will find that the +balance is on the right side. There is, in fact, no outdoor +exercise to compare with it, whilst the man who delights in +slaughtering large numbers of animals purely for the lust of +taking life is extremely rare.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_22_22" id="Footnote_22_22"></a><a href="#FNanchor_22_22"><span class="label">[22]</span></a> "A Hunter's Wanderings," pp. 382-383.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_23_23" id="Footnote_23_23"></a><a href="#FNanchor_23_23"><span class="label">[23]</span></a> "History of the Zulu War," by Miss Colenso and Col. Durnford.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_24_24" id="Footnote_24_24"></a><a href="#FNanchor_24_24"><span class="label">[24]</span></a> Letter to Lady Durand, Jan. 22nd, 1887, from "Story of the Rear +Column," p. 31.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_25_25" id="Footnote_25_25"></a><a href="#FNanchor_25_25"><span class="label">[25]</span></a> Mrs. Jones (Miss A. S. Selous), who did the illustrations for his +first book, writes to me: "I fear I must own to these illustrations, but at +least they were a proof of what my brother was to me—my hero always—I +never could have gone through such an ordeal otherwise, for I knew +nothing about animals. Still I do not regret them, although the sight of +them on the screen was always acutely painful to me! You were his +greatest friend, so you will understand."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_26_26" id="Footnote_26_26"></a><a href="#FNanchor_26_26"><span class="label">[26]</span></a> Writing in 1892 Selous says: "As I have lately been accused of +slaughtering game for sport, I will take this opportunity of saying that +during this journey (Autumn, 1892), though I walked for days amongst +innumerable herds of wild animals, I only fired away twelve cartridges +from the day I left Salisbury until the date of my return there, and that, +as is my usual practice, I never fired a shot except for the purpose of supplying +myself and my party with meat."</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> +<h3>1881-1885</h3> + + +<p>When Selous returned to South Africa in November, +1881, it was with the fixed intention of +abandoning his wandering life. The chase of +the elephant which, above all wild animals, furnished some +pecuniary return, had now become so precarious, owing to +the scarcity of the animals, that even men like Selous +could not make a living at it, so when his friend Mandy, +who was doing well in Cape Colony as an ostrich-farmer, +suggested to him that he should enter the same profession, +he decided that the advice was good. Accordingly when +he returned to the Cape he at once visited Mandy, whom +he found far from flourishing. His employer had died and +ostrich-business was at a low ebb commercially, so Selous, +who had several orders for specimens of the larger game +from dealers and museums, once more turned his thoughts +towards the north, and was soon again on his way to the +happy hunting grounds. At Kimberley he bought a fine +grey horse named "Diamond" (which, after proving his +excellence, fell a victim to the usual horse-sickness), and +then proceeded to Klerksdorp in the Transvaal, where he +hoped to take over his friend Collison's Matabele boys. +These he found ready to go with him, as well as Morris, the +waggon-driver, and an excellent Griqua lad named Laer, +who was later of much assistance in skinning and preparing +specimens. From an old Matabele pioneer named Leask +he bought a waggon and a good span of oxen, and also laid +in a good stock of provisions. Just as he was starting, a +missionary named Arnot begged for a passage to Bamangwato, +which was at once granted. Passing through the +Manica district of the Transvaal, Selous met one of the old<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> +Boer Voortrekkers, by name Friedrich de Lange, who +showed him a curious "snake-stone" which was supposed +to have the power to cure snake-bite. De Lange valued this +stone highly, and stated that its efficacy was invariable, +and that it had already cured several people and horses +that had been bitten by snakes. Selous himself was able +to confirm de Lange's belief in the talisman, for he had met +the daughter of one Antony Forman, who as a child had +been severely bitten by a cobra, and whose life was saved +by applying the stone, which was applied twice before it +drew out the poison. Selous met the girl—then sixteen +years of age—in 1877 and she showed him the old scar. +Apparently the rough side of the stone adhered to the +wound until a certain amount of poison had been absorbed +and then it fell off. Several applications were necessary. +It is probable that this remarkable stone had been brought +from India.</p> + +<p>Passing along the Crocodile river, where a drought set +in and drove the game to the neighbourhood of the river, +Selous managed to kill a few good specimens of hartebeest +and wildebeest which he preserved. Diamond proved a +splendid shooting horse, but another mount, Nelson, +which was at first intractable, eventually became a valuable +animal, as he successfully survived the prevalent sickness. +This horse, though somewhat slow, did Selous yeoman +service for several years, and he eventually sold it to +Lewanika, chief of the Barotsi, in 1888.</p> + +<p>At this time Selous hunted industriously to make a good +collection of butterflies, and after many years he did make +a very complete collection, which he presented to the Cape +Town Museum. The curator of this museum was the late +Mr. Trimen—a man for whom Selous had a great respect—who +was ever delighted to receive any novelties, and many +were the new species discovered by these two active entomologists. +Selous, in fact, had all his life collected butterflies, +and did so almost to the day of his death in German +East Africa, for it was nothing to him to chase agile insects +in the heat of the day, when other men only thought of rest +and refreshment. The capture of some new species was to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> +him always a great event, and though others, less interested +than himself, wondered at his taking so much trouble +about a wretched butterfly, he had all the absorbing pleasure +of finding some new thing, the ambition of all true naturalists.</p> + +<p>One day, whilst butterfly hunting, he found an ox bogged +in the mud of the river. The poor beast had been badly +bitten by crocodiles, which are perhaps more numerous in +the Limpopo than in any river in South Africa, except +perhaps the Botletlie. Numerous goats and calves belonging +to natives were annually destroyed there, whilst in +1876 a Boer hunter named Berns Niemand met his death +from these reptiles whilst crossing the river.</p> + +<p>At the Notwani river, on March 5th, Selous decided to +visit Khama and ask his permission to travel along the +Limpopo and up the Mahalapsi river to Matabeleland. He +rode by night, and "off-saddled" to give his horse a rest +and feed for half an hour.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I had been lying thus upon the ground for perhaps a +couple of minutes, listening to the slight noise made by my +horse as he cropped the short dry herbage. Suddenly the +sound ceased. For a few seconds I lay dreamily wondering +why it did not recommence; but as there was still silence, +I rolled quickly over on my stomach, and, looking under +the bush to ascertain why my horse had stopped feeding, I +saw that he was standing in an attitude of fixed attention, +with ears pricked forward, intently gazing towards the road. +I instantly turned and looked in the same direction, and +as instantly saw on what the horse's eyes were fixed. +There, not thirty yards away, and right in the open, a +lioness, looking large and white in the brilliant moonlight +was coming up at a quick and stealthy pace, and in a half-crouching +attitude. In an instant I was on my feet, and +the lioness, probably observing me for the first time, at +once stopped and crouched perfectly flat on the ground. +The saddle and rifle lay out in the moonlight right between +me and the lioness, though nearer to me than to her. It +was not a time to hesitate. I knew she must be pretty keen +set, or she would have retreated upon seeing me; and I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> +felt that if I remained where I was, she would resume her +journey towards my horse, which might end in my having +to carry the saddle back to the Notwani. Obviously the +only thing to be done was to get hold of my rifle; so I +walked quickly forward into the moonlight towards where +it lay against the saddle. I must confess that I did not like +advancing towards the lioness, for I knew very well of what +hungry lions are capable; and there is nothing like experience +to damp the foolhardy courage of ignorance. However, +whilst I took those dozen steps she never stirred; but +just as I stooped to grasp my rifle she sprang up with a low +purring growl, and made off towards some thorn-bushes +to her right. I fired at her as she ran, and, though I certainly +ought to have hit her, I must have missed, as she +neither growled nor changed her pace. But I was fairly +well pleased to have driven her off, and lost no time in +loosening my horse's hobbles and saddling him again."</p></div> + +<p>After this adventure and visiting Khama, who as usual +acceded to his request, he passed on north to Matabeleland, +and in June formed a hunting camp on the tributary of the +river Bili in the well-watered valleys and verdant forests of +Northern Mashunaland.</p> + +<p>On June 20th he set a gin for hyenas which had been +troublesome. Soon after midnight his dogs began barking +and retreated into camp, which they would not have done +before a hyena. Then some heavy animals came galloping +past and Blucher, a favourite dog, was missed. Since the +animal had uttered no sound Selous concluded he had been +seized by the head and carried off by a lion. For a time all +was quiet, and then the boys began shouting and said that +a lion had come through the thorn-fence and taken the +skin of a sable antelope that had been drying on a frame. +This proved to be the case, and this very bold lion or others +then returned a second time and carried off another wet +skin.</p> + +<p>Yet a third time the lion entered the camp and attacked +the skins, one of which he commenced drawing within +thirty yards of the camp. All this time Selous had never +been able to get a clear shot, but as soon as dawn came he +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span>saddled his horse and soon saw a lion and lioness lying on +an open bank close to the stream, but they moved off in the +uncertain light. For that day the lions won.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a href="images/i167.jpg"><img src="images/i167-t.jpg" width="400" height="263" alt="BUFFALOES ALARMED." title="" /> +</a><br /><span class="caption">Buffaloes Alarmed.</span> +</div> + +<p>That night an enclosure was built, baited, and a gin +placed at each entrance, but later only a hyena met its +death. At sundown poor Blucher, terribly mangled, +crawled into camp, but though every attention was given +him, he died some weeks later. The next day, however, +better luck prevailed. Some Kafirs found a lion, and Selous +getting a close shot from the back of his horse killed it with +a bullet in the head. On the way back to camp another +lion was put up and bolted through the forest.</p> + +<p>This lion he wounded badly and lost for a time, but +on further search it was found and charged the hunter +savagely. The lion then stopped.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The position was now this: the lion was standing +with open mouth, from which blood was flowing, growling +savagely, and looking like nothing but a wounded and +furious lion, whilst right in front of him, and within thirty +yards, stood Laer's refractory pony, backing towards the +lion, and pulling with him Laer, who, of course, was looking +full into his open jaws, which he did not seem to admire. +I think I shall never forget the momentary glimpse I had +of his face. He was at that time only a lad of about fifteen +or sixteen years of age, and there is no wonder that he was +frightened—but frightened he most certainly was: his hat +had fallen off, his mouth was wide open, and his eyes staring, +and he was pulling desperately against the horse, which +was steadily dragging him nearer to the lion. I was a +little to the right of Laer and a little further from the lion, +but not much, and he looked alternately at the two of us. +I am sure it was simply want of strength that prevented +him from coming on and mauling either Laer or the pony, +for before I could raise my rifle he sank down on the ground, +but still kept his head up, and, with his mouth wide open, +never ceased growling or roaring (I do not know which is +the better word). Of course I fired as quickly as I could, +the circumstances not admitting of any delay. I aimed +right for his open mouth, and at the shot his head fell so +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> +suddenly, and in such a way, that I knew the bullet had +reached his brain."<a name="FNanchor_27_27" id="FNanchor_27_27"></a><a href="#Footnote_27_27" class="fnanchor">[27]</a></p></div> + +<p>During the next six weeks Selous shot and preserved +many fine specimens of the larger African antelopes for the +British Museum, Cape Museum, and London dealers. At +this time he met his old friend Dorehill, who was also on a +shooting trip. He had with him his young wife, who was +probably the first English lady to travel in the interior of +Mashunaland. On the way to visit him at his camp Selous +killed a leopard which was feeding at mid-day on the carcase +of a black rhinoceros killed by Dorehill—a very unusual +circumstance.</p> + +<p>At this time Selous determined to visit Tete on the +Zambesi, going there via the Hanyane river, and to cross +the intervening country which was then quite unknown. +After leaving his waggons on August 6th, he crossed the +Manyami, accompanied by Laer, some natives, and one pack +donkey, and passed numerous Mashuna villages on the +hills, and so across to Umkwasi to the remarkable hills of +Chikasi, where rocks several hundred feet high rise from the +level plains. The country here was beautiful and the climate +that of an English June, though colder at night. Here +Selous lost his only donkey, killed by a hyena.</p> + +<p>After crossing the Mutiki and the Dandi rivers, where no +game was seen, and reaching Garanga, where guides were +obtained, all the party now descended to the Zambesi valley. +At the Kadzi river there was a considerable amount of game +and swarms of tsetse flies, and so, following the course of the +Umsengaisi, Selous reached the Zambesi at Chabonag on +August 17th.</p> + +<p>Here he decided to make for Zumbo.</p> + +<p>After reaching Zumbo, formerly a centre of trade in gold +dust and now a trade base for ivory, which mostly came +from the Loangwa valley to the north, Selous, after mapping +various new features in this region, struck south again. He +had difficulty with his guides and, as always happens in the +intense heat of the Zambesi valley, was again struck down +with fever. He struggled on, however, on foot until September +10th, when Laer turned up with one of his horses, +and on September 14th reached his camp, where in the fine +air he soon mastered the fever. Early in October he reached +the Matabele country and travelled to Klerksdorp, where +he despatched his collections to Cape Town and England.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span></p> +<p>After laying in a fresh stock of provisions and trading +goods he again set out for the interior, and in May, 1883, +made his permanent camp on the banks of the Manyami +river in Mashunaland. After unsuccessfully searching for +elephants to the north and west, he crossed the Manyami +to the Mazoe river, and from thence proceeded to the +eastern bank of the Sabi river, close to the Portuguese +frontier, where he hoped to obtain specimens of the now +rare white rhinoceros and Liechtenstein's hartebeest. So +far the last named was only known from specimens taken +at and north of the Zambesi river, so that it was possible +that the Sabi hartebeest might be slightly different.<a name="FNanchor_28_28" id="FNanchor_28_28"></a><a href="#Footnote_28_28" class="fnanchor">[28]</a></p> + +<p>On the 11th of July Selous made a start for the south-east, +and on the way knocked down a good specimen of the +striped eland which, however, he was destined to lose, as +he had lost his knife and had not another cartridge to kill it +with. The next day he shot a splendid wart-hog, which cut +his dog Punch rather badly, and which for many years was +the best specimen in his museum. Next day he emerged +on to the high open grassy downs between the Manyami and +the Mazoe rivers. The climate of this delightful region, +which has an elevation from 4500 to 6000 feet, is the best in +Mashunaland and has an equable temperature throughout +the year except in the months of June and July, which are +rather cold. Running streams intersect the plateau in all +directions and small patches of forest afford wood and +shelter to passing travellers. Fifty years before this beautiful +country was heavily populated by peaceful Mashunas, +but about 1840 the bloodthirsty Matabele overran the +district and slaughtered everyone except a few which were +kept for slaves.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span></p> +<p>In 1883 it was a great country for eland, roan antelope, +and ostriches, several fine specimens of which fell to Selous' +rifle. One of these, a female roan with horns 2 ft. 7 in. +over the curve, still remains the record for females of this +species. Near the river Chingi-Ka he killed a fine bull +eland, which he left with some Mashunas who, however, +skinned and cut it up during the night. This threw Selous +into a rage, and he seized their bows and arrows and assegais +and threw them on the fire, and then to their astonishment +and annoyance made a bonfire of the rest of the carcase.</p> + +<p>On July 30th he reached the river Impali, a tributary of +the Sabi. Here was a Mashuna town where all the men +carried bows and arrows and the women were tattooed on +the forehead, cheeks, breasts and stomach. The next day +Selous found tracks of the antelope he had come to hunt, +but on this and following days he had no luck in finding +them, though some days afterwards he killed a bull rhinoceros. +He then returned to his camp on the Manyami, and +continued to hunt there till November, and then started +south-west on his return home. The day after leaving the +Manyami, whilst crossing a tributary of the River Sarua, +the wheel of one of his waggons collapsed, and knowing that +a Boer and an Englishman were close at hand, Selous determined +to go to their camp, borrow a wheel and bring his +waggon on, and make the new wheel in a place where he +would have the pleasure of talking to some white men. +That day Selous rode across country to the camp of Grant +and Karl Weyand, and when Laer turned up they received +the news that the waggon driver had met five Hons on the +road. Selous then felt sorry he had not gone by this route, +for Laer described the big lion of the party as the most magnificent +he had ever seen. Next day Selous rode back to +his camp, and on the way he had an exciting adventure +with a leopard which he wounded as it ran into the bush. +The now angry beast hid in the cover but disclosed its +whereabouts when the hunter came close. "However, I +had seen whereabouts he was lying, and so determined to +fire a shot or two to make him show himself; but before +I could do so he again raised his head with another snarl, +and immediately after came straight out at me, and at such<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> +a pace that before I could turn my horse and get him +started the leopard was right under his tail. He chased me +for some sixty or seventy yards before he stopped, coming +right into the open and keeping close up the whole time. I +pulled in as quickly as I could, and before the plucky little +beast regained the bush gave him a second shot which +quickly proved fatal. When charging and chasing me this +leopard growled and grunted or roared exactly like a lion +under similar circumstances, and made just as much noise."</p> + +<p>The next day Laer turned up with the wheel, across +which lay the fresh skin of a lion he had killed. It appeared +that the previous evening when the waggon-driver and a +native boy named April were sitting by the fire a lion +rushed into the camp and attacked one of the oxen. April +fired at it and missed, but Laer, though only a boy, put in +another cartridge and took a shot which was fatal.</p> + +<p>The following day some men whom Selous had sent into +the "fly" to look for elephants returned and reported "a +big lion close by." Immediately Selous was out and after +him with his dogs, which were led. He had not, however, +gone far when he saw the lion lying flat on the ground at +right angles to where he was riding. As his horse would not +stand, he dismounted.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"All this time the lion had never moved, nor did he now, +but lay watching me intently with his yellow eyes. Nothing +stirred but his tail, the end of which he twitched slowly, so +that the black bunch of hair at its extremity appeared first +on one side of him, then on the other. As I raised my rifle +to my shoulder I found that the fallen tree-trunk interfered +considerably with the fine view I had had of him from +my horse's back, as it hid almost all his nose below the eyes. +In the position in which he was now holding his head I +ought to have hit him about half-way between the nostrils +and the eyes, which was impossible; anywhere above the +eyes would have been too high, as the bullet would have +glanced from his skull, so that it required a very exact shot +to kill him on the spot. However, there was no time to wait, +and, trying to aim so that the bullet should just clear the +fallen log and catch him between the eyes, I fired. With<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> +a loud roar he answered the shot, and I instantly became +aware that he was coming straight at me with open mouth +and flaming eyes, growling savagely. I knew it was hopeless +to try to get another cartridge into my single-barrelled rifle, +and utterly useless to try to mount, more especially as my +horse, startled by the loud hoarse grunts and sudden and +disagreeable appearance of the charging lion, backed so +vigorously that the bridle (to a running ring on which a +strong thong was attached, the other end being fastened to +my belt) came over his head. I had a strong feeling that I +was about to have an opportunity of testing the accuracy +of Dr. Livingstone's incredible statement that, for certain +reasons (explained by the Doctor), a lion's bite gives no +pain; but there was no time to think of anything in particular. +The whole adventure was the affair of a moment. +I just brought my rifle round in front of me, holding the +small of the stock in my right hand and the barrel in my +left, with a vague idea of getting it into the lion's mouth, and +at the same time yelled as loud as I could, 'Los de honden, +los de honden,' which being translated means, 'Let loose +the dogs.' In an instant, as I say, the lion was close up to +me. I had never moved my feet since firing, and whether +it was my standing still facing him that made him alter his +mind, or whether he heard the noise made by my people, who, +hearing my shot, immediately followed by the loud growling +of the lion, were all shouting and making a noise to frighten +the lion from coming their way, I cannot take upon myself +to say; but he came straight on to within about six yards +of me, looking, I must say, most unpleasant, and then +suddenly swerved off, and passing me, galloped away."<a name="FNanchor_29_29" id="FNanchor_29_29"></a><a href="#Footnote_29_29" class="fnanchor">[29]</a></p></div> + +<p>The dogs then ran him to bay alongside a big ant-hill.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"As soon as he saw me he paid no further heed to his +canine foes, but stood, with his eyes fixed on the most +dangerous of his assailants, growling hoarsely, and with +his head held low between his shoulders—just ready to +charge, in fact. I knew my horse would not stand steady, +so jumped off, and taking a quick aim fired instantly, as it +does not do to wait when a lion is looking at you like this, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span>and when he may make up his mind to come at any moment. +Usually they jerk their tails up over their backs, holding +them perfectly stiff and rigid, two or three times before +charging. They sometimes charge without doing this, but +they never do it without charging. My bullet inflicted a +mortal wound, entering between the animal's neck and +shoulder and travelling the whole length of his body. He +sat down like a dog on his haunches immediately after, and +was evidently done for, as he lolled his tongue out of his +mouth and growled feebly when the dogs bit him in the +hind-quarters."<a name="FNanchor_30_30" id="FNanchor_30_30"></a><a href="#Footnote_30_30" class="fnanchor">[30]</a></p></div> + +<p>The pegged-out skin of his lion measured ten feet eleven +inches, and it proved to be the third largest Selous ever +killed.</p> + +<p>In mid-December Selous went out to Bulawayo and there +found himself involved in a row with Lobengula, who unjustly +accused him of killing hippopotami. The Matabele +apparently had some superstition regarding these animals +and believed that a drought would follow the killing of a +number of these animals unless the bones were returned to +the river. Doubtless some slaughter had taken place +owing to the activities of a certain trader who made a +business in sjamboks.</p> + +<p>When Selous met Lobengula he was at first quite friendly, +and when the hunter told him he had not killed a single +hippopotamus that year the king said there was no case +against him. A few days later, however, he was summoned +to the king's presence and Selous heard there was likely to +be trouble. The case lasted three days, during which time +the white men accused had to sit outside the kraal in the +pouring rain.</p> + +<p>Concluding his attack on Selous, Ma-kwaykwi, one of the +head indunas, said:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"'It is you, Selous, who have finished the king's game.' +He went on: 'But you are a witch, you must bring them +all to life again. I want to see them—all, all. Let them +all walk in at the kraal gate, the elephants, and the buffaloes, +and the elands.'</p> + +<p>"I stood up<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> and called out: 'All right; but when the +lions come in, will you, Ma-kwaykwi, remain where you are to +count them?'</p> + +<p>"This caused a general laugh at Ma-kwaykwi's expense, +and quite stopped his flow of eloquence."</p></div> + +<p>Finally Selous had to pay sixty pounds. This fine he +always considered to be a robbery.</p> + +<p>As soon as the case finished Selous went to Klerksdorp +and sent his collections to England. He was sore at his +treatment by Lobengula, and so determined to avoid Matabeleland +and to hunt in the northern parts of Khama's +territory this year. One day at Klerksdorp he met Walter +Montague Kerr bent on a long expedition through +Matabeleland and Mashunaland to the Zambesi, and the +two hunters travelled together as far as Bulawayo. Here +they separated, Kerr going north and eventually crossing +the Zambesi, where the illness, privation, and hardship he +underwent so undermined his health that his early death +resulted. He published an interesting book on his travels<a name="FNanchor_31_31" id="FNanchor_31_31"></a><a href="#Footnote_31_31" class="fnanchor">[31]</a> +which is, however, now little known.</p> + +<p>At this time Selous was much depressed owing to the +low state of his finances, for although he had been able to +support himself entirely by trading and his rifle since 1871, +he had made nothing and his whole assets were represented +by horses, oxen, waggons and general outfit. His mother, +too, frequently urged him to give up South Africa, and +either come home or try another country, but to this he +turned a deaf ear and only expressed his wish to worry on +till better times came. Writing to her on April 6th, 1884, +from Bamangwato, he says:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"This country is now in a terrible state financially, +bankrupt from Cape Town to the Zambesi. Nothing that +is not exportable has any real value, for nothing can be +turned into money. Thanks to my specimens I have during +the last two years, in spite of more than reasonable losses, +even for Africa, done very well, but all that I have made is +represented by waggons, salted horses, cattle, rifles, etc., +for all of which I have paid large prices, but which, if I +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span>wished to realize and leave the country, would bring me in +scarcely enough to pay my passage to England. It is all +very well to tell a man to leave such a country and try +another. It would be the wisest thing to do, no doubt, but +it is a thing that few men are capable of doing. What you +say of Edward Colchester (friend of his youth) returning to +Australia and beginning life again at thirty-nine is not at +all to the point. He would simply be returning again to his +old life, for which he has never ceased to pine ever since he +came home and settled down in England. I was very interested +in what you told me about Spiritualism, but are you +sure that William Colchester really saw his child (recently +deceased) and touched and spoke to him? In Sergeant +Cox's accounts of Materializations the figure seen is that of +the medium, and I have never yet seen an authentic account +of any other Materialization. At present I believe nothing +(about Spiritualism), but am <i>inclined</i> towards Materialism, +but at the same time I do not believe everything, and +am in a state of doubt. If I felt sure—quite sure—that I +was merely material, I think I should before long take a +good dose of laudanum and stop the working of my inward +mechanism, for life, on the whole, is a failure—to me, at +any rate—who, I think, am naturally of rather a sad turn +of mind, though I can quite understand it being very +different to sanguine hopeful people. However, as I feel +doubtful upon the subject, I certainly shall not have recourse +to violent measures but shall protect my vital spark as +long as I can. I think I told you about Jameson being +struck down by a sort of paralytic stroke and not being +able to come out this year to hunt.</p> + +<p>"I am very sorry indeed, for being with Jameson, who is, +of course, a rich man, I should have been free from the +constant anxiety which now overhangs me like a black +cloud as to whether I shall be able to pay my debts. It is +so very easy to lose a hundred pounds in live stock, from +sickness, drought, hunger, etc., and so hard, so very hard, +to make it. Last year I paid Mr. Leask nearly £1600. This +year I only owe a few hundreds and am at present well to +the good, as I have nearly £2000 worth of property."</p> +</div> + +<p>Selous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> left Bamangwato in April, 1884, and trekked across +the desert north-west to the Mababe veldt. He was fortunate +enough to find for once plenty of water, owing to thunder-storms, +and he did not experience any great hardships as he +did in 1873 and 1879. In June he established his main +hunting camp near the north end of the Mababe flats. The +bushmen here told him of the activities of a man-eating +lion who had recently killed several men. Selous at once +set out to look for him, and soon found one of the unfortunate +victims, torn to pieces and partially eaten. But the lion +seems to have left this district, and the hunter was unable +to find him, since he did not commit further depredations.</p> + +<p>Selous did not remain long on the Mababe. In August +he retreated to Sode Gara and Horn's Vley, where he killed +some good specimens of giraffe, hartebeest, gemsbuck, and +ostrich. Then he moved eastward for a while, and afterwards +went south to Tati, which he reached in late November, +and so on to Bulawayo, where he remained for the winter, +sending his specimens out on a trader's waggon.</p> + +<p>After visiting Lobengula, who demanded a salted horse +valued at sixty pounds for the right to hunt in Mashunaland, +Selous set off again to the north-east. He took with him +four horses and thus quaintly describes a new cure for a +hopeless "bucker."</p> + +<p>"I almost cured him," he says, "of bucking by riding +him with an adze handle, and stunning him by a heavy +blow administered between the ears as soon as he commenced, +which he invariably did as soon as one touched +the saddle; but I never could make a shooting horse of +him, and finally gave him to Lobengula, in the hope that +he would present him to Ma-kwaykwi or some other of his +indunas against whom I had a personal grudge."</p> + +<p>Selous now went to the Se-whoi-whoi river, where two +years previously he killed the last two white rhinoceroses +he was destined to see. These great creatures had now +become exceedingly scarce in Africa south of the Zambesi, +and are now quite extinct in all South Africa except in the +neighbourhood of the Black Umvolosi in Zululand, where, +according to latest reports (1917), there are twelve which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> +are fortunately strictly preserved. In 1886 two Boers in +Northern Mashunaland killed ten, and five were killed in +Matabeleland in the same year. After this date they +seemed to be extremely rare. I saw the tracks of one near +the Sabi in 1893, and the same year Mr. Coryndon killed +one in Northern Mashunaland.</p> + +<p>When he reached the high plateau of Mashunaland and +got to the Umfule and Umniati rivers Selous found game +plentiful, and was soon busy collecting specimens. After +a visit to the Zweswi he passed on to the Lundaza, a tributary +of the Umfule. Here he found a large herd of elephants. He +was, however, badly mounted on a sulky horse, as his +favourite Nelson had been injured, and this greatly handicapped +him, as well as causing him twice to have some +hairbreadth escapes.</p> + +<p>On the great day on which he killed six elephants he had +numerous adventures. First he shot at and wounded a large +bull which he could not follow, as an old cow charged him +viciously and gradually overhauled his sulky horse; but +on entering thick bush he avoided her and soon got to work +on two fresh bulls which he killed. He then dashed after +the broken herd and soon came face to face with an old +cow, who chased him so hard that he had to leap off his +horse to avoid her. Curiously enough, the elephant did not +molest his horse, but getting the wind of the hunter, charged +him and was eventually killed. Selous then followed the +retreating herd, and only at first succeeded in wounding +two large cows, one of which charged him, when he had +again to abandon his horse, but after some trouble he killed +them both.</p> + +<p>Later, on the Manyami, he found another small herd and +killed a big bull and a cow. The bull charged him fiercely +but swung off on receiving a frontal shot, and was then killed +with a heart shot. Later in the year he went south to the +Sabi and was lucky enough to kill five Liechtenstein's hartebeest, +which he had failed to get on his previous hunt for +them.</p> + +<p>In December he returned to Bulawayo. On the way, +whilst travelling with Collison, James Dawson, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> +Cornelis van Rooyen, a noted Boer hunter, an incident +occurred which showed the power of a sable antelope in +defending itself from dogs. Van Rooyen fired at a bull, and +all the dogs rushed from the waggon to bring the wounded +animal to bay. When the hunter got up and killed the +sable it was found that the gallant antelope in defending +itself with its scimitar-like horns had killed outright four valuable +dogs and badly wounded four more. The strength and +rapidity with which a sable bull uses its horns is a wonderful +thing to see. When cornered either by a lion or dogs the +sable lies down and induces the enemy to attack its flanks. +Then like a flash the horns are swept sideways and the +attacker pierced. I lost my best dog by a wounded bull in +1893. He was killed in an instant, both horns going right +through the whole body, between heart and lungs. In the +same year I found in a dying condition a splendid bull +sable, badly mauled by a lion, and incapable of rising, but +the lion himself, an old male, was found dead about a hundred +yards away by some Shangan natives. I saw the claws and +teeth of this lion, but the skin was not preserved as the lion +had been dead some days when it was found. There is +little doubt that both the sable and the roan antelopes are +dangerous when cornered. A Matabele warrior was killed +by a wounded cow sable in 1892, and Sergeant Chawner of +the Mashunaland police was in 1890 charged by a slightly +wounded bull roan which missed the rider but struck his +horse through the neck and so injured it that it had to be +shot. A similar incident also happened to Mr. George +Banks in 1893.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_27_27" id="Footnote_27_27"></a><a href="#FNanchor_27_27"><span class="label">[27]</span></a> "Travel and Adventure in S.E. Africa," pp. 37-40.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_28_28" id="Footnote_28_28"></a><a href="#FNanchor_28_28"><span class="label">[28]</span></a> Selous, however, did not kill any on this trip. I shot one near the +Sabi in 1893 which proved to be identical with the northern race.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_29_29" id="Footnote_29_29"></a><a href="#FNanchor_29_29"><span class="label">[29]</span></a> "Travel and Adventure in S.E. Africa," pp. 130-133.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_30_30" id="Footnote_30_30"></a><a href="#FNanchor_30_30"><span class="label">[30]</span></a> "Travel and Adventure in S.E. Africa," pp. 133-134.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_31_31" id="Footnote_31_31"></a><a href="#FNanchor_31_31"><span class="label">[31]</span></a> "The Far Interior."</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> +<h3>1886-1889</h3> + + +<p>During the year 1886 Selous did but little hunting +and shooting, though he twice made short visits +to Matabeleland both before and after a journey +home to England, where he remained for several months. +In the following year he was employed to act as guide and +hunter to Messrs. J. A. Jameson,<a name="FNanchor_32_32" id="FNanchor_32_32"></a><a href="#Footnote_32_32" class="fnanchor">[32]</a> A. C. Fountaine,<a name="FNanchor_33_33" id="FNanchor_33_33"></a><a href="#Footnote_33_33" class="fnanchor">[33]</a> and F. +Cooper,<a name="FNanchor_34_34" id="FNanchor_34_34"></a><a href="#Footnote_34_34" class="fnanchor">[34]</a> on a long trip to Mashunaland, in which all concerned +had wonderful sport. The party killed twelve lions, +and discovered the remarkable limestone caves of Sinoia and +the subterranean lake whose waters are cobalt blue.<a name="FNanchor_35_35" id="FNanchor_35_35"></a><a href="#Footnote_35_35" class="fnanchor">[35]</a></p> + +<p>A main camp was established on the Upper Manyami, +and from there hunts were organized in all directions. The +travels of the four Englishmen occupied the greater part of +the year.</p> + +<p>It was during this expedition that one day whilst chasing +four koodoo bulls Selous charged straight into one of the +pitfalls made by the natives for trapping game. The +impact was so great that the horse broke his back and +Selous himself so injured the tendons of one of his legs +that he was unable to walk for three weeks afterwards. In +such a life as he had, much of which was spent in rough +country, racing game at full speed on horseback, it was +unavoidable that the hunter should meet with numerous +falls. He was, however, so tough and clever that in most +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span>cases he escaped unhurt, but once, when chasing a black +rhinoceros on the Manyami river in 1883, he had a bad +fall and smashed his collar-bone, and on another occasion, +in October, 1880, whilst chasing a bull eland, he dashed +at full speed into a dead tree branch. Even after this he +killed his game, but on reaching camp became half-unconscious +with concussion of the brain. There was a deep +wound on the side of his eye which destroyed the tear-duct, +leaving a cavity which eventually healed up, but a year +after, one day in London, he coughed up a piece of wood +that must have been driven right through the tear-duct +till it reached the passage at the back of the nose. The +scar on his face seen in all later photographs of Selous was +caused by the recoil of his first elephant-gun, which his +native servant had inadvertently loaded twice.</p> + +<p>Of the expedition of 1887, when Selous hunted with J. A. +Jameson, A. C. Fountaine, and Frank Cooper, no complete +record seems to have been kept, but Selous narrates a few +of their adventures in his articles in the Geographical +Society's Journal<a name="FNanchor_36_36" id="FNanchor_36_36"></a><a href="#Footnote_36_36" class="fnanchor">[36]</a> (1888), and in "Travel and Adventure in +South-East Africa," pp. 445-7, he gives some details of +their wanderings.</p> + +<p>It was not the habit of Selous to give up any scheme, +however difficult, once he had set his heart upon it. We +have seen how often his plans for reaching the "Promised +Land" beyond the Zambesi had been foiled, but he never +abandoned the idea and resolved to put it into execution +whenever the opportunity should occur. At last, in 1888, +he found himself free to make another attempt. He was in +good health and possessed an ample supply of money to +purchase material, which in the case of the long journey +involved was a necessity.</p> + +<p>He left Bamangwato on April 9th, 1888, with two waggons, +five salted horses, and sixteen donkeys. His intention was +to go first to Lialui and take up his residence with Lewanika +for at least a year. Panda-ma-tenka was reached on the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span>16th of May, and there Selous learned that the country to +the north was in a very unsettled condition owing to rival +claims to the chieftainship of Barotsiland, and that it might +be months before he got across the Zambesi. Soon after, +he met his old friend George Westbeech, who strongly +advised him not to enter Barotsiland, but to take advantage +of an invitation from Mr. Arnot, who was established in the +Garanganzi country, which was said to be full of elephants.</p> + +<p>Accordingly Selous left his waggons and set off down the +Zambesi, intending to cross the river at Wankie's Town and +strike north along his old route of eleven years before. In +the light of his subsequent adventures amongst the Mashukulumbwe +it is here necessary to say something of his +coloured companions on this eventful trip. There was +Daniel, a Hottentot waggon-driver; Paul, a Natal Zulu; +Charley, an interpreter who had been trained amongst +Westbeech's elephant-hunters; and two of Khama's men. +All these were well armed with modern breechloading rifles. +Besides these men he had four Mashunas who had served +him on former expeditions, and whom he could trust in an +emergency. Other boys were hired at Panda-ma-tenka, +and with these and the donkeys carrying the outfit Selous +set forth for Wankie's Town with complete confidence.</p> + +<p>Having arrived at Wankie's Town in eight days, the +donkeys having been safely towed across the river, troubles +now began. Daniel, the Hottentot, developed fever and +died in four days, and then the boys whom he had hired at +Panda-ma-tenka deserted. Selous, however, managed to +get on with his own small lot, and even hired a few Batongas. +But soon old Shampondo, the Batonga chief of the district, +came and demanded further presents, bringing at the same +time a small Batonga army to enforce his views. For a +moment there was nearly trouble, as Selous' "boys" +loaded their rifles at the threatening aspect of the natives, +but their master, with his usual tact in dealing with savages, +saved the situation, though he was not allowed to proceed +without further extortion. Selous knew that later he would +have to pass through the territory of Mwemba, "the biggest +scoundrel" amongst the Batongas, so he importuned<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> +Shamedza to give him porters and to help as far as the +Zongwi river, and this the chief did.</p> + +<p>The reason of these extortions was that the Batonga +chiefs were afraid of the white men because of their own +evil deeds. Although they had seen no Europeans since +Dr. Livingstone, his brother, and Kirk, several Jesuit +fathers had been as far as the Zambesi and had died or been +maltreated. David Thomas had also been murdered by +the Batongas, as well as a Portuguese trader. Selous knew +that if he followed the Zambesi as far as the Kafukwe he was +certain to be attacked and probably murdered. Accordingly +he decided to strike due north to the Mashukulumbwe +in spite of their evil reputation.</p> + +<p>Next day he reached the Muga and the following crossed +the Kachomba river, and on the third day came to the +Mwedzia, where he was able to hire a few useful men. During +the following day he marched over what he describes as the +"roughest country to walk over in the whole world," stony +and barren conical hills devoid of game or water. On the +third day he emerged into better country covered with +forest and good grass, and here at a village he picked up a +guide to take him to Monzi, a Batonga chief, who lived on +a high plateau which was said to abound in game.</p> + +<p>The following day he reached the plateau and saw abundance +of zebra, Liechtenstein's hartebeest, blue wildebeest, +roan antelope, and eland. Later he interviewed old Monzi, +who told him he had seen no white man since the visit of +Dr. Livingstone thirty-five years before. The natives were +very friendly, as Selous gave them an eland and a zebra he +had shot, and all seemed to go well. At Monzi's the traveller +got two guides to take him to the Kafukwe, and at the +second village he struck he found himself for the first time +amongst the naked Mashukulumbwe. Here a lot of Sikabenga's +men (Barotsi) arrived with a crowd of armed +Mashukulumbwe, and said they had come to buy ammunition. +The attitude of the natives was suspicious, and when +Selous refused either to sell them powder or to go with them, +they said: "You will live two days more, but on the third +day your head will lie in a different place from your body."</p> + +<p>Selous,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> however, paid no heed to their threats, and that +day proceeded on his journey, telling his guides to proceed +east to the Mashukulumbwe villages and intending to camp +in the open veldt. Paul and Charley, who both had experience +with natives north of the Zambesi, agreed that +this was the best policy, but "we unfortunately allowed +ourselves to be dissuaded and led into the jaws of death by +our ignorant guides." These men said the party would find +no water on the plateau but only in the villages, so there +they went.</p> + +<p>At the second village the natives were frightened, and, +avoiding this place, they pressed on over a veldt teeming +with game to the Ungwesi river. Here Selous camped at a +village where, after preliminary shyness, the natives seemed +fairly friendly and showed the hunter where to camp and +get wood and water. At the Magoi-ee Selous found himself +in a highly populated district and camped at a village where +lived Minenga, the chief of the district. That worthy insisted +on Selous camping alongside the village and would +take no refusal. Accordingly Selous found himself in the +lions' den, as it were, and felt he must brave it out now if +anything went wrong, so he set to work to make a "scherm" +of cornstalks and plant-poles to secure the donkeys.</p> + +<p>After a while things did not look so bad, as the natives +abandoned their spears and came and joined in a dance with +the Batonga boys. Then, too, the women and girls came +down and ate with Selous' men—usually a sure sign of +peace. By nightfall Selous viewed the whole scene and felt +he had no cause for alarm, and felt he had quite gained the +goodwill of these savages. At nine o'clock, when Selous +was already in bed, Minenga sent him a message to come to +drink, but, as he was tired, he did not go. In the light of +subsequent events, Selous was glad he had not accepted the +invitation, for he would certainly have been murdered. +The dance and noisy musical instruments were intended to +drown any noise that might have occurred.</p> + +<p>Next day Selous hunted, and later, when in camp, was +surrounded by great crowds of natives which, however, +left at sundown.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> not sleep, however, and was lying under my +blanket, thinking of many things, and revolving various +plans in my head, when about nine o'clock I observed a +man come cautiously round the end of our scherm and pass +quickly down the line of smouldering fires. As he stopped +beside the fire, near the foot of Paul and Charley's blankets, +I saw that he was one of the two men who had accompanied +us as guides from Monzi's. I saw him kneel down and shake +Paul by the leg, and then heard him whispering to him +hurriedly and excitedly. Then I heard Paul say to Charley, +'Tell our master the news; wake him up.' I at once said, +'What is it, Charley? I am awake.' 'The man says, sir, +that all the women have left the village, and he thinks that +something is wrong,' he answered. I thought so too, and +hastily pulled on my shoes, and then put on my coat and +cartridge-belt, in which, however, there were only four +cartridges. As I did so, I gave orders to my boys to extinguish +all the fires, which they instantly did by throwing +sand on the embers, so that an intense darkness at once hid +everything within our scherm.</p> + +<p>"Paul and Charley were now sitting on their blankets +with their rifles in their hands, and I went and held a +whispered conversation with them, proposing to Paul that +he and I should creep round the village and reconnoitre, +and listen if possible to what the inhabitants were talking +about. 'Wait a second,' I said, 'whilst I get out a few more +cartridges,' and I was just leaning across my blankets to +get at the bag containing them when three guns went off +almost in my face, and several more at different points +round the scherm. The muzzles of all these guns were +within our scherm when they were discharged, so that our +assailants must have crawled right up to the back of our +camp and fired through the interstices between the cornstalks. +The three shots that were let off just in front of me +were doubtless intended for Paul, Charley, and myself, but +by great good luck none of us was hit. As I stooped to pick +up my rifle, which was lying on the blankets beside me, +Paul and Charley jumped up and sprang past me. 'Into +the grass!' I called to them in Dutch, and prepared to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> +follow. The discharge of the guns was immediately followed +by a perfect shower of barbed javelins, which I could hear +pattering on the large leathern bags in which most of our +goods were packed, and then a number of Mashukulumbwe +rushed in amongst us.</p> + +<p>"I can fairly say that I retained my presence of mind +perfectly at this juncture. My rifle, when I picked it up, +was unloaded; for, in case of accident, I never kept it +loaded in camp, and I therefore had first to push in a cartridge. +As I have said before, between our camp and the +long grass lay a short space of cleared ground, dug into +irregular ridges and furrows. Across this I retreated backwards, +amidst a mixed crowd of my own boys and Mashukulumbwe.</p> + +<p>"I did my best to get a shot into one of our treacherous +assailants, but in the darkness it was impossible to distinguish +friend from foe. Three times I had my rifle to my +shoulder to fire at a Mashukulumbwe, and as often someone +who I thought was one of my own boys came between. I +was within ten yards of the long grass, but with my back +to it, when, with a yell, another detachment of Mashukulumbwe +rushed out of it to cut off our retreat. At this +juncture I fell backwards over one of the ridges, and two +men, rushing out of the grass, fell right over me, one of +them kicking me in the ribs and falling over my body, +whilst another fell over my legs. I was on my feet again in +an instant, and then made a rush for the long grass, which +I reached without mishap, and in which I felt comparatively +safe. I presently crept forwards for about twenty yards +and then sat still listening. Standing up again, I saw that +the Mashukulumbwe were moving about in our camp. It +was, however, impossible to see anyone with sufficient +distinctness to get a shot, for whenever one of the partially-extinguished +fires commenced to burn up again it was at +once put out by having more sand thrown over it.</p> + +<p>"But I now thought no more of firing at them. I had +had time to realise the full horror of my position. A solitary +Englishman, alone in Central Africa, in the middle of a +hostile country, without blankets or anything else but what<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> +he stood in and a rifle with four cartridges. I doubt whether +Mark Tapley himself would have seen anything cheerful +in the situation. Could I only have found Paul or Charley +or even one of my own Kafirs, I thought my chance of +getting back to Panda-ma-tenka would be much increased, +for I should then have an interpreter, I myself knowing +but little of the languages spoken north of the Zambesi. +I now began to quarter the grass cautiously backwards +and forwards, whistling softly, in hopes that some of my +own boys might be lying in hiding near me; but I could +find no one, and at length came to the conclusion that all +those of my people who had escaped death would make the +most of the darkness and get as far as possible from Minenga's +before day-dawn, and I decided that I had better do the +same."<a name="FNanchor_37_37" id="FNanchor_37_37"></a><a href="#Footnote_37_37" class="fnanchor">[37]</a></p></div> + +<p>He therefore decided to strike for Monzi's, the first village +where he dared to show himself. First he made his way down +to the ford on the Magoi-ee, but luckily observed a party +of men watching there. Selous then retreated some 300 +yards down stream and swam the river, which he well knew +was swarming with crocodiles.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The Mashukulumbwe I saw had now made up the fires, +upon which they were throwing bundles of grass, by the +light of which I presume they were dividing my property. +I turned my back upon this most melancholy spectacle and, +taking the Southern Cross for my guide, which was now +almost down, commenced my lonely journey."</p></div> + +<p>Selous' own account of his wanderings in his retreat from +the Mashukulumbwe to the Zambesi makes some of the most +interesting reading to be found in any book devoted to +true adventure. Here he was, alone in Africa, only furnished +with his rifle and four cartridges, a knife, and a few +matches, and he had to overcome at least three hundred +miles or more before he dared approach a village. It was a +position that might have depressed any man except a +genuine veldtsman, for that danger from all natives was to +be feared was a certainty, since they would not hesitate to +attack a single man whose life was wanted, just as one dog +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span>always chases another running behind a cart. All night +long he walked, keeping a watchful eye for lions, and at +the hill Karundu-ga-gongoma next day he searched for +spoor to see if any of his boys had come that way, but there +was no fresh sign, so he lay all day under a tree watching +the ford of the river. Here he heard voices, and thinking +they might be his own men he concealed himself and +listened. Presently two heads appeared above the grass +and he recognized two Mashukulumbwe by their cone-shaped +head-dresses. They were evidently discussing the +imprint of the hunter's shoes left on the sand. Selous was +ready to shoot both if they saw him, but it was some relief +when they turned and went back the way they had come. +Hunger now began to assert itself, and the wanderer determined +to shoot anything he could find, but, as his stock of +cartridges was so small, he had to make a certainty of each +shot. Luckily at this moment a single wildebeest came by +within thirty yards and furnished an abundant supply of +meat.</p> + +<p>After a good dinner and the sun had set, Selous, shouldering +his rifle and a supply of meat, again struck south. At +dawn, perished with cold, he reached the last Mashukulumbwe +village, and, being near Monzi's, he determined to +risk trouble, and entered the village. Here he found an unarmed +boy, who furnished him with water, but even as he +drank it he heard whispering in a hut close by and saw a +man come out stealthily and vanish in the darkness. Presently +this man returned with a gun in his hand, and later +Selous heard him testing a bullet with the ramrod. All was +quiet for a time, however, and Selous sat dozing over the fire. +Then he awoke with a start, to find that two unarmed men +had arrived and sat by the fire close to him. They questioned +him and he endeavoured to answer them.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"In endeavouring to do so to the best of my ability, I +kept gradually turning more towards them, till presently +my rifle lay almost behind me. It was whilst I was in this +position that I heard someone behind me. I turned quickly +round to clutch my rifle, but was too late, for the man +whom I had heard just stooped and seized it before my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> +own hand touched it, and, never pausing, rushed off with it +and disappeared in the darkness. I sprang up, and at the +same moment one of the two men who had engaged me in +conversation did so too, and, in the act of rising, dropped +some dry grass which he had hitherto concealed beneath +his large ox-hide rug on to the fire. There was at once a +blaze of light which lit up the whole of the open space +around the fire. My eyes instinctively looked towards the +hut which I had seen the man with the gun enter, and there, +sure enough, he sat in the doorway taking aim at me not +ten yards from where I sat. There was no time to remonstrate. +I sprang out into the darkness, seizing one of the +pieces of wildebeest meat as I did so; and, as the village +was surrounded with long grass, pursuit would have been +hopeless, and was not attempted. My would-be assassin +never got off his shot."<a name="FNanchor_38_38" id="FNanchor_38_38"></a><a href="#Footnote_38_38" class="fnanchor">[38]</a></p></div> + +<p>Bad as his position had been, it was now far worse with +the loss of his rifle. His only hope was that Monzi might +prove friendly, so, after travelling all night, he reached +Monzi's village. When that old chief heard his story he +said, "You must leave my village immediately. They will +follow you up and kill you. Be off! Be off instantly." +Monzi was not so bad as the rest, he filled Selous' pockets +with ground-nuts, and sent three men to take him a short +distance, and these men strongly advised him not to trust +the Batongas, in whose country he now found himself. +After a meal it occurred to him that it would be a good plan +to make south-east to Marancinyan, the powerful Barotsi +chief, and throw himself on his protection. This chief was +a friend of George Westbeech, the Zambesi trader, but the +difficulty was to find his village. Somewhat unwisely, as it +turned out, Selous visited some Batonga huts and asked a +man the footpath to Sikabenga's (Marancinyan) kraal. This +man at once roused the village, and a dozen armed men +pursued and came up to Selous, who faced them, but these +men proved not unfriendly, and even showed him the right +track to follow.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span></p> +<p>At last he reached Marancinyan's kraal and found the +chief to be a tall, well-built young fellow, and, as he spoke +Sintabili fairly well, conversation was easy. He did not +treat the wanderer well, "yet had it not been for him I +should in all probability have been murdered by the orders +of his uncle. This, however, I only learnt some time afterwards, +and though for three days I must have lived constantly +in the very shadow of death, I had no idea at the +time that my life was in danger."</p> + +<p>In three days Marancinyan told Selous that his life was in +danger and that the Mashukulumbwe had followed, demanding +his death, and that he must leave at once and go to a +small Batonga village close by and wait there till sundown, +when he would bring guides.</p> + +<p>Disturbed and suspicious at this news, Selous knew the +Mashukulumbwe would never dare to threaten the well-armed +Barotsi. However, he saw he must comply and trust +to the Barotsi chief's promise. Accordingly he went off, +but as Marancinyan did not appear Selous returned to his +kraal and thus boldly addressed him: "What do you mean, +Marancinyan, who say that you are George Westbeech's +friend and the friend of all white men, by sending me to +sleep among your dogs? Have you given orders to murder +me in the night? If you want to kill me, you can do so here +in your own town." This seemed to have upset the chief, +who again repeated that Selous' life was in danger and that +if he would go and sleep at the Batonga village he would +for certain bring guides to lead him to Panda-ma-tenka.</p> + +<p>On the following morning the chief fulfilled his promise, +and next day Selous reached a Batonga village under one +Shoma. Here he found a friend who gave him fresh guides, +and also heard the welcome news that ten of his boys had +slept in a village close by and were making for the village +of Shankopi far to the south. Here, five days later, Selous +met with the remnant of his party, who had for long given +him up for lost. They were very glad to greet their master, +and "patted me on the breast and kissed my hands." In +the night attack it appears that twelve men were killed and +six more wounded out of the whole twenty-five. Everyone +had had narrow escapes.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Paul, the Zulu,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> got through the first rush of our assailants +unhurt, but was nearly drowned in crossing the river, where +he lost my single 10-bore rifle. Charley also got out of the +scherm unwounded, and, making his way to the river, +there fell in with two of our boys, and with their assistance +crossed safely with rifle, cartridge-belt, and clothes. I +found that we had all done the same thing, namely, held to +the south through the night, across country. Charley said +he was close to me when I shot the wildebeest; he heard +the shot, and ran with the two boys in the direction, but +never saw me. I fancy he must have passed me whilst I +was cooking the meat, as I was then in a deep hollow. He +too had been seen and pursued in the daytime near the +village where my rifle was captured, but again escaped in +the long grass. This had also happened to the survivor of +the two Mangwato men, who, being likewise alone and unarmed, +had incautiously approached a village. He said +that one man got close up to him and threw three assegais +at him, one of which cut his right hand. At last, however, +he outran him and escaped. Neither Paul, Charley, nor +the rest had gone near Monzi's, or any other village, being +afraid of the inhabitants, but had kept through the veldt, +and only cut into our trail beyond the hill U-Kesa-Kesa. +Here Charley shot a zebra, and was shortly afterwards +joined by Paul, who had then been three days without food. +Farther on Charley shot another zebra, and here he and +Paul remained for three days more, hoping that I would +turn up, and collecting all the other survivors of our party."<a name="FNanchor_39_39" id="FNanchor_39_39"></a><a href="#Footnote_39_39" class="fnanchor">[39]</a></p></div> + +<p>After this all danger and most of the hardship were past. +They got provisions, and in a few days crossed the Zambesi, +and three days later reached the waggons at Panda-ma-tenka. +Thus it took the party about three weeks to cross three +hundred miles of country since the night of the attack by +the Mashukulumbwe.</p> + +<p>In time Selous was able to piece together the reasons why +he was attacked by the Mashukulumbwe. The actual cause +of the trouble was due to Sikabenga's uncle, who sent a +party of men north after Selous to get powder from him +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span>at all costs, even if they had to kill him. These were the +men Selous met the day he left Monzi's. Then the hunter +refusing them powder, they followed him up and induced +the Mashukulumbwe to attack him. One of the Barotsi +warriors was left in a village beyond Monzi's, having fallen +sick, and this was the man who tried to shoot Selous and +failed.</p> + +<p>Sikabenga, who had acted on his uncle's instructions, but +was really anxious to save the white man's life, was therefore +in a quandary when Selous appeared and threw himself +on his protection, and especially so when he expected the +loot from Selous' camp to arrive at any moment. That was +why he was so anxious to get him out of the village, for if +Selous had observed Sikabenga's complicity in the attack +that chief would have been obliged to order his murder. +But Sikabenga himself did not long survive in this land of +battle, murder, and sudden death, for a Matabele impi +crossed the Zambesi in August, 1889, and killed him and +most of his people.</p> + +<p>Most men, having gone through such exciting experiences, +would have been content to have given African +savages a wide berth for a long period afterwards, but not +so Selous, whose reckless disposition he himself describes +as "nearly equal to that of the Wandering Jew." But a few +days elapsed and he was again planning a journey across +the Zambesi to visit Lewanika, the head chief of the Barotsi, +with the purpose of selling to him some of his salted +horses and getting permission to hunt elephants in the unknown +country north of the Kabompo river in the following +year.</p> + +<p>After shooting five elands to furnish meat at his main +camp during his absence, Selous crossed the Zambesi, +towing his horses behind a canoe. From here he moved +westwards to the Ungwesi river. After crossing the Kasaia +the horses ran away, but were recovered after they had +passed through some belts of "fly" country, but as the +day was cloudy and a high wind blowing no serious results +were to be feared. When the horses turned up, the party +moved on to Sesheki, where Selous met two missionaries,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> +branch workers belonging to Mr. Coillard's mission, long +established in Barotsiland.</p> + +<p>After leaving Sesheki's the road led through "fly" +country, which was traversed by night, and, crossing the +Loanja, a dull, comparatively gameless country was traversed, +until the party reached Sefula and Lialui in the main +Barotsi valley. Here Selous met Mr. and Mrs. Coillard, +who did so much for this country and who survived the +pestilential climate for many years.</p> + +<p>Selous was well received by Lewanika, who was perhaps +the most enlightened black chief in all South Africa with +perhaps the exception of Khama. With him he did some +good trading. It was interesting to observe the attitude of +the natives to their chief when an audience was granted.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"When strangers came in, they saluted the chief most +ceremoniously. First they would kneel down in a row, and +after clapping their hands, bend their heads forward until +their foreheads touched the ground, when the head was +moved slowly from side to side; then, raising their heads +again, they would look towards the chief, and throwing +their arms quickly and wildly into the air would shout +twice in unison, and in slow measured tones, the words +'So-yo, so-yo.' This ceremony would be twice repeated, +when, after clapping their hands again, they would get up +and retire."</p></div> + +<p>Selous found the Barotsi valley enervating and far from +interesting, although birds were numerous in the swamplands. +Cranes, storks, avocets, spoonbills, herons, bitterns, +egrets, wattled and spur-winged plovers, stilts, dotterel, +and curlew were abundant and afforded him some amusement +in watching their habits, but the large game, except +lechwe, were rare. Beyond Sinanga to the west the scenery +became more beautiful, and here the hunter found tracks +of elephants and large herds of buffalo. He also visited the +Falls of the Gonyi, which few travellers had ever seen. At +the mouth of the River Nangombi his boatmen killed a huge +reed-rat, like an immense guinea-pig, which Selous believed +was an animal new to science. Next day a disaster befell +one of the canoes, which was sunk in twelve feet of water by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> +a hippopotamus, and the traveller was only able to recover +a small portion of its valuable cargo. Soon after this he +turned back and reached his waggons on the 12th of October, +going south in December, and reaching Bamangwato early +in January, 1889.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_32_32" id="Footnote_32_32"></a><a href="#FNanchor_32_32"><span class="label">[32]</span></a> J. A. Jameson, a brother of J. S. Jameson.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_33_33" id="Footnote_33_33"></a><a href="#FNanchor_33_33"><span class="label">[33]</span></a> A. C. Fountaine, of Narford Hall, Norfolk.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_34_34" id="Footnote_34_34"></a><a href="#FNanchor_34_34"><span class="label">[34]</span></a> Frank Cooper, of Bulwell Hall, Notts, another well-known big +game hunter of his period who had had in previous years excellent sport +with wapiti in Colorado, where he and his brother secured some remarkable +heads.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_35_35" id="Footnote_35_35"></a><a href="#FNanchor_35_35"><span class="label">[35]</span></a> For Selous' own account of these caves and their discovery see +"Proc. Geographical Soc.," May, 1888.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_36_36" id="Footnote_36_36"></a><a href="#FNanchor_36_36"><span class="label">[36]</span></a> Selous was a regular contributor to the Geographical Society's +Journal. In course of time the Society honoured his discoveries by +giving him the Cuthbert Peek grant, the Back Premium and the Founder's +Gold Medal.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_37_37" id="Footnote_37_37"></a><a href="#FNanchor_37_37"><span class="label">[37]</span></a> "Travel and Adventure in S.E. Africa," pp. 221-224.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_38_38" id="Footnote_38_38"></a><a href="#FNanchor_38_38"><span class="label">[38]</span></a> "Travel and Adventure in S.E. Africa," p. 232.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_39_39" id="Footnote_39_39"></a><a href="#FNanchor_39_39"><span class="label">[39]</span></a> "Travel and Adventure in S.E. Africa," p. 241.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> +<h3>1889-1892</h3> + + +<p>Early in 1889 Selous met Frank Johnson at +Bamangwato and was asked by him to act as guide +for a gold prospecting expedition to the upper regions +of the Mazoe River. As it was then impossible to conduct +such an expedition through Matabeleland, Lobengula +having closed all the roads, Selous, accompanied by Mr. +Burnett and Mr. Thomas, an experienced miner, travelled by +sea to Quilimani, in Portuguese territory, and then to Lokoloko +on the Quaqua by boat, and thence overland to Mazaro +on the Zambesi. From here the party travelled up-stream to +Tete, where the Governor, Senhor Alfredo Alpuina, neither +helped nor hindered them to any extent. Selous had orders +to mark out gold-bearing areas in Portuguese territory, but +from the first had difficulty with his porters (Shakundas), +who were fearful of meeting the natives of Motoko, with +whom the Portuguese had been at war.</p> + +<p>On August 18th the travellers left Tete, and went first +towards Zumbo and then south to the Kangadzi and +Kansawa rivers, where they met a troop of lions, one of +which, a lioness, Burnett killed. On September 1st twenty-nine +out of forty-two carriers bolted, and their loss was more +or less made good by men from surrounding villages. At +the kraal of a chief, Maziwa, they were subjected to the usual +extortion, which excited the remaining Shakunda carriers +to practise a little blackmail. Things got so bad that Selous +decided to destroy a good part of his trade goods and to push +on in spite of Maziwa's threats. A short retreat was, however, +necessary, and the remaining Shakunda carriers, except one +who remained faithful, were dismissed. From Rusambo a +fresh start was made. Near the head of the Umkaradsi<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> +Valley Selous found a fine unnamed mountain, which he +called Mount Darwin, after the illustrious naturalist, and +then pushed on to Mapondera's kraal, which was in the +centre of a gold-bearing district. Mapondera, chief of the +Makori-kori, was a powerful chief, and from him Selous +obtained a mineral concession, and got him to sign a paper +to the effect that he considered himself in no way under +Portuguese rule. This was important, for at this time the +Portuguese, although holding none of the country, considered +that they owned Mashunaland.</p> + +<p>Having concluded his business, Selous decided to try and +fix the actual source of the Mazoe, which was then unknown. +Accordingly, he and Burnett started off on their wanderings, +leaving Thomas, who was ill with fever, at Mapondera's +kraal.</p> + +<p>We need not follow the travels of Selous and his companions +in their subsequent journeys, for Selous' own survey +of this country and his remarks on Mount Hampden and its +neighbourhood, are published in the Journals of the Royal +Geographical Society. Suffice it to say, that on October 10th +Selous and Burnett returned to Rusambo, after having carefully +surveyed the adjoining country. The party then +struck down the Ruenya river, where they killed some +hippopotami, and reached Tete again on October 23rd. +Here Selous had a stormy interview with the Governor, +who accused him of being an agent of the British Government, +and demanded the document made between himself +and Mapondera. This, however, Selous declined to agree to, +but eventually gave him a copy. After this the party had +no further trouble, and reached Cape Town early in +December.</p> + +<p>At this time (1890) all circumstances seemed to point to +the fact that unless the British Government took possession +of Mashunaland the Portuguese intended to do so. In 1888 +Lord Salisbury had proclaimed it to be within the sphere of +British influence, and said that he would not recognize the +claims of Portugal unless that country could show occupation. +It was therefore, in Selous' opinion at any rate, clear +that the Portuguese expeditions of 1889 made against local<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> +chiefs in the North-East, were undertaken to prove conquest +and ownership, for at this time no Englishman was domiciled +nearer Mashunaland than Matabeleland.</p> + +<p>In view therefore of coming trouble Selous, who was then +aware of Rhodes' schemes, wrote this letter to the "Selous +Syndicate," setting forth the extreme importance of establishing +occupation at once by British pioneers, or the valuable +country of Mashunaland would be lost to us. On reaching +Cape Town he at once proceeded to Kimberley, and was +delighted to find that Mr. Rhodes fully concurred with his +views, and was determined that the country should be +occupied in the cause of the British South African Company +during the coming year (1890). Selous then laid before him +his idea of cutting a road passing from the south-east of +Matabeleland due north to the Portuguese frontier. This +scheme Rhodes did not at first approve of,<a name="FNanchor_40_40" id="FNanchor_40_40"></a><a href="#Footnote_40_40" class="fnanchor">[40]</a> but he afterwards +accepted it in its entirety.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"It is due to Mr. Cecil Rhodes alone," writes Selous, "I +cannot too often repeat, that to-day our country's flag flies +over Mashunaland. He alone of all Englishmen possessed +at the same time the prescience and breadth of mind to +appreciate the ultimate value of the country, combined with +the strong will which, in spite of all obstacles, impelled the +means and the power successfully to carry out the scheme +of its immediate occupation. What the acquisition of this +vast country means is as yet scarcely apparent to the great +majority of Englishmen, perhaps to none who are not +acquainted with the history of South Africa during the +present century, or who have not watched the giant strides +which have taken place in its development during the last +twenty years. But, in the not distant future, when quick +and easy communications into Mashunaland have been +established, and the many difficulties which now hamper +the development of this the youngest of British colonies +have been overcome, then I think Englishmen will be able +to appreciate<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> what they owe to Mr. Rhodes for inaugurating +a new departure in South African history, and securing for +his countrymen the first 'show in' in a country which +must ultimately become a very valuable possession."</p> +</div> + +<p>By the end of 1889 Rhodes drew up his plan of occupation, +which was approved by Sir Henry Loch, High Commissioner +for South Africa, and other authorities. The guidance of the +expedition was left entirely in the hands of Selous. The +route of the road to be cut was from the Macloutsie river, +over the high plateaux of Fort Charter and Salisbury, and +north to Manica.</p> + +<p>In January, 1890, Selous wrote his letter to the "Times," +which gave a very complete survey of the Portuguese and +British claims, as well as a general description of the country +it was proposed to occupy.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>In February and March he made a flying visit to Bulawayo, +where he saw Lobengula, who gave him a message for +Cecil Rhodes. Writing from Palapswi, on March 26th, he +says: "I got back the day before yesterday from Matabeleland +and leave to-morrow for Kimberley. I am the bearer +of a message from Lobengula to Mr. Cecil Rhodes. He +promises to come to an understanding with Mr. Rhodes as +to the opening up of Mashunaland if Rhodes will go up to +Bulawayo and arrange with him personally. I am going to +try and persuade Mr. Rhodes to accompany me back to +Bulawayo immediately. I hope he will be able to go, and +trust some satisfactory arrangement may be come to. Still, +I distrust Lobengula and his people. Things are in such a +condition just now regarding Matabeleland and Mashunaland +that it is quite impossible to tell what may happen. +Everything may be settled peaceably (or forcibly) this year. +Or again, the High Commissioner may forbid any expedition +to be made this year against the wish of Lobengula. The +question is a very strange one. The Charter was granted to +the South African Company on the strength of their having +obtained a concession from Lobengula for the mineral rights +in Matabele- and Mashunaland. These rights were really +bought, and a lot of money was paid to Lobengula directly, +and to his people indirectly, by the agents of the Company.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> +Now it seems as if Lobengula was inclined to disallow +Europeans to work for gold, either in Matabele- or Mashunaland. +In order to avoid trouble, the Company now wish to +waive their rights in Matabeleland proper, where they would +necessarily come in contact with the Matabele people, and +to exploit and develop Mashunaland, a country to which the +Matabele have no just title. In order to do this without +coming into contact with Lobengula and his people, the +Company now wish to make a road to Mashunaland that +shall not touch Matabeleland at all, but pass to the south of +that country, and it is quite possible that Lobengula and +his people, fearing to let whites get beyond him and establish +themselves in Mashunaland, will try and prevent this road +being made. At present the political situation in England +is a most ridiculous one as regards Mashunaland. Lord +Salisbury has warned the Portuguese out of it, saying that +it is to him the sphere of British influence, and now Lobengula +will not allow British subjects or any white men to enter +his country as long as he can keep them out. I abhor the +Matabele, yet I would not have them interfered with or their +country invaded without a <i>casus belli</i>; but that they should +keep Europeans out of Mashunaland is preposterous."</p> +</div> + +<p>In March, 1890, Selous was sent up to Palapswi with +instructions to get men from Khama to cut a waggon-road +to the eastern border of his country. He was, moreover, +to be assisted by some Matabele in this critical work, and so +visited Lobengula at Bulawayo to explain the objects in +view. Lobengula, however, denied having ever given +Dr. Jameson any promise about assisting in the making of +the road, and firmly asserted that he would not allow it to +be made. He said that he would not discuss matters with +any of Rhodes' emissaries, and that if there was to be any +talk the "Big White Chief" himself must come to visit him. +Wherefore Selous returned to Kimberley and saw Mr. +Rhodes, who sent Dr. Jameson, and with him Selous then +returned to Tati.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile a considerable force, about four hundred white +men, had been gathered at the Macloutsie with the intention +of occupying Mashunaland, whether the Matabele liked it or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> +not. Selous himself was sent eastward to pick out a good +line for a waggon-road as far as the Shashi and Tuli rivers—which +survey he concluded by May. It was during one of +these journeys he was lucky enough to find and kill the best +koodoo bull he ever saw, a magnificent specimen, 60 inches +long on the curve and 45-3/8 straight. By the 10th of June +the waggon-track to Tuli was open.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a href="images/i201.jpg"><img src="images/i201-t.jpg" width="400" height="271" alt="On the Mashuna Plateau." title="" /> +</a><br /><span class="caption">On the Mashuna Plateau.</span> +</div> + +<p>The pioneer expedition now moved, with the scouts in +front; the Matabele threatened to attack, but did not do so, +and Selous, with his scouting parties in advance and +covered by Khama's mounted men, commenced cutting the +long road from the Macloutsie to Mount Hampden, a +distance of four hundred and sixty miles. As each section +of the road was cut the main expeditionary force followed +after. About the worst section was between the Umzingwane +and the Umshabetse rivers, a desolate thirst-land; but +this was passed in three days. This territory, which I visited +in 1893, was claimed by the Matabele, and includes the +King's private hunting-ground, and the pioneers expected +every moment to be attacked; so every precaution was +taken, the mounted men keeping a sharp watch and the axe-men +doing the cutting.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>From the Umshabetse river Selous wrote to his mother +(July 13th, 1890): "I am here with an advanced party of +the pioneer force—forty men—all mounted. We have +already cut nearly 120 miles of road from the B.S.A. Company's +camp on the Macloutsie river, and are now on the +borders of the Banyai country. We are already far to the +east of all the inhabited part of Matabeleland and are now +going north-east, always keeping more than 150 miles as +the crow flies from Bulawayo. So far we have seen nothing +of the Matabele. We are, however, taking every precaution +against surprise, and always have scouts out in front and +several miles behind us on the road who do not come in till +after dark. We keep watch all night, too, with relays of +guards. Should a large impi come down to attack us, we +shall simply abandon our waggons and retire on the main +body, which is now coming on, on the road we have made. +Our main body is composed of four hundred good men,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> +besides fifty native mounted scouts supplied by Khama. +If we can get two hours' notice of the approach of the +Matabele, just sufficient time to have all the waggons put +into 'laager' on the old Boer plan, Lobengula's men can +do nothing to us. If they attack us in 'laager' they must +suffer fearful loss. The young men want to fight, but +Lobengula and the older men want peace. However, do not +be downhearted, dearest mother. Personally, I hope there +will be no fighting."</p></div> + +<p>On July 18th the main column caught up the roadmakers +at the Umshabetse river, and on August 1st the Lunti river +was reached. Selous now scouted ahead and found an easy +road to the plateau ahead, and by "Providential Pass" the +expedition eventually emerged from the forest into the open +country.</p> + +<p>Whilst they were cutting the road from the Lunti to Fort +Victoria an ultimatum was received from Lobengula by +Colonel Pennefather that he must turn back at once, unless +he "thought he was strong enough to go on," and warning +him to expect trouble if he did so.</p> + +<p>By this time, however, Lobengula had lost his best chance +of attacking the expeditionary force, for they had now +emerged on the open downs; yet it is a wonder he managed +to keep his young men in check. Had he attacked in the +bush country it is doubtful if our forces, even if they had not +met with a reverse, would have been able to proceed. At +any rate intense excitement prevailed in Matabeleland, and +many new impis of warriors were formed ready to take +action.</p> + +<p>On September 1st the expedition reached the source of the +Umgezi, where Fort Charter was established; so that by +September 30th the Company had a continuous chain of +forts and posts over eight hundred miles from Tuli to Fort +Salisbury. Here Selous left the expedition, as he was the +only man who knew the surrounding country, and it was +essential for him to go with Mr. A. R. Colquhoun to confer +with Umtasa, the chief of Manica. On September 14th a +treaty was agreed to by which the British South Africa Company +acquired and took possession of a large area of auriferous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span> +country—much to the annoyance of the Portuguese, +who claimed it. Treaties were concluded with all the other +chiefs except Motoko, whom Selous visited early in November. +The Portuguese, however, did not give up their +claims without some show of force, for when Major Forbes +went down to take over parts of Manica he had trouble with +the Portuguese, and had to arrest Colonel d'Andrada and +others, to avoid bloodshed; and for safety sent his prisoners +to Fort Salisbury.</p> + +<p>Before reaching Salisbury at the end of November, Selous +spent three months altogether in travelling through the +northern and eastern districts of Mashunaland and concluding +treaties of amity with all the native chiefs. This, +besides mapping and literary work—describing the country—occupied +his time till the middle of December, when he +again visited Motoko, chief of the Mabudja, to obtain a +treaty of friendship, as well as a mineral concession, in +which he was quite successful. In October he wrote home +from Mangwendi's kraal praising the climate of Eastern +Mashunaland, and evidently in high spirits at the great +success of the pioneer expedition. "The opening up of +Mashunaland seems like a dream, and I have played a not +unimportant part in it all, I am proud to say. The road to +Mashunaland is now being called the 'Selous Road,' and I +hope the name will endure, though I don't suppose it will. +At any rate, the making of the road was entrusted <i>entirely</i> +to me and I did my work to everyone's satisfaction. An +old Boer officer said to me, just before the expedition started, +'I think that the expedition without Mr. Selous would be +like a swarm of bees that has lost its Queen and does not +know where to go to.' Yet it is too bad of me to sing my +own praises, but I do feel most proud at the share I had in +putting it through, <i>the whole idea, too, of making the road at +all and thus circumventing the Matabele and gaining possession +of Mashunaland was my own</i>. I proposed it to Rhodes in +Kimberley on my return from the Zambesi last December. +At first he did not like the idea; but after thinking it over, +resolved to try and carry it out, with the result that Mashunaland +is now practically a British province.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Before<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> the rainy season is over, the Company will +probably have come to some definite understanding with +Lobengula, who, by the by, recognized my importance in the +expedition by sending down a message to Sir Henry Loch, +the High Commissioner, that 'Selous had turned his oxen +and his horses into his (Lobengula's) cornfields.'"</p></div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Writing from Motoko's kraal on November 16th, he says: +"Before coming here, I have had no difficulty with any of +the other chiefs, but here I have had a lot of worry and +trouble. My great difficulty is that the whole country is +really ruled, not by the chief (Motoko) but by one whom +they call the 'Lion-God.' This appears to be a hereditary +office, and the holder of it lives away by himself in the +mountains, and is looked upon with superstitious dread and +reverence by the Chief and his people. However, I have +now got things on a friendly footing, but I shall have to go +back to Fort Salisbury, in order to get certain articles to +appease the 'Lion-God,' and then return here before I shall +finally be able to conclude the treaty with Motoko. I am +under engagement to the Company till the end of next +August, and do not think I shall take a fresh engagement, +as I am anxious to get home. Having passed the best part +of my life in the wilderness and amongst savages, I should +now like to see something of civilized countries, with perhaps +an occasional short trip into an out-of-the-way place. If I +live to be an old man, I should like to re-visit this country, +thirty or forty years hence, by railroad."</p></div> + +<p>In January, 1891, he returned to Umtali, where he received +orders to cut a road from that place to Lower Revui, and +afterwards to lay a new road from the Odzi river to Salisbury. +February was the wet season, so it was with some difficulty +that he set about his task on the Odzi in company with Mr. +W. L. Armstrong. On May 3rd, however, he had made one +hundred and fifty miles of road to Salisbury, riding three +strong horses to a standstill in his numerous peregrinations. +Then news reached him of further trouble with the Portuguese, +and he was asked by Mr. Colquhoun to take two +waggon-loads of stores and ammunition to the small British +garrison isolated at Manica, where there was an imminent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> +prospect of fighting. Whereat he expresses his views clearly +as to his own inclinations as regards soldiering. "Now I +am not a fighting man, and neither look forward with +enthusiasm to the prospect of being shot, nor feel any strong +desire to shoot anyone else."</p> + +<p>However, he regarded the matter, as he always did when +called upon, as a duty, and left at once for Manica with +Lieutenant Campbell and twenty ex-pioneers. On May 13th +the party reached Umtali, where they heard that the +Portuguese had made a sortie from Massi-Kessi, and had +attacked Captain Heyman's camp near Chua. The Portuguese +troops, numbering one hundred whites and blacks from +Angola, however, had shot so badly that no one was hit and +soon lost heart and bolted back to Massi-Kessi, which was +soon after occupied by our forces. To his mother he wrote +from Umtali, May 20th, 1891:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I got down here on the 13th by the new road I have +made for the Company, with about twenty men and two +waggon-loads of provisions, and we were astonished to hear +that a fight had already taken place near Massi-Kessi on the +afternoon of the 11th, and I will now tell you what has +actually taken place. It appears that on the 5th of this +month the Portuguese reoccupied Massi-Kessi, with a force +consisting of about one hundred white soldiers and three or +four hundred black troops. Thereupon Captain Heyman +went over from here (Umtali Camp) to near Massi-Kessi +with fifty men and a seven-pounder cannon, and a lot of +Umtasa's men, to protest against the invasion of Umtasa's +country. Two days later, Captain Heyman and Lieutenant +Morier (a son of Sir Robert Morier, British Ambassador at +St. Petersburg) went down to Massi-Kessi with a flag of +truce, to interview Ferreira, the Commander of the Portuguese +forces, and the Governor of Manica. Ferreira told him +that he was at Massi-Kessi, in accordance with the terms of +the <i>modus vivendi</i> which the Company's forces were breaking, +by being at Umtali, and said that he would drive the Company's +men out of the country. Captain Heyman then said +that he had better not do anything before the expiration of +the <i>modus vivendi</i>, to which he replied that he would attack<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> +him whenever he thought fit to do so. Captain Heyman's +position was on a hill about five miles from Massi-Kessi. +On the 10th, I think, one of the Portuguese officers came up +with a flag of truce, evidently to see what number of men +Captain Heyman had with him. He only saw about fifteen, +as all the rest were lying down in the long grass, and it must +have been from his report that an attack was resolved upon. +Captain Heyman told me that he was immensely surprised +to see the Portuguese troops swarming out of Massi-Kessi at +about 2 p.m. on the 11th. They advanced in two bodies, +led by the Portuguese officers. Captain Heyman first fired +a blank charge with the cannon to which they paid no attention, +and then seeing that they meant business the firing +commenced in earnest. The firing lasted two hours. The +Portuguese officers did all they could to get their men on, +and behaved very well indeed; but their men evidently did +not relish the business, and after making two attempts to +reach a hill which would have commanded Captain Heyman's +position, broke and fled back to Massi-Kessi. Not a single +man of the Company's force was hit, but the Portuguese +lost an officer (Captain Bettencourt), and it is believed about +twenty men. Early next morning Captain Heyman sent a +man down to Massi-Kessi with a flag of truce, offering the +services of the doctor, and when he got there he found the +place deserted. For some unaccountable reason the Portuguese +had deserted the place, leaving nine machine-guns, +ammunition, and stores and provisions of all kinds behind +them. It is thought that a panic set in amongst the black +troops, and the white Portuguese were afraid to remain +behind without them. The whole affair is very inglorious +to the Portuguese arms, and will have a great effect on their +prestige with the natives. Of course Massi-Kessi was seized +and looted by the northern barbarians, and has now been +blown up and destroyed. Everybody is longing for another +Portuguese expedition to come up, as then there will be a +chance of more loot. What will happen now it is impossible +to say, but I think that the British Government must step in, +and either order the Company to leave Manica, or else support +it against the Portuguese, in which case they will be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> +unable to do anything of importance. They will now, I +think, have great difficulty in getting up here, as the natives +are all hostile to them and all their carriers will have to be +brought from other parts. The country, too, is a very +difficult one to travel through. I shall be very glad when +things are settled, as Mashunaland will be kept back until +they are. I have been down with Colonel Pennefather, as I +told you, on a reconnaissance about thirty miles beyond +Massi-Kessi, on the track of the Portuguese, and they have +evidently beaten a hasty retreat."</p></div> + +<p>Immediately after this fiasco Selous went down to +Umliwan's kraal, situated between the Pungwi and the Busi +rivers, to fetch away the abandoned waggons. One night, +whilst on the return journey, the camp was attacked by +five lions and an ox killed. Next morning Selous, of course, +went after them, but failed to get a shot. The following night +he made a small hut close to the carcase of the ox, and into +this Selous and Armstrong crept at sunset, and the night's +adventure as described by Selous<a name="FNanchor_41_41" id="FNanchor_41_41"></a><a href="#Footnote_41_41" class="fnanchor">[41]</a> is one of the best stories +he ever wrote. The lions kept continually returning to the +carcase. Several shots were fired and two lionesses and a +hyena killed, but one wounded lion succeeded in escaping.</p> + +<p>Although he says little of it at the time, Selous did an +immense amount of tramping to and fro, all footwork +because of the "fly," in the unhealthy country, both contiguous +to and in the Portuguese territory about the Pungwi +and Busi rivers in 1891 and 1892, in the hope of finding a +road to the East Coast that would be free from the tsetse fly +and where waggons could pass. In this he was unsuccessful, +and he was reluctantly forced to admit that a railway would +be the only method of transport to the coast, and that until +this was made no progress was possible. However, his +journeys carried him for the first time into the last great +haunt of game south of the Zambesi, for at this time the +whole of the territory in the neighbourhood of these rivers +was one huge game reserve which, owing to its unhealthiness, +was seldom visited by sportsmen or even meat-hunters. +And so it continued till 1896, when the rinderpest swept off +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span>nine-tenths of the koodoos, elands and buffalo. Since that +day the game recovered in a measure, and even to-day there +is more game there than anywhere south of the Zambesi, +but it contains a shadow of its former abundance at the +time when Selous first visited it. Practically Selous was the +first white man to see this great assembly of game and to +hunt them, for the Portuguese were not hunters and never +left the footpaths. He found vast herds of buffaloes in the +reed-beds, bushbucks as tame as in the Garden of Eden +stood gazing at a few yards and did not fly at the approach +of man, whilst out on the plains there was a constant procession +of Liechtenstein's hartebeest, blue wildebeests, +tsessebes, water-bucks, zebras, and here and there were +always scattered parties of reedbucks, oribis, and the smaller +antelopes. Wart-hogs and bush-pigs were equally tame and +confiding, and hippopotami disported in the rivers and +lagoons in broad daylight, and there was not a night that +several troops of lions were not heard roaring. Yet curiously +enough, in spite of the abundance of the last-named, Selous +only saw three individuals, one of which he killed after it +had charged twice. This, he says, was the last of "thirty-one +lions I have shot."<a name="FNanchor_42_42" id="FNanchor_42_42"></a><a href="#Footnote_42_42" class="fnanchor">[42]</a> This number does not tally with +the statement, "I have only shot twenty-five lions when +entirely by myself,"<a name="FNanchor_43_43" id="FNanchor_43_43"></a><a href="#Footnote_43_43" class="fnanchor">[43]</a> but the discrepancy is accounted for +by the fact that he killed six lions between 1893 and 1896.</p> + +<p>The opening up of the new country proceeded rapidly +till June, 1892, when Selous wrote to his mother from +Salisbury:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The telegraph wire is now at Fort Charter, and before +the end of next month the office will be opened here in +Salisbury, and Mashunaland will be in telegraph communication +with the whole of the civilized world. This, if you +come to think of it, is really a magnificent piece of enterprise. +We are having the most lovely weather up here, +although it is the middle of summer and the rainy season; +nice cool cloudy days, with showers of rain occasionally, +but nothing worth speaking of. The Government buildings +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span>are progressing rapidly. We now have an abundance of +vegetables here. Everything thrives marvellously, potatoes, +cabbage, onions, shalots, radishes, lettuces, etc. etc. Wheat +sowed in August last by the head of the Africander Bond +deputation, ripened and was cut in four months and a few +days from the date of sowing, and has been sent down to +Cape Town. Major Johnson's agricultural expert pronounced +it to be as fine a sample of wheat as he had ever seen, +and says he will be able to raise two crops a year. In fact, +the country is now proved to be an exceptionally fine one +for both agriculture and stock-farming, in spite of Mr. +Labouchere and Lord Randolph Churchill. The gold +prospects are also improving, and many of Mr. Perkins' +prognostications have already been falsified. I think there +is no doubt that this country will have a grand future, but +the development will be very slow for some time yet; in +fact, until a railway has been made from the East coast, at +least as far as Manica. Once this railway has been built, +however, the country must be developed very quickly, I +think. All impartial persons agree that the climate on this +plateau is cooler and altogether more enjoyable than that +of Kimberley and many other parts of civilized South Africa; +but, of course, directly one leaves the plateau and gets into +the low bush-country towards the Zambesi, the East coast, +or the Transvaal, fever is rife during the rainy season. Unfortunately, +most of the gold-belts are in this unhealthy zone, +and until the bush is cut down, the land cultivated, and +good houses are built round the mines, miners will suffer +from fever in the bad season; but this is the same in all new +countries. I am now going down to make a road from +Manica to the other side of Massi-Kessi, so as to be ready +from our side to meet the tramway or railway which the +Mozambique Company have undertaken to make from the +Pungwi river. My intention is to leave the Company's +service in June next, and in August I shall go down to the +East coast, and hope to be in Johannesburg in October, and +in England before the end of the year. I do not intend to +re-visit Mashunaland for several years, but I shall have considerable +interests there, which will increase in value as the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> +country develops. I intend to visit America, to see the +World's Fair, in 1893, and should like to visit Japan at the +same time. I consider myself independent, as I can live on +the £330 a year which my de Beers shares produce, and I +have a good many more properties which may turn out +valuable."</p></div> + +<p>Selous continued making roads until May, 1892, when +there being no further work for him to do, he terminated +his engagement with the British South Africa Company, +and went down to Beira, and so to Cape Town and England, +which he reached on December 17th, 1892. Before leaving, +however, he did a little hunting, and killed his last lion on +October 3rd, and his last elephant, a splendid old bull, +with tusks weighing 108 lbs. the pair, on October 7th.</p> + +<p>It was in December, 1891, that Selous killed his finest +lion, a splendid animal with a good mane, and one whose +pegged-out skin measured over eleven feet. This lion had +done much damage at Hartley Hills, breaking into stables +and kraals, and destroyed many horses and goats. This was +an unusually daring beast, and efforts to destroy him had +been of no avail. Whilst dining with Dr. Edgelow one night, +Selous heard his driver, John, fire from his camp close by, +and called out to ask the cause. The driver replied that a +lion had just killed one of the loose oxen. Nothing could be +done that night, but at dawn Selous took the spoor in the +wet ground, but lost it on the dry veldt. Next evening he +made a shelter against a tree.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"As the shooting-hole between the overhanging branches +of the tree behind which I sat only allowed me to get a view +directly over the carcase of the ox, I arranged another opening +to the right, which gave me a good view up the waggon-road +along which I thought the lion would most likely come, +and I placed the muzzle of my rifle in this opening when I +entered my shelter. As the night was so light, I thought it +very likely that my vigil might be a long one; for even if +he did not wait until the moon had set, I never imagined +that the lion would put in an appearance until after midnight, +when the camp would be quite quiet. Under this impression, +I had just finished the arrangement of my blankets,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> +placing some behind me and the rest beneath me, so as to +make myself as comfortable as possible in so confined a space, +and was just leaning back, and dreamily wondering whether +I could keep awake all night, when, still as in a dream, I saw +the form of a magnificent lion pass rapidly and noiselessly +as a phantom of the night across the moonlight disc of the +shooting-hole I had made to the right of the tree-stem. In +another instant he had passed and was hidden by the tree, +but a moment later his shaggy head again appeared before +the opening formed by the diverging stems. Momentary as +had been the glimpse I had of him as he passed the right-hand +opening, I had marked him as a magnificent black-maned +lion with neck and shoulders well covered with long +shaggy hair. He now stood with his forelegs right against +the breast of the dead ox, and, with his head held high, +gazed fixedly towards my waggon and oxen, every one of +which he could, of course, see very distinctly, as well as my +boy John and the Kafirs beside him. I heard my horse +snort, and knew he had seen the lion, but the oxen, although +they must have seen him too, showed no sign of fear. The +Kafirs were still laughing and talking noisily not fifty yards +away, and, bold as he was, the lion must have felt a little +anxious as he stood silently gazing in the direction from +which he thought danger might be apprehended.</p> + +<p>"All this time, but without ever taking my eyes off the +lion, I was noiselessly moving the muzzle of my little rifle +from the right-hand-side opening to the space that commanded +a view of his head. This I was obliged to do very +cautiously, for fear of touching a branch behind me and +making a noise. I could see the black crest of mane between +his ears move lightly in the wind, for he was so near that had +I held my rifle by the small of the stock I could have touched +him with the muzzle by holding it at arm's length. Once +only he turned his head and looked round right into my eyes, +but, of course, without seeing me, as I was in the dark, and, +apparently, without taking the slightest alarm, as he again +turned his head and stood looking at the waggon as before. +I could only see his head, his shoulder being hidden by the +right-hand stem of the tree, and I had made up my mind to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> +try and blow his brains out, thinking I was so near that I +could not fail to do so, even without being able to see the +sight of my rifle. I had just got the muzzle of my rifle into +the fork of the tree, and was about to raise it quite leisurely, +the lion having hitherto showed no signs of uneasiness. I +was working as cautiously as possible, when without the +slightest warning he suddenly gave a low grating growl, and +turned round, his head disappearing instantly from view. +With a jerk I pulled the muzzle of my rifle from the one +opening and pushed it through the other just as the lion +walked rapidly past in the direction from which he had +come. He was not more than four or five yards from me, +and I should certainly have given him a mortal wound had +not my rifle missed fire at this most critical juncture, the +hammer giving a loud click in the stillness of the night. At +the sound the lion broke into a gallop, and was almost +instantly out of sight."</p></div> + +<p>This was a terrible misfortune, but next morning Selous +tracked the lion up a watercourse and soon found him.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"John was looking about near the edge of this shallow +water, and I had turned my horse's head to look along the +bank higher up, when the unmistakable growl of a lion +issued from the bushes beyond the rivulet, and at the same +time John said, 'Daar hij' (there he is). I was off my horse +in an instant to be ready for a shot, when he turned round +and trotted away, and John ran to try and catch him. I +thought the luck was all against me, as I expected the lion +would make off and get clean away; but I ran forward, +trying to get a sight of him when he suddenly made his +appearance in the bush about fifty yards away, and catching +sight of me, came straight towards me at a rapid pace, +holding his head low and growling savagely. I suppose he +wanted to frighten me, but he could not have done a kinder +thing. He came right on to the further bank of the little +stream just where it formed a pool of water, and stood there +amongst some rocks growling and whisking his tail about, +and always keeping his eyes fixed upon me. Of course, he +gave me a splendid shot, and in another instant I hit him, +between the neck and the shoulder, in the side of his chest,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> +with a 360-grain expanding bullet. As I pulled the trigger +I felt pretty sure he was mine. With a loud roar he reared +right up, and turning over sideways fell off the rock on +which he had been standing into the pool of water below +him. The water was over three feet deep, and for an instant +he disappeared entirely from view, but the next instant +regaining his feet stood on the bottom with his head and +shoulders above the surface. I now came towards him, when +again seeing me, he came plunging through the water +towards me, growling angrily. But his strength was fast +failing him, and I saw it was all he could do to reach the +bank, so I did not fire, as I was anxious not to make holes +in his skin. He just managed to get up the bank, when I +finished him with a shot through the lungs, to which he +instantly succumbed."<a name="FNanchor_44_44" id="FNanchor_44_44"></a><a href="#Footnote_44_44" class="fnanchor">[44]</a></p></div> + +<p>Selous has always been regarded by the British public as +the first lion-hunter of all time. They would like to have +seen him travelling round with a large circus and a band +giving demonstrations of shooting lions from horseback +à la Buffalo Bill, but nothing was further from his own ideas +than such a showman's display. Being as truthful as he +was modest, he always entirely disclaimed any great prowess +as a lion-hunter and said what was true—that many men +had killed a far greater number of lions than himself. It +was only on particular occasions like the last adventure +described that he went out of his way to shoot lions that +had become troublesome and dangerous, but at all times he +never declined a fight when he was lucky enough to meet +lions, whether he was himself afoot or accompanied by dogs. +If he had wished to make a great bag of lions, doubtless he +could have done so; but he never wished to pose as a lion-hunter +like Jules Gerard and others, and so his total bag +was modest. Actually, he himself shot thirty-one lions and +assisted in the destruction of eleven others. Even his good +friend, H. A. Bryden, usually so accurate in his statements, +says: "He was easily the greatest lion-hunter of his time," +and the general public, taking the cue from many writers, +say a thing is so-and-so and the statement becomes standardized. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span>But, after all, it is only a very few men who know the +real facts of any case, and they often have a habit of holding +their tongues. Doubtless, if Selous had enjoyed the opportunities +of the Brothers Hill, he would have been just as +active and successful in destroying lions as they—if he had +not been killed in the process. Selous, as a matter of fact, +had no more genius for hunting than that enjoyed by many +others. He was an admirable hunter, but just as unable to +spoor a lion on dry veldt as other white men—that gift alone +belonging to certain black races. The title, therefore, of +being "the greatest lion-hunter"—even if we admit the +desirability of using superlatives—seems to belong to the +man or men who by perfectly fair means and taking risks—the +same as Selous himself did—have shot the greatest +number of lions. Wherefore, I give a few particulars.</p> + +<p>As Selous himself has said, probably the greatest lion-hunter +within his experience of South Africa was Petrus +Jacobs, who killed in his life—chiefly with the assistance of +dogs—well over one hundred lions, and was himself badly +mauled when he was over seventy-three years of age.</p> + +<p>Probably the greatest all-round hunter of African game +now living is William Judd, now a professional hunter in +British East Africa. In South and East Africa he has killed +forty-eight lions and been in at the death of forty-three +others. In giving me these particulars, he says: "I have +never had any really narrow squeaks from lions with the +exception of the time I was out with Selous on the Gwasin +Guishu plateau" (see "Field," May 28th, 1910). It may be +remarked that this immunity is due to the fact that he is a +magnificent shot. He considers the Buffalo a far more +dangerous opponent. A. B. Percival, Game Warden, is said +to have shot fifty lions during his residence in British East +Africa.</p> + +<p>In Somaliland, hunting almost exclusively for lions, +Colonel Curtis in one season killed twenty-seven, and in the +same time Colonel Paget and Lord Wolverton nearly as +many. Captain Mellis also in one season accounted for +twenty-one lions, and several other British sportsmen have +killed twenty in one trip in that part of Africa.</p> + +<p>What<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> a man does and what he could actually do in the +way of lion-killing is perhaps beside the question. A great +lion-hunter like Sir Alfred Pease, both an admirable shot +and a superb horseman, has only killed fourteen lions and +joined in eleven "partnerships," but this in no way represents +the number of lions he <i>could</i> have killed had he wished +to do so. Being of an unselfish disposition it was ever his +pleasure, since he had killed all the specimens he wanted, +to give his friends who were anxious to shoot lions every +opportunity of doing so. In fact, on many occasions, at his +farm on the Kapiti Plains, he himself "rounded up" the +lions for other men to kill, and simply looked on—standing +ready in case of trouble. "Lions were so plentiful at my +place on the Athi," he writes, "that one party killed in one +day (1911-12) fourteen lions. I have often spared a fine lion +to give a guest a chance, and have never seen him again. +The finest lion I ever saw was an enormous black-maned +fellow. I prevented my son-in-law from firing at him, as I +wished President Roosevelt to get him during his stay with +me. Subsequently, I think a German got his skin; but in +reality, I believe H. D. Hill killed him after a German party +and the Brothers Hill had fought a great battle with him +near Lukania."</p> + +<p>Sir Alfred then goes on to give particulars of the astounding +performances of the Brothers Harold D. Hill and Clifford +Hill, who if they wished it—which they probably do not—are +justly entitled to the right of being called the first of +modern lion-hunters. "Harold Hill managed my farm in +British East Africa for several years. He told me a year ago +that he had, since he had been there, 1906-15, on my farms +of Theki and Katanga, and on his own and his brother's +farms—Katelembo and Wami—killed himself one hundred +and thirty-six lions. I think this figure will include a very +great number of what I should call 'partnerships,' for his +brother Clifford must have killed as many or more than +Harold, for he has done more actual hunting.<a name="FNanchor_45_45" id="FNanchor_45_45"></a><a href="#Footnote_45_45" class="fnanchor">[45]</a> Clifford Hill +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span>acted as professional hunter to many 'safaris,' but you +could absolutely rely on any statement he made, although +it is not likely that he believed, himself, in counting heads +of game killed. I should not be surprised if these two +brothers have not been in at the death of over three hundred +lions during their residence in East Africa."</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Some years ago Lord Delamere had, I think, killed +between fifty and sixty lions. Many of these (over twenty) +were killed in Somaliland. Some of these were 'ridden,' +and others may have been killed at night, but Delamere was, +nevertheless, a keen and fearless hunter."</p></div> + +<p>Commenting on the different methods of hunting lions in +Somaliland and British East Africa, Sir Alfred says:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The Somaliland method of hunting (i.e. following a fresh +spoor on hard ground till the lion was viewed) was, in my +opinion, the best test of skill and sporting qualities, since +you tracked and did the whole thing on your own initiative. +Personally, I enjoyed most the B.E.A. work. You saw much +more of the beasts, and I loved galloping and rounding them +up for others to kill as much as I enjoyed anything in my +whole life."</p></div> + +<p>Paul Rainey's methods of hunting lions with a large pack +of hounds can hardly come into the true category of lion-hunting +where risks are taken. The dogs, it is true, were +often killed or wounded; but as a friend who had taken +part in these hunts remarked, "It was just like rat-hunting, +and about as dangerous." It is true that one man, George +Swartz (formerly a German waiter at the Norfolk Hotel, +Nairobi), was killed in one of these hunts, but the accident +was singular. Swartz was a very bold fellow and moved +close in in thick bush when the dogs had a lion at bay one +day in the Kedong in 1912. The lion "broke bay," and +either intentionally charged Swartz or ran over to him by +chance as he worked the cinema-camera. The beast gave +the man one bite in the stomach and then left him, but the +unfortunate fellow died shortly afterwards of his wounds. +Paul Rainey claims to have killed over two hundred lions +with his dogs.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a href="images/i219.jpg"><img src="images/i219-t.jpg" width="400" height="301" alt="The Battle of the Strong." title="" /> +</a><br /><span class="caption">The Battle of the Strong.</span> +</div> + +<p>It has always been the custom amongst hunters that he +who draws<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> first blood from any animal—even if it is only a +scratch—is entitled to the beast when subsequently killed. +It is a good law on the whole, but there are many instances +where it is scarcely justified—that is to say, when the first +shooter has done little beyond slightly injuring the animal, +if a dangerous one, and the second hunter has stood "all the +racket," and killed the beast at the risk of his life. Here is +such an example given to me by Sir Alfred Pease:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I lent my rifle (a ·256 Mannlicher) to a friend, also my +horse to gallop and 'round up' a lion, whilst I kept watch +on a bush where another had hidden, not being able—owing +to dongas—to get round him. My friend soon jumped off +and fired two or three shots at the first lion, which worked +round and came and lay down under a thin thorn-bush less +than a hundred yards from my position. I then went towards +the bush and the lion charged me. I fired twice with a +10-bore gun at about sixty and fifteen yards, and the beast—a +very fine black-maned lion—fell dead to my second barrel.</p> + +<p>"My friend now came up, and to my disgust said excitedly, +'My lion!' I said, 'Mine, I think?' He said, 'No; I had +first blood!' I had no idea the lion had been hit, but when +we examined him there was a ·256 hole in his back ribs. I +was rather sore, as I had stood the racket; but <i>it was the +rule</i>. I killed the second lion in a quarter of an hour. We +did not quarrel, however, and he gave my daughter the skin +of the first lion, which was nice of him."</p></div> + +<p>However, if he did kill a considerable but not a remarkable +number of lions, Selous will always remain the greatest +authority on the subject, for in his numerous writings he has +given us accounts of sport and natural history in connection +with this animal that are quite unequalled by any other +writer. In all the descriptions and the accounts of its habits +he accumulated a vast mass of material, mostly new and +original—which is without a blemish, without a single incorrect +statement. These writings by Selous, especially his +admirable notes in "African Nature Notes and Reminiscences," +and the small monograph on "The Lion," by Sir +Alfred Pease, constitute a complete record of the natural +history and sport connected with this interesting animal.</p> + +<p>To clever<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> and broad-minded people in other lands it may +be a wonder that so excellent a field naturalist as Selous was +not granted a State allowance, to pursue his work as a +pioneer and naturalist, so as to relieve him of the constant +strain on his slender resources. We know that in France, +Germany, Austria, Italy, America and Japan such a thing +would have been done long ago; but foreigners have no +knowledge of our various Governments' neglect of science, +or of the miserable pittances they allowed to the various +scientific bodies for such a purpose in this country. Heaven +alone knows what inventions, amounting in value to vast +sums, have been literally driven out of England by this +abominable stinginess, and sold to other countries, which in +time became our deadliest enemies in trade and war. And +so in turn our scientific societies, each and all of which considered +their own branch the most important, have pursued +a policy of neglect and jealousy towards all young workers +in whatever branch they showed exceptional originality.</p> + +<p>The officials of the British Museum are poorly paid, and +they and the Zoological Society, having little or no money +to expend on researches of importance in foreign lands, have +to go and beg from the general public whenever any expedition +is being sent abroad.</p> + +<p>In America, where matters are worked on broad-minded +principles, field zoology is now recognized as being as important +as purely scientific zoology, and ample funds are +given to all genuine collectors outside the body corporate, +and the advancement of general knowledge is all that is +desired. The result is that more excellent work in this +branch of science is being done to-day in New York and +Washington than in all other countries. It is true they have +ample funds for such purposes and these are generously distributed; +but there are no jealous cliques there, and the +spirit in which the work is done is wholly admirable.</p> + +<p>Perhaps the only scientific society that has received great +monetary help is the Royal Geographical Society, and when +Arctic or Antarctic expeditions are launched the public has +always responded magnificently. I have often wondered +why, for beyond the individual effort of bravery on the part +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> +of the gallant members of these expeditions, the scientific and +material results of these expeditions are very small compared +with those of one well-conducted expedition to Central Asia +or Africa, which in time has often given considerable scientific +results, as well as knowledge of new countries that have +become the homes of white men. From the time of Denham +and Clapperton to Selous what has ever been done for our +African explorers? Absolutely nothing. These grand men +have taken quite as great risks as Arctic or Antarctic +travellers, have explored thousands of square miles of new +country and done it all out of their own pockets, often ruining +themselves in purse and health. An Antarctic expedition +costs the British nation anything from £30,000 to +£50,000, and its leaders receive knighthoods, and other +official distinctions, but we never heard Livingstone called +anything but a wandering missionary, or Selous aught but a +big game hunter; nor has any Government taken the +smallest notice of them. Yet these two men, by their +courage, tact in dealing with natives, personal influence, +skill in mapping and eventual advice to those in authority, +did more, both for Science and the Empire, than all the +expeditions to the wildernesses of perpetual snow and ice.</p> + +<p>It must not be supposed that Selous, had he wished, +could not have obtained some of these material rewards +which are valued by most men. He was not without influential +friends, both at home and in Africa, but his natural +modesty forbade him to make use of them. One man above +all others should have made it his duty to have helped him, +but let us see how he acted.</p> + +<p>Cecil Rhodes was a big man—big in almost every way +except in the matter of gratitude—and when he found that +Selous was—to use an Americanism—such an "easy mark," +he exploited him to the limit of his capacity. Rhodes knew +that without Selous' immense local knowledge and tact with +the native Mashuna chiefs his best-laid schemes might go +astray, so he played on his patriotism, and promised him +many things, not one of which he ever performed.</p> + +<p>Selous was, in fact, the whole Intelligence Department, +and when he cut the road north with such rapidity it really +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> +gave Lobengula no time to act until it was too late. So that +the first expedition, which might easily have been a failure, +turned out an unqualified success.</p> + +<p>"Let me introduce you to Mr. Selous," said Rhodes to a +member of the Government at a big luncheon party in 1896, +"the man above all others to whom we owe Rhodesia to the +British Crown." These were fine words, and a fine acknowledgment +of Selous' services. But what happened afterwards, +and were Rhodes' promises to him kept? When the +Empire builder found his tool was of no further use, he +absolutely ignored him, and could never find time even to +see him. To his cynical mind gratitude simply did not exist. +Selous was just one of the pawns in the game, and he could +now go to the devil for all he cared.</p> + +<p>If others gained gold and titles out of the efforts of Selous +and the Chartered Company, these mushroom successes +strut their uneasy hour and are soon forgotten; but Selous +left behind him an imperishable name for all that was best +in the new lands, which is well voiced in the words of +Mr. A. R. Morkel, in a letter to the Selous Memorial +Committee (1917):—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The natives around my farm all remember him, though +it is well over twenty-five years since he was last here; and +it is a pretty good testimony to his character, that wherever +he travelled amongst natives, many of whom I have talked +to about him, he was greatly respected and esteemed as a +just man. We, settlers of Rhodesia, will always have this +legacy from him, that he instilled into these natives a very +good idea of British justice and fairness."</p></div> + +<p>We need express no surprise that the man who did the +most hard work was left unrewarded, for such is life. It is +on a par with the experience of a gallant officer in a Highland +regiment who, after nearly three years of intense warfare +in the front line (1914-17), and still without a decoration of +any kind, although twice wounded, came to Boulogne, +where he met an old brother officer, who had been there in +charge of stores for one and a half years, wearing the D.S.O. +and M.C. ribbons. "I am not a cynical man," he remarked +to me, "but I must say that for once in my life I felt so."</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_40_40" id="Footnote_40_40"></a><a href="#FNanchor_40_40"><span class="label">[40]</span></a> Rhodes' original plan was to attack Lobengula with a small force. +This, Selous pointed out to him, would be certain to lead to disaster since +Rhodes' information as to the strength of the Matabele was obviously +incorrect. It is therefore clear that Selous in over-persuading him to +abandon this method rendered him and the nation a considerable service.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_41_41" id="Footnote_41_41"></a><a href="#FNanchor_41_41"><span class="label">[41]</span></a> "Travel and Adventure in S.E. Africa," pp. 417-425.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_42_42" id="Footnote_42_42"></a><a href="#FNanchor_42_42"><span class="label">[42]</span></a> "African Native Notes and Reminiscences," p. 311, 1908.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_43_43" id="Footnote_43_43"></a><a href="#FNanchor_43_43"><span class="label">[43]</span></a> Badminton Library. "The Lion in S. Africa," p. 316, 1894.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_44_44" id="Footnote_44_44"></a><a href="#FNanchor_44_44"><span class="label">[44]</span></a> Badminton Library. "The Lion in S. Africa," p. 343.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_45_45" id="Footnote_45_45"></a><a href="#FNanchor_45_45"><span class="label">[45]</span></a> In a letter to me from East Africa, March 12th, 1918, Harold Hill +states that he has been in at the death of 135 lions and that his brother +Clifford has seen 160 lions shot. In most cases, he admits, he and his +brother generally allowed some friend to have his first shot.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> +<h3>1893-1896</h3> + + +<p>Selous had been hunting something all his life, yet +he never seems to have lost sight of the possibility +that a little fellow with a bow and arrow might one +day take a shot at him. Perhaps in earlier days he feared +him a little, but when, one January day in 1893, he went to +Barrymore House, his mother's home at Wargrave, the +small archer was there waiting in ambush and found a very +willing victim. The immediate cause of the attack was the +fact that Miss Gladys Maddy, a daughter of the Rev. Canon +Maddy, was staying with Selous' mother. This was one of +Selous' lucky days, for in a short time, since the attraction +seems to have been mutual, he decided to try and win the +lady as his wife. In this he was quite successful, and by the +spring they were engaged. Meanwhile the hunter, being +now well known to the public, had arranged to make a +lecturing tour in the United States, under the auspices of +Major Pond, and had hoped that this would be finished by +late September, when he would be able to do a hunt in the +Rockies afterwards. All arrangements had been completed +and he had already taken his passage to America when the +news of the Matabele rising arrived in England. He at +once cancelled all his engagements and took the first steamer +to South Africa.</p> + +<p>After the Pioneer expedition to Mashunaland in 1890 +had proved a success the country seemed in so quiet a state +that the police force there was in 1891 disbanded. This +was doubtless a great mistake. The Matabele were not the +kind of people to take the position of a conquered race +with equanimity. Their whole history showed them to be +a virile fighting people who up till now had conquered all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> +native races in their vicinity, and believed themselves to +be superior to the white, with whom they had not as yet +been fairly tested in battle. This primal fact, and the gross +mismanagement on the part of the Chartered Company +(which Selous himself admits) of the cattle question, produced +a feeling of bitterness on the part of the Matabele, who, +being above all things cattle-owners, and not slaves who had +been conquered, resented the regulation exacting paid +labour from every able-bodied man. The confiscation, too, +of their cattle and the manner in which the confiscation +was carried out added fuel to the fire. These circumstances, +combined with the fact that the Matabele nation had not +been beaten in war, were the causes for the outbreak in +1893. The Matabele, in fact, were still too raw to appreciate +the advantages (<i>sic</i>) of civilization. They did without +them. The assegai and the raid were to them still the heart +of life. From the time of Umsilikatzie till now their forays +amongst their more or less defenceless neighbours had, +comparatively speaking, been one continuous success, even +the fairly powerful Bechuanas under Khama were in a +constant state of dread. Within a few years they ravaged +all the country up to the Zambesi, and even sent two expeditions +right across the waterless Kalahari to attack the +Batauwani of Lake Ngami. These were indeed bold enterprises, +as the marauders had to traverse nearly four hundred +miles of desert almost devoid of game and only inhabited +by a few bushmen. This first expedition, in 1883, was only +partially successful, whilst the second one met with complete +disaster. The Batauwani got wind of the impending attack +and sent their women and children and cattle beyond the +Botletlie river. They then ambushed the Matabele and +killed many of them, whilst large numbers were drowned +in trying to cross the river. Not a single head of cattle was +captured, and hundreds of Lobengula's best warriors died +from starvation, thirst, and exhaustion on the return journey, +whilst only a remnant of the army got back to Bulawayo. +One smaller party of Matabele went north by the Mababe +river and eventually got back to Matabeleland by the +northern route.</p> + +<p>It was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> between 1883 and 1890 that the Matabele were +most active in attacking their weaker neighbours. Sometimes +with diabolic cunning they "nursed" the various +Mashuna chiefs until the latter became rich in cattle and +ivory and were ripe for slaughter. This they did to Chameluga, +a powerful sorcerer, whom Lobengula professed to +esteem and even to fear, but this favouritism was, after all, +only an assumed pose, for in 1883 an army was sent to +destroy the Situngweesa, of whom Chameluga was chief. +The chief was summoned to Bulawayo, but was met at +the Tchangani river, and all his party slaughtered with the +exception of a young wife named Bavea, who was taken +prisoner, but afterwards escaped to the north. Before his +death, however, Chameluga had just time to send a young +son to warn his people, and they took flight into the hilly +country between the Mazoe and Inyagui rivers, and only a +few were destroyed by the raiding Matabele who had followed +their spoor. In 1888 an impi raided the Barotsi and killed +the chief Sikabenga and most of his tribe.</p> + +<p>In 1890 the Matabele also attacked and almost completely +destroyed the large Mashuna tribe whose ladies +were so wonderfully tattooed, and which Selous described +as seeing east of the Sabi on his visit there in 1885. Selous +does not mention this in his book, although he must later +have been well aware of the fact.</p> + +<p>In 1893 I found that all the plain and forest country +here was swept clear of natives, but to the east of the Sabi +there were villages of Gungunhlama's Shangans living on +the tops of the kopjes, their little grass huts hanging to the +sides of the cliffs like bunches of martins' nests. They +told me that in 1890 a big impi of Matabele had annihilated +the Mashunas that formerly lived there, and they +themselves, even in their aerial fastnesses, lived in constant +dread of attack.</p> + +<p>Although the Matabele had not moved during the advent +of the Pioneer Expedition to Mashunaland in 1890, Lobengula +and his chiefs had been in a state of smouldering unrest +since that time, and the best authorities considered that +they intended to attack Bulawayo, Salisbury, and Victoria,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> +where many of the settlers and some troops had taken +refuge and gone into "laager" in the early part of 1893. +All signs pointed to a conflict, and when I reached the +Middle Drift of the Limpopo in May of that year, I was +strongly advised by the police officer in charge, Sergeant +Chauner (afterwards killed), to return to the Transvaal. As +he had no orders to stop me, and as I found my Boer friend, +Roelef van Staden, ready to go on, I went north across the +Umsingwani and shot some koodoos in Lobengula's pet +preserve. This led to trouble, as we were captured by +twelve Matabele warriors, who came to our camp and +insisted on our accompanying them to the king's kraal. Of +course we knew what this meant in wartime. Perhaps we +should be killed, and at the least it would involve a loss of +my whole outfit. So we sent most of the Boers and all the +women and children back to the Drift and vanished eastwards +in the night with our horses and a light waggon. In +the morning some Matabele came after us and shouted that +they intended to kill us and all the English that year, but +a few shots fired over their heads dispersed them. Baulked +of their prey the brutes then returned and assassinated a +dozen poor Makalaka Kafirs with whom we had encamped.</p> + +<p>After our departure to the hunting-ground to the east, +only one Boer family, the Bezedenhuits, Mr. George Banks, +Captain Donovan, and a Mr. Mitchell,<a name="FNanchor_46_46" id="FNanchor_46_46"></a><a href="#Footnote_46_46" class="fnanchor">[46]</a> of the 15th Hussars, +got into Mashunaland from the Transvaal, as the Matabele +soon made their unsuccessful attack on Victoria and communications +with the north were stopped. We had various +adventures, but passed safely through the Matabele without +being detected on our return. Mr. George Banks went West +and Captain Donovan struck North and joined the British +forces, whilst Bezedenhuit went out through the Lower +Drift after a small fight with the Matabele.</p> + +<p>In 1893 Selous returned to South Africa, went up country +by the Bamangwato route, and joined the Chartered Company +forces there in September. From Fort Tuli he wrote +on September 30th:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I reached<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> here last Sunday and met Dr. Jameson. +News has just come in that the Matabele have attacked a +patrol near Fort Victoria, and in a fortnight's time the +Company's forces will be in a position to retaliate. At Dr. +Jameson's request I have remained with the force here, +which in case of necessity will co-operate with the Mashunaland +column and attack the Matabele simultaneously from +the West, when they advance from the East. In the meantime +I am going on a small scouting expedition with two +companions to examine the country along the western +borders of Matabeleland."</p></div> + +<p>On this scouting trip he met with no adventures and he +returned to Tuli on October 11th. On October 19th he +started northward with Colonel Goold-Adams' column. On +November 2nd his column met with its first opposition near +Impandini's kraal, when the Matabele made an attack on +some waggons coming into camp. "There was a bit of a +fight," Selous wrote to his mother, "and the Matabele were +driven off with considerable loss. I was unfortunate enough +to get wounded. As I am in very good health, this wound +is not at all dangerous, though, of course, it makes me +very stiff and sore all down the right side, but I shall soon +be all right again." Of the details of this day he wrote a +more complete account to his future wife.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Owing to the miserable state of the oxen, a portion of +the waggons did not get up to us on November 1st, but were +left behind at a distance of about three miles from our main +column and the oxen sent on to the water. After drinking +they were sent back at once, and early on the morning of +November 2nd the waggons came on. Soon afterwards we +heard heavy firing and knew that the convoy was attacked. +As there were but few men with the convoy, assistance was +urgently needed, we knew, and the alarm was at once +sounded and the horses called in. I got hold of my horse +long before the troop horses came in, and, saddling him up, +galloped back alone to help the fellows with the waggons. +They were not far off, and were being attacked on all sides +by the Matabele, who were keeping up a hot fire and closing +in on both flanks and from the rear. Our fellows were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> +sticking to it well, though in small numbers. My appearance, +I think, checked the Matabele a little, as, seeing one +horseman gallop up, they naturally thought more were at +hand. However, as I was very near them, and firing away +at them, they fired a lot of shots at me. The whistling of +the bullets made my horse very restive, and presently one +of them hit me. The wound, however, is not dangerous. +The bullet struck me about three inches below the right +breast, but luckily ran round my ribs and came out behind, +about eight inches from where it entered. The Matabele +came right up to our camp, some being shot within three +hundred yards of the laager with the Maxim. They were +then beaten off and a good many of them killed, and had +it not been that they got into a lot of thickly wooded hills +close behind our camp their loss would have been much +heavier. Our loss was two white men killed, and three +wounded, including myself, and of our native allies two +killed and several wounded. Before I came up the Matabele +had captured a waggon, which they burnt, and killed +Corporal Mundy, who was in charge of it. Sergeant Adahm +was killed and two other men wounded after the Matabele +had been driven off from the camp and whilst they were +fighting them in a hill.</p> + +<p>"Yesterday we pushed on and took up a splendid position +here, where if we are attacked we shall be able to give a +good account of ourselves."</p></div> + +<p>The campaign of 1893 against the Matabele was short +and a complete success. A compact force, part of which +had gone up through the Transvaal, and part from the +north, and consisting of 670 white men, of whom 400 were +mounted, moved up under the command of Dr. Jameson. +It was under the guidance of Nyemyezi, a Matabele chief +who was bitterly opposed to Lobengula, and the force +travelled unmolested until they reached the Tchangani +river, where they were attacked by some 5000 Matabele of +the Imbezu and Ingubu regiments, who were heavily defeated. +On hearing this news Lobengula fled from Bulawayo +and recalled his son-in-law, Gambo, from the Mangwe Pass, +which gave opportunity to the southern column, under<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> +Colonel Goold-Adams, to whom Selous was attached as +Chief of the Scouts, to move up and join Dr. Jameson's +column. When this southern force of Matabele heard of +the disaster on the Tchangani to their picked regiments +they retired to the Matoppo hills and surrendered without +fighting.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Lobengula continued to retreat north of the +Tchangani, closely pursued by Major Wilson and his column, +which, getting too far from his support, was surrounded and +annihilated with his small force at the Tchangani river. +Soon after this the powerful Matabele, forced into the trackless +bush in the rainy season, and seeing their women and +children dying of starvation and fever, surrendered in +detail and accepted the liberal terms offered them. The +whole campaign was settled by two battles, in which they +attacked the white men in laager and suffered many reverses. +The fighting spirit of the natives, however, was only scotched +but not killed, as subsequent events showed.</p> + +<p>On November 11th Selous gives some interesting details +of the general progress of the campaign after the Matabele +had attacked them and been driven north. "The Matabele +generalship has been abominably bad. They never did what +they ought to have done, and we took advantage of their +opportunities. The strong British column from the East, +advancing through open country, with a large force of +mounted men and a large number of machine guns, simply +carried everything before it, and on the two occasions when +they attacked the 'laager' the machine guns simply mowed +them down. No one, knowing their abominable history, can +pity them or lament their downfall. They have been paid +back in their own coin.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Our column advancing from the West had very great +difficulties to contend with, as the whole country on that +side is covered with thick bush and broken hills. Had the +Matabele here made a determined opposition we could +never have got through, and should probably have met +with a disaster. But the large army opposed to us retired +without fighting as soon as they heard that the King's +forces had made an unsuccessful attack on the laager near<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> +Bulawayo, and so we came in here (Bulawayo) without +further trouble.</p> + +<p>"So the campaign is virtually over, and the fair-haired +descendants of the northern pirates are in possession of +the Great King's kraal, and the 'Calf of the Black Cow'<a name="FNanchor_47_47" id="FNanchor_47_47"></a><a href="#Footnote_47_47" class="fnanchor">[47]</a> has +fled into the wilderness."</p></div> + +<p>Writing from Bulawayo, where he went into hospital, +November 27th, 1893, he says:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I am still here, but hope to get away now in a few +days. My wound is getting on famously, and will be soon +quite healed up. If I had not been in such good health it +might have given a lot of trouble and taken a long time. +These people (the Matabele) are thoroughly cowed and +demoralized, and must be having a very bad time of it, as +they are now living in the bush and must have very little +to eat, and heavy rain is falling every day and night, which +will not add to their comfort. The King has fled to the +north, but his people seem to be dropping away from him, +and I don't think he knows exactly what to do. Yesterday +messengers came in here from him saying he was willing +to submit, as he did not know what else to do and could +go no further. If he surrenders he will, of course, be well +treated, but removed from Matabeleland. His people +evidently now wish to surrender and live under the government +of white men, but there are such a lot of them that +they will take up the whole country, and it would, I think, +be much better if the King would go right away across the +Zambesi and form a new kingdom for himself, just as his +father fled from the Boers of the Transvaal and established +himself in this country. If he would do that a large +number of his people would go with him and the warlike +element in this country would be removed, whereas, if +they once come back, although they will be very humble at +first, they may give trouble again later on."</p></div> + +<p>A very true prophecy.</p> + +<p>In December, 1893, Selous left Bulawayo, as he +thought, for ever, having no intention to return to South +Africa.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span></p> +<p>He arrived home in England in February, 1894, and was +married to Miss Marie Catherine Gladys Maddy, in her +father's parish church at Down Hatherly, near Gloucester, +on April 4th. Many old friends assembled at the Charing +Cross Hotel to honour his marriage, and in a speech he +said that his career as a Rugby boy had helped not only to +support the fatigues which he had had to contend with, +but to despise the strong boy who bullied the weak one +and to admire the strong who guarded the weak. He +thought that if any of those present should ever go to +Matabeleland he would not hear anything that he had done +but would become an Englishman as well as a Rugby boy. +His Rugby friends subscribed together and gave him a +handsome memento in the shape of a silver salver and ewer, +and he was very proud of this gift.</p> + +<p>Selous and his wife then went abroad for the honeymoon, +passing through Switzerland and Italy. After a very +pleasant visit to Venice they journeyed to Budapest, and +on to their friends the Danfords, at Hatzeg in Transylvania, +where Selous did a little egg-collecting. After some time +spent in the mountains they went on down the Danube to +Odessa, and so to Constantinople, where they made the +acquaintance of Sir William Whittall, with whom Selous +made plans to hunt in Asia Minor in the autumn of 1894. +Selous and his wife then returned to England in July, and +after his autumn trip to Smyrna, which is detailed later, +he returned to Surrey and bought the land and arranged +plans for renovating the house at Worplesdon which was +afterwards his home. The original house was not large, but +possessed a good area of land, flanked by a pretty and clear +stream, and this plot was eventually made into a charming +garden which Mrs. Selous has devoted care and energy to +render beautiful and homelike. In later years a good orchard +was added. The house was greatly added to and improved +in 1899. At the same time as the house was being built a +museum was erected close by, and in this all Selous' treasures, +brought from his mother's house at Wargrave, were stored. +As time went on it was found to be too small for his rapidly +increasing collection, so in later years another wing was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> +added, which made the whole building perhaps the largest +private museum of its kind in Great Britain.</p> + +<p>It was in August, 1894, that Selous went north for his +first experiences of Highland sport. His destination was +the Island of Mull, where for a fortnight he enjoyed the +chase of the seal, the otter, and the wild goat, on the estate +of Loch Buie, at the invitation of the Maclaine of Lochbuie. +He thus describes his first search for seals and otters:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"On August 16th, 1894, accompanied by the keepers +MacColl and Nottman, I visited Loch Spelve in search of +seals and otters. Skirting the shores of the loch in a small +boat, we soon espied two seals lying out on a rock. They, +however, winded us and slipped into the water, when we +were still a long way off. We then went ashore and put the +three terriers into a cairn which the keepers knew otters to +be partial to, and from the behaviour of the dogs we soon +became aware that one of the animals was somewhere about. +Knowing that if the dogs succeeded in drawing the otter from +the rocks it would make for the sea, I took up my position +amongst the slippery seaweed covered with stones near the +water and waited full of expectation. However, the otter +resisted all the overtures of the terriers and would not bolt. +Then MacColl, the wily, produced some evil-smelling fuse +and, setting light to it, pushed it into a hole amongst the +stones. The effect was magical, for the otter bolted at once +almost between MacColl's legs. Instead, however, of +coming towards the sea, it made back through the wood and +took refuge in another cairn. From the second place of +refuge another piece of fuse soon dislodged it, and this time +making for the sea, it came past me in the open, travelling +over the seaweed-covered rocks at no great pace. My first +barrel knocked it over, but it quickly recovered itself, only +to be again knocked down by my second left-hand barrel. +This time it lay dead, and proved to be a fine bitch otter in +excellent coat, weighing 14½ lbs. and measuring 3 ft. 6 ins. +in length."</p></div> + +<p>In January, 1895, he again went to Loch Buie and shot +his first woodcock and other Highland game, and in January, +1897, he got his first pair of ptarmigan. It was in Ben Alder<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span> +Forest that he killed his first Highland stags, but the chase +of red deer as conducted in Scotland did not, as we should +expect, greatly appeal to him.</p> + +<p>In September, 1894, Selous and his wife reached Bournabat +near Smyrna, where he remained a short time as the guest +of H. O. Whittall. From here, accompanied by his wife and +the Whittalls, Selous made a short trip into the interior, +with the intention of finding haunts of the wild goat (<i>Capra +aegagrus</i>). After an interesting journey amongst the Turks +and Yuruks he returned to the sea-coast, where in the Musa +Dagh he did some hunting, but was unsuccessful in finding +the old billies, only killing one male with small horns. On +October 3rd he returned to Smyrna, and then went straight +into the Ak Dagh to look for the long-faced red deer. These +animals are now scarce and difficult to hunt in the dense +forests, and he only succeeded in coming up to one good +fourteen-pointer, which he killed with a long shot on October +19th.</p> + +<p>He was, however, somewhat fascinated with this hunting +in Asia Minor, for though the game was comparatively +scarce and hunting difficult, owing to the rough nature of +the ground and abundance of local hunters, yet it satisfied +his idea of what is called "high-class sport." Selous never +liked to admit failure with any animal, so at the end of +January, 1895, he again made a trip to Asia Minor in the +hope of getting good specimens of the wild goat and, if +possible, the black mouflon (<i>Ovis gmelini</i>). This time he +decided to hunt the Maimun Dagh, a great mass of mountains +situated close to the Smyrna railway. For a fortnight +he toiled up and down its steep and parched cliffs, +and then at last he saw and got a shot at one of the patriarchs +with long horns. This goat he wounded very badly and +lost, but some days later a Turk saw a large goat fall from +a cliff and remain suspended by its horns in a tree, where he +despatched it. This was without doubt the fine male which +Selous had lost, and he was lucky enough to obtain the head. +A few days later he found another grand billy, alas with +only one horn. This he also killed and lost, but found it +the next day. Two other fair specimens made up his bag,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> +so on the whole the expedition was quite successful. Then +he returned to England in February.</p> + +<p>Although so recently married, Selous found that living in +England was too expensive, and this, combined with the +"call of the wild," which never left him, evolved a new spirit +of restlessness and desire once more to live in the open veldt +and to see the game. To this was added the request of an +old friend, Mr. Maurice Heany, who asked him to go into +Matabeleland and assist him in the management of a land +and gold-mining company. After consulting his wife, who +was willing to share the troubles and difficulties of the new +country, Selous accepted the post, which was to occupy him +for two years.</p> + +<p>Accordingly Selous and his wife left England in March, +1895, and after spending two months in Cape Colony and +the Free State, where he shot some springbuck, blesbuck, +and black wildebeest for his collection, he took ship to +Beira and then went by rail to Chimoio, where he met his +waggon and oxen, and passed on via Salisbury, the Hanyane +river, to Bulawayo. At the Sebakwe river he fired at what +he thought was a jackal, but on arriving near the animal, +which he expected to find dead, as he had heard the bullet +strike, he was suddenly charged by a leopard. The angry +beast passed right under his stirrup-iron, and after going +thirty yards stopped and sat on its haunches. Another +shot at once killed it.</p> + +<p>The Selous now left for Essexvale, the farm of his company, +and took up their quarters in a rough wood and mud two-roomed +house which was to be their home until the wire-wove +bungalow, which had been sent out from England in +sections, should arrive and be erected. It was whilst +travelling to Essexvale that Selous met his old friend, +Mr. Helm, the missionary, who by his long residence +amongst the Matabele was thoroughly conversant with +native views. Mr. Helm said that on the whole the natives +had accepted the new regime, but that they were highly +incensed at the confiscation of their cattle by the Chartered +Company. The natives at first were told that after all the +cattle had been branded with the Company's mark and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span> +handed back to the natives, only the king's cattle would be +confiscated. "This promise," says Selous, "was made +under the belief that nearly all the cattle in Matabeleland +had belonged to the king and that the private owners had +been but few in number." This was a great mistake, for +nearly every chief induna and men of any position had +possessed large herds of their own.</p> + +<p>At Bulawayo Selous found a ruined kraal, since it had +been burnt and deserted by the Matabele after their defeat +in 1893. The site of the new town had been marked out by +the settlers, who had camped close by, and a general air +of hope and prosperity hung over the scene of the new +British town that was shortly to arise from the ashes of the +past. No difficulties with the natives were apprehended, +and farms and town-sites were at a high value. No one, in +fact, dreamed that in a few months the whole country would +be overwhelmed in the calamity of the rinderpest—a cattle +disease that swept from Abyssinia to the Cape and killed +in its course nearly the whole stock of cattle, as well as +many fine species of game, such as buffalo, eland, koodoo, +etc. Added to this the Matabele again rose, burnt the +farms, and in many cases murdered all the new settlers and +carried destruction throughout the whole country north of +the Limpopo. To add to these horrors a bad drought and +an unusual plague of locusts rendered farming and transport +practically impossible.</p> + +<p>There were some 70,000 cattle at this time in the hands +of the natives, and a final settlement was made by which +the Chartered Company retained two-fifths, giving the +remaining three-fifths to the natives, a settlement by which +for the time being the natives appeared satisfied.</p> + +<p>All through the autumn and winter of 1895 life passed +quietly at Essexvale. The new house arrived, and was +erected just before the rains set in on a high position eighty +feet above the Ingnaima river. The Company bought 1200 +head of cattle which were distributed amongst the natives. +Five thousand gum-trees were raised from seed and planted +on some forty acres of ploughed land, the other products +including maize and fruit trees of various kinds.</p> + +<p>All this time<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> the natives appeared to be happy and contented, +whilst Umlugula, a relation of Lobengula, and a +great chief under his rule, now living some eighteen miles +away, constantly visited Selous and seemed as quiet as the +rest, although he was actively plotting the rebellion which +was shortly to break out. Selous afterwards thought that +the cause of the insurrection was the withdrawal of the +Matabeleland Police Force and their munitions of war, and +its subsequent capture by the Boers in the ill-starred +"Jameson Raid."</p> + +<p>The first cloud of trouble appeared in February, 1896, +when news was spread that the "Umlimo," or god of the +Makalakas, who lived in a cave in the Matoppo hills, had said +that the white man's blood was about to be spilt. It was +also rumoured that Lobengula was not dead, as previously +reported, but was coming with a large army from the north-east +and west. Umlimo also claimed to have sent the +rinderpest which at this date had already reached Northern +Matabeleland.</p> + +<p>So far, however, there were merely rumours, and old +residents in the country, with the single exception of Mr. +Usher, believed that nothing was to be feared. Mr. Jackson, +a native commissioner, thought that if the natives rose a +certain danger was to be expected from the Matabele Police, +who had been armed with Winchesters and were kept for +the purposes of law and order, and in this he was right, for +half of this body revolted and attacked their former employers.</p> + +<p>The "Umlimo" was a kind of native hereditary priest +whose family are supposed to inherit supernatural powers. +His family are known as the children of the god and all are +supposed to commune with the unseen deity. He lived in +the Matoppo Hills, where the people visited their "god" +and consulted him. He was supposed to speak all languages, +and could moreover roar like a lion, bark like a dog, and do +other wonderful things. There seemed to have been other +Umlimos in other tribes, and it is somewhat strange that +this "deity" of the despised Makalakas should have been +possessed of such influence over the powerful Matabele.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> +Lobengula at any rate constantly visited and even feared +this man, and there is no doubt that Lobengula and his +chiefs made full use of him in the present instance to excite +the natives.</p> + +<p>In the middle of March Selous was appointed to inspect +the Umsingwani and Insiza district and try and stop the +spread of the rinderpest to the south, and in this he was +powerless, as trek-oxen further carried the infection. At +Dawson's store on March 22nd he heard that a native +policeman had been killed and that the murderers with their +women and children had fled to the Matoppo hills. This +was the first overt act of the rebellion.</p> + +<p>Immediately after this two attacks were made on the +native police, and Selous found when he arrived home that +some Matabele had borrowed axes from Mrs. Selous, and +had left with them ostensibly to repair their cattle-kraals, +but in reality to attack the settlers. The following night +three miners, Messrs. Foster, Eagleson and Anderson, +carrying on work at Essexvale, were attacked and murdered +as well as several other Europeans in the neighbourhood. +Next day most of the Essexvale cattle were driven off by +the natives, so that there was now no doubt that a rising +was imminent. Selous therefore took his wife into Bulawayo +for safety, and returned at once with an armed force of +thirty-eight men, intending if possible to recover his cattle; +but by this time the flame of rebellion had spread to the +whole of the north, and numerous white men, women and +children had been brutally murdered.</p> + +<p>At least nine-tenths of the Matabele natives were now in +arms against the whites, who were very badly equipped and +in sore straits for arms, ammunition, cattle and horses. +Their position was somewhat desperate, but, as ever before +and since, the settlers nobly responded to the call to arms, +although there was really no organized force worth speaking +of. However, about five hundred good men and true +assembled at Bulawayo, from which it was almost impossible +to move owing to the absence of horses. This force only had +some 580 rifles, but a good supply of ammunition—1,500,000 +rounds. There was also a ·303 Maxim and an old gun or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> +two. This is all they had with which to resist some 10,000 +Matabele, of which at least one-fifth had breechloading rifles +and plenty of ammunition. The tactics of the Matabele, +however, were indifferent, and it is somewhat incomprehensible +that they never blocked the main road to the south or +attacked waggons or coaches moving along it.</p> + +<p>Of the 1000 white men in Bulawayo only about 300 were +available for active operations, as 400 had always to be kept +for the defence of the women and children in the town: but +in addition to this force a regiment of native boys, mostly +Zulus, was organized by Colonel Johan Colenbrander,<a name="FNanchor_48_48" id="FNanchor_48_48"></a><a href="#Footnote_48_48" class="fnanchor">[48]</a> and +did excellent scouting work. This little force of white and +black eventually drove the Matabele from the neighbourhood +of Bulawayo and rescued many small isolated detachments, +whilst keeping the enemy at bay until the arrival of +Sir Frederick Carrington, who eventually completed their +rout.</p> + +<p>But to return to the movements of Selous after he revisited +his farm. He was not long in finding part of his +stolen cattle and burning the kraal where they were found. +Then he searched for the rebels and found them in the act +of driving off more cattle.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> These he attacked and recovered +some 150 cattle belonging to Colenbrander. Selous then +returned to Essexvale on March 26th, and left the herd of +cattle there in charge of loyal natives because he feared they +would be attacked by rinderpest if he drove them into +Bulawayo. This, however, may have been a mistake, since +Inxnozan, a native Matabele warrior, and some three +hundred of his men came in a few days and burnt the farm +and carried off all the cattle.</p> + +<p>Selous then took his men to Spiro's Store in the Matoppo +hills in the hope of finding or rendering assistance to Mr. +Jackson, the native commissioner, who was reported to +have been murdered with the whole force of native police. +He was now entering the Matabele stronghold, where large +forces of the enemy were likely to be encountered. He put +his best men out to scout ahead. In a gorge in the hills the +enemy were found in some force, and Selous' men drove +them off after some sharp fighting. Selous himself was fired +at at a distance of fifteen yards, but fortunately the shot +missed. Cattle to the number of one hundred were found, +and Selous endeavoured to drive them, but the enemy again +attacked, when four horses were killed and two men +wounded. After this small fight he returned to Bulawayo, +where he was delighted to find his friend Mr. Jackson, who +had been given up for dead. Soon afterwards Selous went +on patrol and visited the Mangwe laager, and on the way +saw much of the ravages of the rinderpest. At one spot at +a farm near Bulawayo "acres of carcasses were lying +festering in the sun."</p> + +<p>Various patrols, under Colonel the Hon. Maurice Gifford, +Captain Brand, Captain Van Niekerk, Captain Grey and +others all had sharp fighting with the Matabele, and relieved +many isolated bodies of white men.</p> + +<p>In April Selous was appointed Captain of the "H" troop +of the Bulawayo Field Force, and went out to clear the road +and establish forts at Fig Tree and Mangwe. First he +erected a very strong little fort called Fort Molyneux. +Further on, at Fort Halstead, he made another, and at the +Matoli river a third. All this he did with the Matabele army<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> +lying on the Khami river, about twelve miles west of Bulawayo, +whilst another large army was in the Elibaini hills +close by. Yet they did not attack Selous' patrols or fort +builders, and did not approach Bulawayo until the middle +of April, when a small fight occurred between the scouts +under Grey and Van Niekerk and a large body of the enemy. +The scouts then returned. Shortly after this Selous joined +in patrols with Captain Macfarlane and Captain Bisset in +trying to dislodge the enemy from positions close to the +town, and in the last-named attack on the Umguza the +Matabele lost heavily. During this fight, and whilst firing +hard, Selous' pony ran away and he was soon surrounded by +large numbers of Matabele.</p> + +<p>The incident is best related in his own words:—<a name="FNanchor_49_49" id="FNanchor_49_49"></a><a href="#Footnote_49_49" class="fnanchor">[49]</a></p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"A few bullets were again beginning to ping past us, so +I did not want to lose any time, but before I could take my +pony by the bridle he suddenly threw up his head and +spinning round trotted off, luckily in the direction from +which we had come. Being so very steady a pony, I imagine +that a bullet must have grazed him and startled him into +playing me this sorry trick at such a very inconvenient +moment. 'Come on as hard as you can, and I'll catch your +horse and bring him back to you,' said Windley, and started +off after the faithless steed. But the steed would not allow +himself to be caught, and when his pursuer approached him +broke from a trot into a gallop, and finally showed a clean +pair of heels.</p> + +<p>"When my pony went off with Windley after him, +leaving me, comparatively speaking, <i>planté là</i>, the Kafirs +thought they had got me, and commenced to shout out +encouragingly to one another and also to make a kind of +hissing noise, like the word "jee" long drawn out. All this +time I was running as hard as I could after Windley and my +runaway horse. As I ran, carrying my rifle at the trail, I +felt in my bandolier with my left hand to see how many +cartridges were still at my disposal, and found that I had +fired away all but two of the thirty I had come out with, one +being left in the belt and the other in my rifle. Glancing +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span>round, I saw that the foremost Kafirs were gaining on me +fast, though had this incident occurred in 1876 instead of +1896, with the start I had got I would have run away from +any of them.</p> + +<p>"Windley, after galloping some distance, realized that it +was useless wasting any more time trying to catch my +horse, and like a good fellow came back to help me; and +had he not done so, let me here say that the present history +would never have been written, for nothing could possibly +have saved me from being overtaken, surrounded, and +killed. When Windley came up to me he said, 'Get up +behind me; there's no time to lose,' and pulled his foot out +of the left stirrup for me to mount. Without any unnecessary +loss of time, I caught hold of the pommel of the saddle, +and got my foot into the iron, but it seemed to me that my +weight might pull Windley and the saddle right round; as a +glance over my shoulder showed me that the foremost +Kafirs were now within a hundred yards of us, I hastily +pulled my foot out of the stirrup again, and shifting my +rifle to the left hand caught hold of the thong round the +horse's neck with my right, and told Windley to let him go. +He was a big, strong animal, and as, by keeping my arm +well bent, I held my body close to him, he got me along at +a good pace, and we began to gain on the Kafirs. They now +commenced to shoot, but being more or less blown by hard +running, they shot very badly, though they put the bullets +all about us. Two struck just by my foot, and one knocked +the heel of Windley's boot off. If they could have only hit +the horse, they would have got both of us.</p> + +<p>"After having gained a little on our pursuers, Windley, +thinking I must have been getting done up, asked me to +try again to mount behind him; no very easy matter when +you have a big horse to get on to, and are holding a rifle in +your right hand. However, with a desperate effort I got +up behind him; but the horse, being unaccustomed to such +a proceeding, immediately commenced to buck, and in +spite of spurring would not go forwards, and the Kafirs, +seeing our predicament, raised a yell and came on again +with renewed ardour.</p> + +<p>"Seeing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> that if I stuck on the horse behind Windley we +should both of us very soon lose our lives, I flung myself off +in the middle of a buck, and landed right on the back of my +neck and shoulders. Luckily I was not stunned or in any +way hurt, and was on my legs and ready to run again, with +my hand on the thong round the horse's neck in a very +creditably short space of time. My hat had fallen off, but +I never let go of my rifle, and as I didn't think it quite the +best time to be looking for a hat, I left it, all adorned with +the colours of my troop as it was, to be picked up by the +enemy, by whom it has no doubt been preserved as a +souvenir of my presence among them.</p> + +<p>"And now another spurt brought us almost up to John +Grootboom and the five or six colonial boys who were with +him, and I called to John to halt the men and check the +Matabele who were pursuing us, by firing a volley past us +at them. This they did, and it at once had the desired +effect, the Kafirs who were nearest to us hanging back and +waiting for those behind to join them. In the meantime +Windley and I joined John Grootboom's party, and old +John at once gave me his horse, which, as I was very much +exhausted and out of breath, I was very glad to get. Indeed, +I was so tired by the hardest run I had ever had since my +old elephant-hunting days, that it was quite an effort to +mount. I was now safe, except that a few bullets were +buzzing about, for soon after getting up to John Grootboom +we joined the main body of the colonial boys, and then, +keeping the Matabele at bay, retired slowly towards the +position defended by the Maxim. Our enemies, who had +been so narrowly baulked of their expected prey, followed +us to the top of a rise, well within range of the guns, but +disappeared immediately a few sighting shots were fired at +them.</p> + +<p>"Thus ended a very disagreeable little experience, which +but for the cool courage of Captain Windley would have +undoubtedly ended fatally to myself. Like many brave +men, Captain Windley is so modest that I should probably +offend him were I to say very much about him; but at any +rate I shall never forget the service he did me at the risk of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> +his own life that day on the Umguza, whilst the personal +gallantry he has always shown throughout the present +campaign as a leader of our native allies has earned for him +such respect and admiration that they have nicknamed him +'Inkunzi' (the bull), the symbol of strength and courage."</p></div> + +<p>After this exciting incident, Selous, having lost his horse, +managed to get another, and assisted Captain Mainwaring +in repairing the telegraph wires to Fig Tree Fort, which had +been cut. He then rejoined his troop, which arrived from +Matoli. On the way they found the bodies of two transport +riders killed by followers of Babian and Umsheti.<a name="FNanchor_50_50" id="FNanchor_50_50"></a><a href="#Footnote_50_50" class="fnanchor">[50]</a></p> + +<p>Selous then built Fort Marquand on the top of a kopje, +which commanded the road and a splendid view of the +surrounding country. After a brief visit to Bulawayo he +again went north to build a fort at the Khami river, and +afterwards visited Marzwe's kraal, which had been attacked +by an impi.</p> + +<p>On his return to Bulawayo he found the large column +commanded by Col. Napier despatched to the Tchangani +river to meet the column coming from Salisbury under +Colonel Beal, with which was Cecil Rhodes. This column, +the largest sent out from Bulawayo, inflicted severe punishment +on the Matabele. On May 20th the Salisbury column +was met, and after considerable fighting the whole force +returned to Bulawayo, having suffered but small loss. On +the way a number of the mutilated corpses of white men +and women were found and buried. The history of these +murders Selous relates in his book on the campaign.<a name="FNanchor_51_51" id="FNanchor_51_51"></a><a href="#Footnote_51_51" class="fnanchor">[51]</a></p> + +<p>Shortly before the arrival of the Field Force and Salisbury +Column, Colonel (now Sir Herbert) Plumer had arrived with +a strong body of troops from the south, and the back of the +rebellion was broken, for this gallant officer attacked the +enemy and drove them from the neighbourhood of Bulawayo, +whilst in June General Sir Frederick Carrington, who +had now taken over the supreme command, cleared the +districts surrounding the Matoppo hills, and then to the +north and east, the rebels retreating as the patrols advanced.</p> + +<p>On<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> June 7th Selous proceeded with Colonel Spreckley's +patrol to Shiloh, where but little resistance was encountered, +and on the 4th of July the campaign may be considered at +an end, when the Bulawayo Field Force was disbanded. +Thus ended one of the many little native wars in which +British colonists, nobly assisted by Boer contingents, overcame +under great difficulties a strong and well-armed +nation of savages, who, if they had been properly organized, +might easily have overwhelmed our small forces. The +Matabele, the last strong savage power in South Africa, +were beaten by good "morale" and tenacity on the part +of the whites, who were incensed at the brutal savagery +displayed by their enemies, for if they had not fought for +their lives not only they but all their wives and children +would have been murdered. Mr. Labouchere's choice +phrase, "that the natives are being shot down like game at +a battue, with apparently as <i>little danger</i> to the shooters as +to those killing hares and rabbits," was as great a travesty +of the case as it was mendacious.</p> + +<p>Selous, at any rate in 1896, was a firm believer in the +future of what is now called Southern Rhodesia, and at that +date wrote: "It is known throughout South Africa that +Matabeleland and Mashunaland are white men's countries, +where Europeans can live and thrive and rear strong +healthy children; that they are magnificent countries for +stock-breeding, and that many portions of them will prove +suitable for Merino sheep and Angora goats; whilst agriculture +and fruit-growing can be carried on successfully almost +everywhere in a small way, and in certain districts, especially +in Mashunaland and Manica, where there is a greater +abundance of water on a fairly extensive scale.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"As for the gold, there is every reason to believe that out +of the enormous number of reefs which are considered by +their owners to be payable properties, some small proportion +at least will turn up trumps, and, should this proportion +only amount to two per cent, that will be quite sufficient to +ensure a big output of gold in the near future, which will in +its turn ensure the prosperity of the whole country."</p></div> + +<p>He moreover predicted that when the railway reached<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> +Bulawayo success would be assured, but that this success +would be destroyed if the British South Africa Company's +Charter was revoked and the affairs of the colony administered +by Imperial rule. Whether these hopeful views, honest +as they are, have been fulfilled, still remains to be seen.</p> + +<p>Shortly after the British occupation of Mashunaland the +Chartered Company made an immense effort to "boom" +the country and induce settlers and investors to become +interested in it. The papers were filled with accounts of +the "New Eldorado," whose gold mines were to rival the +Rand, and whose lands were to teem with flocks and herds +of sheep and cattle on a scale that would make Canada and +other parts of South Africa look quite small. The effect +was to drive up the Chartered £1 Shares to over £7, and to +create some apprehension in the minds of the few old South +Africans who really knew the assets of what is, as a matter +of fact, a country of only average possibilities. Its successful +gold mines have, after years of test, proved only of +moderate wealth, and these are only few in number, whilst +the farming industry that was to have supplied the wants +of all the local population as well as great quantities of +cattle for export, has not yet proved a great success. In +fact, after twenty years, the gallant Rhodesian farmers are +still living on hope. There are too many adverse features +against the man who farms stock in Rhodesia, even if he +possesses capital, whilst the settler without money has no +earthly chance to make good. Through all these years every +effort has been made by the Chartered Company to induce +the right kind of settler to go there, but on the whole their +efforts have not met with any great success, or, after all +this time, we should not read the usual note of hope in the +"Times" report of the "Mashunaland Agency," November +17th, 1917:-</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Test shipments of frozen meat have already been made +from Rhodesia to England, and the results were favourably +reported on by experts. It would seem, in short, that South +Africa and Rhodesia may well become successful competitors +in the meat supplies of the world, and this Company has +already secured an early start in this development of an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span> +important industry. We have recently added sheep-breeding +to our ranching operations, although at present +on a small scale only."</p></div> + +<p>The high rate of freight and expense of transport from an +isolated region like Rhodesia will be the great difficulty in +the future, even if they can raise the stock, and the country +will have to compete with Canada, New Zealand, and +South America, all countries which have now good, cheap, +well-organized methods of transport and shipment. It +must not be supposed that Rhodesia has suffered altogether +from a lack of the right kind of settlers. On the contrary, +the most cheerful, industrious type of gentleman-farmer +has tried to "make good" there and when backed by +capital has just managed, after years of toil, to make both +ends meet. If the reader wishes to know the absolute +truth about conditions of life there let him ask some of the +old settlers who are independent in opinion and have no +land to sell, and let him read the novels of Gertrude Page +and Cynthia Stockley, and he will glean a far more accurate +picture of life in Southern Rhodesia than from any company +reports or blue books. Romance is often truth, whilst +complete distortion may lie in official dreams.</p> + +<p>The British South African Company is ever active in +trying to get the right kind of settlers in Southern Rhodesia +and we have no fault to find with them for that if they +were to put them in healthy, fertile areas, but what are the +actual prospects of success there compared with other British +colonies. They too have a post-war land-scheme of offering +ex-soldiers a free land-grant of 500,000 acres. It sounds +generous, but if it is to grant free blocks of land (in Scotland) +of the class offered to ex-soldiers without capital by the +Duke of Sutherland, I feel very sorry for the poor soldiers. +All the land of any value in South Rhodesia is already taken +up by settlers, whilst a great part of the country is totally +unfit for "white man" colonization.</p> + +<p>The following is written by a lady now resident as a +farmer's wife in South Rhodesia, and gives accurately the +various pros and cons and the prospect of success to-day in +that colony.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Do not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> resign your position as any kind of brass hat to +come out here, if making money is your aim and object. +Even our wealthiest farmers are not on the way to being +plutocrats. After all, we are 6000 miles from our best market. +But should fate or fortune land you here, you who love the +sky and the open road, and the starry solitudes of an African +night, the clear-cut outline of granite hills against a sapphire +sky and the fragrance of a flower-jewelled veld, the whirr of +startled birds and the crash of game as it bounds through +the bush, I think you would find it difficult to return to the +troglodyte life of London.—<span class="smcap">Ethel Colquhoun Jollie</span>." +("The Field," April 6th, 1918.)</p></div> + +<p>When the boom in "Things Rhodesian" was at its +height, some truth of the real state of affairs seemed to have +reached British investors. Henry Labouchere doubtless +got hold of a good deal of perfectly correct information and +much that was decidedly otherwise. With his characteristic +audacity in exposing all shams he, in a series of articles in +"Truth," ruthlessly attacked the Chartered Company and +all exploiters and "boomers" of the new territory. Much +of what he wrote was the truth, but with it all, most of his +criticisms were too scathing and hopelessly inaccurate. +Amongst those classed as rascals who came under the lash +of his pen was Fred Selous, a man who knew no more about +business than a child, and who was not associated in the +smallest degree with any financier, and who had never +written one word about the country he was not prepared to +substantiate. To those who knew Selous and his perfect +immunity from all stock-dealing transactions the whole +thing was simply ridiculous, but the Great Public, after all, +is too often prone to believe any libel if it is constantly +repeated. In consequence Selous was much depressed by +these attacks and resented them bitterly, for he knew he +was wholly innocent, yet being advised that he would not +advance his position by replying in the newspapers he +resolved to bide his time and reply to them <i>in toto</i> in a work +he had under preparation ("Sunshine and Storm in Rhodesia").</p> + +<p>Mr. Burlace (of Rowland Ward, Ltd., who had bought the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> +rights of his new book) met Selous at Plymouth on his +arrival in 1896, and fortunately persuaded him not to +mention controversial matters to the numerous pressmen +who were there and wished to hear what he had to say +concerning Mr. Labouchere's articles. Selous was, however, +still anxious to thresh out the whole matter in his book, +but Mr. Burlace, who has very considerable business knowledge +and a firm conviction that the public do not care two +straws about controversial matters after the subject is, so to +speak, "dead," gave him good advice to avoid the discussion +as far as possible and to let the public learn by a +man's own character, past and future, who speaks the +truth. That was sound logic, and Selous profited thereby, +although he did answer many of Labouchere's gross libels +on the Bulawayo Field Force.</p> + +<p>In many ways Rowland Ward and the members of his +staff were good friends to Selous for a considerable part of +his life. They bought his specimens at a good price, looked +after his affairs at home before he married, and helped him +in a hundred ways. Rowland Ward purchased the rights +of Selous' new book, "Travel and Adventure in South-East +Africa," and gave the author a good sum of money for his +work. If "A Hunter's Wanderings" made Selous known to +the public, "Travel and Adventures in South-East Africa" +assured his reputation, made money for him when he badly +wanted it, and fixed a definite value to his future books and +the numerous contributions he made to scientific and sporting +literature. "Sunshine and Storm in Rhodesia," published +by Rowland Ward and Co., was also a success and gave the +public a clear and truthful account of the second Matabele +war and did much to enhance the author's reputation. +This book he dedicated to his wife "who, during the last +few months, has at once been my greatest anxiety and my +greatest comfort."</p> + +<p>It had long been one of Selous' ambitions to add to his +collection the heads of that rare and beautiful antelope, the +Nyala, or Angas's bushbuck, <i>Tragelaphus angasi</i>, whose +habitat was the dense bush stretching along the coast from +St. Lucia Bay, Zululand, to the Sabi river in Portuguese<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span> +territory, east of Mashunaland. It has also more recently +been found in Nyassaland. Wherefore, as soon as he left +Matabeleland and reached Kimberley, he left his wife and +went to Delagoa Bay, intending to hunt this animal for a +short time in the dense thickets which border the Pongolo +and Usutu rivers in Amatongaland. Only three Englishmen +previously had had personal acquaintance with this somewhat +rare antelope, namely, Angas who discovered it, +Baldwin in 1854, and Drummond, 1867-1872, all of whom +wrote of its great beauty, cunning nature, and the pestilential +climate in which it lived.</p> + +<p>In Delagoa Bay Selous was fortunate enough to meet a +certain colonist named Wissels, who owned a small trading +station near the junction of the Pongolo and Usutu rivers, +right in the heart of the habitat of the Nyala. Wissels was +returning home next day in his sea-going boat and Selous +made some swift preparations and accompanied him. In +two days he reached the Maputa and proceeded overland, +with three women carriers, to Wissels' station, where he +found numerous freshly captured skins and horns of the +animal he had come to hunt. For the next few days, in +pouring rain, he crept through the bush with native hunters, +and was fortunate enough to bag three fine male and two +female Nyala, a pair of which are now in the Natural History +Museum in London; the heads of the two other males are +in the collection at Worplesdon. He was somewhat disappointed +not to shoot the rare little Livingstone's Suni, +one of which he saw, as it was one of the few rare antelopes +he did not possess. After a long tramp of eighty miles +through deep sand he reached Delagoa Bay on October 7th, +and then returned to Kimberley, and so to England, not, +however, completely escaping the inevitable attacks of +fever which are the lot of all who hunt the Nyala in the +feverish swamps and thickets of the East Coast.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_46_46" id="Footnote_46_46"></a><a href="#FNanchor_46_46"><span class="label">[46]</span></a> This unfortunate gentleman went to hunt hippopotami at the mouth +of the Limpopo. Neither he nor any members of his outfit were ever +heard of again and they may have been wiped out by the Matabele.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_47_47" id="Footnote_47_47"></a><a href="#FNanchor_47_47"><span class="label">[47]</span></a> Lobengula's native name.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_48_48" id="Footnote_48_48"></a><a href="#FNanchor_48_48"><span class="label">[48]</span></a> Col. Johan Colenbrander, as his name implies, was of Dutch origin. +He was born at Pinetown, Natal, in 1859. At the age of twenty he was a +skilled shot and hunter, and kept a general store in Swaziland close to the +King's kraal. His first wife Maria was then the only white woman in +Swaziland. She was a beautiful woman, one of the daughters of Mr. John +Mullins, of Natal, and was an expert rider and rifle-shot. Colenbrander +was a born hunter and fighter and took part in all the recent wars in +South Africa. He was also an excellent linguist, speaking fluently several +native dialects. He served with distinction in the Zulu War, and in 1889 +and again in 1890 accompanied the Matabele envoys to England as guide +and interpreter. From 1895 he held several positions under the Chartered +Company. In 1893 he remained with Lobengula as peace envoy when +the Pioneers entered Mashunaland. In 1896 he organized and officered +"Colenbrander's Boys," and in the second Boer War in 1901 he took +command of Kitchener's Fighting Scouts and rendered good service, +being mentioned in despatches and receiving the C.B. His second wife +was Yvonne, daughter of Captain Loftus Nunn, and she died after two +years of marriage, whilst his third wife Kathleen, daughter of Mr. James +Gloster, survives him. Colenbrander all his life liked to go where sport, +life, war and adventure called, and was ever a loyal friend to Britain. +As a hunter Selous reckoned him as one of the most experienced in South +Africa. He was unfortunately drowned in Feb., 1918, whilst taking part +in a cinema performance representing the Zulu War. As he was crossing +the Klip river his horse became restive, and he threw himself off and +tried to swim to the bank; when on the point of being rescued he threw +up his arms and sank.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_49_49" id="Footnote_49_49"></a><a href="#FNanchor_49_49"><span class="label">[49]</span></a> "Sunshine and Storm in Rhodesia," pp. 161-163, published by +Rowland Ward and Co.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_50_50" id="Footnote_50_50"></a><a href="#FNanchor_50_50"><span class="label">[50]</span></a> Lobengula's Prime Minister, whom I met in 1893 and whose portrait +I executed for the "Daily Graphic" in that year.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_51_51" id="Footnote_51_51"></a><a href="#FNanchor_51_51"><span class="label">[51]</span></a> "Sunshine and Storm in Rhodesia."</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER X</h2> +<h3>1896-1907</h3> + + +<p><span class="smcap">As</span> soon as Selous and his wife returned home at the +end of 1896 he finished off the notes he had made +concerning the second Matabele War, and delivered +them to Rowland Ward & Co., who published his book, +"Sunshine and Storm in Rhodesia," shortly afterwards. +From this time forward he did a considerable amount of +literary work, which, being in demand, gave him sufficient +money to satisfy many of his more pressing wants at home, +as well as supplying funds for the numerous short trips he +now made every year. Owing in a large measure to the +kindly help and advice given to him by a South African +friend, his finances were now put on a sound basis, and he +was able to look forward to being able to live at home in +comfort without being denied those short periods of wandering +which to him were part of his existence. Of course there +were always ups and downs due to market fluctuations, +and when things went wrong for a while he would have fits +of depression that he would be unable to hunt any more; +but these always passed away sooner or later when the +clouds lifted and some new piece of work commanded a good +price. There is little doubt that a man enjoys best that for +which he has worked. All Selous' later hunts were the outcome +of his industry with the pen, and in some measure from +lectures, so he experienced some joy in the working, for it +meant to him the camp fire and the open road.</p> + +<p>In reading of his almost continuous wanderings after this +date it must not be supposed that he was not happy in his +home life. As a matter of fact no man considered himself +more blessed by fortune in the possession of wife and +children, and every fresh expedition, when he felt impelled +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> +as it were to go to the wilds, was fraught with misgivings +and anxieties for his loved ones at home. It was always a +wrench when the time came. He wrote once to Roosevelt +on this point, and received the following sympathetic +answer:—</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a href="images/i253.jpg"><img src="images/i253-t.jpg" width="400" height="284" alt="Lions Chasing a Koodoo Bull." title="" /> +</a><span class="caption">Lions Chasing a Koodoo Bull.</span> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"... After all, there is nothing that in any way comes +up to home and wife and children, in spite of the penalty +one has to pay for having given hostages to fortune. I know +just exactly how you feel about the 'two hearts.' Having +a wife and six children, of whom I am very fond, I have +found it more and more difficult to get away; for the last +eight years, indeed, my hunting trips have merely been +short outings. I am of course very much interested in my +work here; but I cannot say how I long at times for the +great rolling prairies of sun-dried yellow grass, where the +antelopes stand at gaze, or wheel and circle; for the +splintered cottonwoods on the bank of some shrunken river, +with the wagon drawn up under them, and the ponies feeding +round about; for the great pine forests, where the bull elk +challenge, and the pack-train threads its way through the +fallen timber. I long also for the other wilderness which I +have never seen, and never shall see, excepting through +your books, and the books of two or three men like you who +are now dead. It may be that some time I can break away +from this sedentary life for a hunt somewhere; and of all +things possible to me, I should like to take this hunt among +the big bears of Alaska, and try to work out their specific +relationship. But I don't know whether I shall ever get the +chance; and of course this sedentary life gradually does +away with one's powers; though I can walk and shoot a +little yet. Politics is a rather engrossing pursuit, and, unfortunately, +with us it is acute in the Fall, at the very time +of the best hunting; and as my children grow older I am +more and more concerned with giving them a proper training +for their life-work, whatever it may be. I don't yet accept +the fact that I shall never get the chance to take some big +hunt again, and perhaps it may come so I shall be able to; +and meanwhile I do revel in all the books about big game, +and when I can get out to my ranch even for ten days, I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> +enjoy it to the last point, taking an old cow-pony and +shambling off across the grassy flats for a few days' camping, +and the chance of an occasional prong-buck.</p> + +<p>"I am glad you like to chat with me even by letter. Ever +since reading your first book I have always wanted to meet +you. I hope I may have better luck next year than I had +this. You will of course let me know if you think I can be +of any help to you in your Canadian trip.</p> + +<p>"The Colonel X. whom I wrote to you about is, I am +quite sure, what we should term a fake, although I also have +no doubt that he has actually done a good deal of big game +hunting; but I am certain that, together with his real +experiences, he puts in some that are all nonsense. Did you +ever read the writings of a man named Leveson, who called +himself 'the Old Shikari'? He was undoubtedly a great +hunter; yet when he wrote about American big game, I +know that he stretched the long bow, and I am very sure he +did the same about African big game. He everywhere encountered +precisely those adventures which boys' books +teach us to expect. Thus as soon as he got to Africa, he +witnessed a vicious encounter between black rhinoceroses +and elephants, which would have done credit to Mayne Reid; +exactly as Colonel X. relates the story of a fearful prize-fight, +in which a captive English Major slays a gorilla, against +which he is pitted by a cannibal king—dates, names and +places being left vacant.</p> + +<p>"What do you know of that South African hunter and +writer named Drummond? He wrote very interestingly, +and gave most vivid descriptions of hunting-camps, of the +African scenery, and of adventures with Hons and buffaloes; +but his remarks about rhinoceroses made me think he was +not always an exact observer, especially after I had read +what you said.</p> + +<p>"By the way, did I ever mention to you that Willie +Chanler's party was continually charged by black rhinoceroses, +and his companion, an Austrian named Von +Höhnel, who stayed with me once, was badly mauled by +one."</p></div> + +<p>Like most schoolboys with a taste for natural history and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> +an adventurous disposition Selous had, as we have seen, +been an industrious bird-nester. In his youth he had +commenced to make a collection of European birds' eggs, +and this taste, usually abandoned by most boys in after-life, +was in him only dormant. When he set out to do anything +he generally carried it through to the end; and so when +opportunity came again, as it did after his wanderings in +South Africa were finished, he seized it with avidity. He +was much too good a naturalist to collect eggs wholesale, as +some collectors unfortunately do, but contented himself +with one or two clutches taken by himself. His contention +was, I think, a correct one, that if only one clutch of eggs of +a bird is taken, the same bird either sits again and lays a +fresh set of eggs or makes a new nest. So little or no harm +is done.</p> + +<p>Being a member of the British Ornithologists' Union he +knew all the regular egg-collectors, and soon obtained the +best information where various species were to be found. +Each year as April came round he packed his bag and, +occasionally accompanied by some local enthusiast, he went +to all the best resorts of rare birds in England, Scotland, +the Orkneys, Asia Minor, Spain, Hungary, Holland, and +Iceland.</p> + +<p>Thus in 1897 he commenced the egg-hunting season by +going to Smyrna in February with the intention of taking +the nests of the large raptorial birds which there breed very +early in the year. The point he made for was the Murad +Dagh, a range of mountains in the interior of Asia Minor, +where he knew the short-toed, golden and imperial eagles, +and the black and griffon vultures nested. He also had +some hopes that he might secure one of the big stags before +they dropped their horns. On his journey he suffered much +from the cold in the mountains, and was also at first unsuccessful +in finding any of the big stags, who seemed to have +been hunted out of the range. He saw three fine stags but +did not succeed in finding one of those which he had wounded. +He then returned to Smyrna and went into the Maimun +Dagh again. Here he took the eggs of black vulture, griffon +vulture, short-toed eagle and lämmergeier. Getting tired of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> +this range he went on to the Ak Dagh, where he took one +golden eagle's nest, three griffon vultures' eggs, and two of +black vultures. He also shot a young red deer, with which +was a fine old stag that had just dropped its horns. He +returned to England in March.</p> + +<p>In England he commenced his nesting operations in April +by hunting Thatcham Marsh (near Reading) for water-rails' +nests, and took two. Then he went on to the Scilly Isles for +sea-birds.</p> + +<p>He says, in a letter to me: "I am going to Brabant if I +can obtain a permit from the Dutch Government to collect +a few eggs, and after that to Scotland, where I shall remain +until it is time to leave for America." In Scilly, he says: +"I got eggs of the Greater and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, +Herring Gull, Manx Shearwater, Oyster-catcher, and Ringed +Plover, but found no Terns breeding." On June 8th he +decided to put off his trip to Holland, as it was too late. I +then gave him particulars where he could get Arctic, Lesser +and Sandwich terns in Scotland, and also obtained permission +for him to take two Capercaillie nests. All of these +he obtained.</p> + +<p>In any collection of hunting trophies, the gems of all +collections (with perhaps the exception of the red deer of +Europe and the great sheep and goats of Central Asia) are +the great deer of North America, and Selous had for long +envied the possessors of such fine specimens of moose, +wapiti and caribou as had been obtained in the seventies +and eighties of the last century. It is true that as good +moose and caribou can be killed to-day as ever; but the +great wapiti, owing to their curtailed range, are gone for +ever, so a hunter to-day must be content with inferior +specimens. In 1897 three or four specimens of wapiti were +allowed to be killed in the restricted area south of the +Yellowstone Park, and it was with the intention of killing +these as well as other North American game that Selous +turned to the West in August, 1897.</p> + +<p>In his youth Selous, like other boys of similar tastes, had +devoured the works of Ballantyne, Mayne Reid, Catlin, and +Kingston, relating to fact and fiction, and had always<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> +desired to visit America as one of his lands of dreams. But +it was not civilized America that appealed to him. Cities +are the same all the world over. It was the land of vast +plains and trackless forests swarming with game that +appealed to him; and if he could not, alas, now find such a +hunter's paradise, he could at least see something of the +little that was truly wild which was left and perhaps obtain +a few fair specimens for his collection. Once, it is true, he +had actually taken his passage to America. That happened +in 1893, but the outbreak of the Matabele war in that year +had caused him to alter his plans and he went back to +South Africa instead.</p> + +<p>Selous had a good friend, W. Moncrieff, who owned a small +cattle ranch in the heart of the Big Horn Mountains in +Wyoming. Here in the adjoining forests and mountains still +lived a remnant of the bears, wapiti, mule-deer and sheep +that had formerly been so abundant, and the local knowledge +enjoyed by Moncrieff enabled him to furnish Selous with +the best information. Accordingly he left England accompanied +by his wife, and, passing through Canada, reached +the ranch on the last day of August. Next day the party on +horses, accompanied by a waggon with one Bob Graham as +a guide, struck into the mountains and, after passing over +the main range of the Big Horns, descended into the Big +Horn basin. This is covered with sage brush, and is still the +home of a few prong-horned antelopes, two of which, one a +good male, Selous succeeded in shooting.</p> + +<p>The hunters then proceeded up the south fork of Stinking +Water, and established a main camp in the forests, where a +few very shy wapiti males were still to be found. For twenty +days Selous toiled in a mass of dense and fallen timber before +he carried his first wapiti head back to camp. Wapiti are in +fact now both shy and scarce, and a man must persevere and +work continuously, at least early in the season, before even +one fair specimen can be found, but Selous greatly enjoyed +the grandeur and wildness of the scenery, and being still in +the prime of life the exertion of daily toil did not in any way +affect his energy. On September 29th he shot his first mule-deer +buck. A little snow came and helped to make tracking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> +easier. Then Selous had some luck, and he killed four +wapiti, two in one day, and a fifth near Davies' ranch on +October 28th. Near the same place too he killed one of the +few remaining white-tailed deer-bucks in Wyoming, but its +head was rather a poor one, that of an old male "going-back." +Selous wrote an account of this trip to Roosevelt, +then Assistant Secretary to the American Navy, and received +(November 30th, 1897) the following reply:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Your letter made me quite melancholy—first, to think +I wasn't to see you after all; and next, to realize so vividly +how almost the last real hunting-grounds in America have +gone. Thirteen years ago I had splendid sport on the Big +Horn Mountains which you crossed. Six years ago I saw +elk in bands of one and two hundred on Buffalo Fork; and +met but one hunting expedition while I was out. A very +few more years will do away with all the really wild hunting, +at least so far as bear and elk are concerned, in the Rocky +Mountains and the West generally; one of the last places +will be the Olympic Peninsula of Oregon, where there is a +very peculiar elk, a different species, quite as big in body +but with smaller horns, which are more like those of the +European red deer, and with a black head. Goat, sheep, +and bear will for a long time abound in British Columbia and +Alaska.</p> + +<p>"Well, I am glad you enjoyed yourself, anyhow, and that +you did get a sufficient number of fair heads—wapiti, prong-buck, +black-tail, and white-tail. Of course I am very sorry +that you did not get a good sheep and a bear or two. In the +north-eastern part of the Park there is some wintering +ground for the elk; and I doubt if they will ever be entirely +killed out in the Park; but in a very short while shooting +in the West, where it exists, will simply be the kind that +can now be obtained in Maine and New York; that is, the +game will be scarce, and the game-laws fairly observed in +consequence of the existence of a class of professional guides; +and a hunter who gets one good head for a trip will feel he +has done pretty well. You were in luck to get so fine a +prong-buck head.</p> + +<p>"Do tell Mrs. Selous how sorry I am to miss her, as well<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> +as you. I feel rather melancholy to think that my own four +small boys will practically see no hunting on this side at all, +and indeed no hunting anywhere unless they have the +adventurous temper that will make them start out into wild +regions to find their fortunes. I was just in time to see the +last of the real wilderness life and real wilderness hunting. +How I wish I could have been with you this year! But, as +I wrote you before, during the last three seasons I have been +able to get out West but once, and then only for a fortnight +on my ranch, where I shot a few antelope for meat.</p> + +<p>"You ought to have Hough's 'Story of the Cowboy' and +Van Dyke's 'Still Hunter.' Also I think you might possibly +enjoy small portions of the three volumes of the Boone and +Crockett Club's publications. They could be obtained from +the 'Forest and Stream' people at 346 Broadway, New York, +by writing. Have you ever seen Washington Irving's 'Trip +on the Prairie,' and Lewis and Clarke's Expedition? And +there are two very good volumes, about fifty years old, now +out of print, by a lieutenant in the British Army named +Ruxton, the titles of which for the moment I can't think of; +but I will look them up and send them to you. He describes +the game less than the trappers and hunters of the period; +men who must have been somewhat like your elephant-hunters. +When I was first on the plains there were a few of +them left; and the best hunting-trip I ever made was in the +company of one of them, though he was not a particularly +pleasant old fellow to work with.</p> + +<p>"Now, to answer your question about ranching; and +of course you are at liberty to quote me.</p> + +<p>"I know a good deal of ranching in western North +Dakota, eastern Montana and north-eastern Wyoming. +My ranch is in the Bad Lands of the Little Missouri, a good +cattle-country, with shelter, traversed by a river, into which +run here and there perennial streams. It is a dry country, +but not in any sense a desert. Year in and year out we +found that it took about twenty-five acres to support a steer +or cow. When less than that was allowed the ranch became +overstocked, and loss was certain to follow. Of course where +hay is put up, and cultivation with irrigation attempted,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span> +the amount of land can be reduced; but any country in +that part of the West which could support a steer or cow on +five acres would be country which it would pay to attempt +to cultivate, and it would, therefore, cease to be merely +pastoral country.</p> + +<p>"Is this about what you wish? I have made but a short +trip to Texas. There are parts of it near the coast which are +well-watered, and support a large number of cattle. Elsewhere +I do not believe that it supports more cattle to the +square mile than the north-western country, and where +there are more they get terribly thinned out by occasional +droughts. In Hough's book you will see some description +of this very ranching in Texas and elsewhere. I really +grudge the fact that you and Mrs. Selous got away from this +side without my even getting a glimpse of you."</p></div> + +<p>As he had only shot two wapiti with fair heads and one +mule-deer with average horns, Selous decided to have a +second hunt in the Rockies, with the object of obtaining +better specimens. In November, as a rule, there is heavy +snow in the mountains, and this has the effect of driving the +game down out of the heavy timber into more open ground +where "heads" can more easily be seen and judged. +Accordingly in October, 1898, Selous went to Red Lodge +in Montana and there met the hunter Graham. This time +he went up the north fork of Stinking Water to the forest +and about twelve miles east of the Yellowstone Park. Mild +weather, however, throughout November was all against +seeing any quantity of game, so Selous was again somewhat +disappointed with the results of this hunt.</p> + +<p>After this trip, in 1898, he wrote to me:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Come here yourself as soon as you can. <i>Vous serez +toujours le bienvenu.</i> A damned newspaper reporter (an +American, who came here whilst I was in London, and +would not go away until he had seen me) said I have got +some good wapiti heads, but I only got one <i>fair</i> one. I got +four wapiti bulls altogether, but two had very small heads—not +worth taking. I got four mule-deer stags, one with a +very nice head and a second not at all bad. I also shot +another lynx; but I had very unfortunate weather, hardly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> +any snow, and when I left the Mountains the wapiti were +still up in their early autumn range."</p></div> + +<p>Selous was rather disappointed in not obtaining better +wapiti heads, and wrote in his book ("Travels East and +West") that bigger heads of deer could now be killed in +Hungary than in the Rockies. Commenting on this, +Roosevelt, in a letter to him at a later date, says:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"By the way, I was in the winter range of the deer +(Colorado), and I have never seen them so numerous. They +were all black-tail (mule-deer). Every day I saw scores, and +some days hundreds. There were also elk (wapiti). I did not +shoot either deer or elk, of course; but I saw elk-antlers shot +last fall, ranging from 52 to 56 inches in length. I think you +were a few years ahead of time (although only a few years) +when you stated that already bigger antlers could be secured +in Hungary than in the Rockies."</p></div> + +<p>In this doubtless Roosevelt was correct; but Selous had +hunted in a district where all good heads had been picked +off, and the range and feed of wapiti had been so curtailed +that even at this date and now it is practically impossible +to obtain a good specimen.</p> + +<p>In April, 1899, he went with his wife to Wiesbaden, +returning in June. In October he paid a short visit to his +friend, Mr. Danford, in Transylvania, where he killed some +good specimens of chamois—one, a female, having horns +11 inches long. In November he came home again, and +having some thought of hunting elk in Norway in the following +year, wrote to me in November, 1899: "I want to hear +all about your hunt in Norway, so come over here at once. +I am very glad to hear you were so successful with the elk +and bear, and should much like to have a try next year, if +I could stand the work, which I have always heard is very +hard." This hunt, however, failed to materialize.</p> + +<p>One of Selous' beliefs was that it was impossible for men +to hold wide sympathies and to lead others towards the light +unless they had been through the grinding-mill of experience +in other lands. His broad-minded outlook made him a +cosmopolitan in one sense of the word, for he found good and +something ever to learn from the men of all nations; yet<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span> +withal at heart he was intensely English of the English, and +believed in our destiny, as a nation, as a guiding light to +universal understanding. His view was that no man had +any right to express an opinion on another nation unless +that man had lived amongst the people he criticized <i>and +could speak their language</i>. Such a theory would no doubt +be unpopular, but it is right. In international differences +all kinds of people express their views in contemporary +literature just because they happen to have the ear of the +public; but how many of these really know anything about +the people they criticize. A popular cry is raised, and the +mob follow like a flock of sheep. An instance of this was the +complete misunderstanding of the causes of the Boer War +and Boer nation. There were not half a dozen men in +England or Africa to tell the public at home the true state +of things, and when they did express their views they were +quickly drowned in a flood of lies and misrepresentations by +interested politicians and gold-magnates who held the press. +Men like Selous and Sir William Butler, because they told +the absolute truth, were dubbed "Pro-Boers," when in +reality they were the best examples of "Pro-English" +Englishmen. They simply could not be silent amongst the +welter of falsehoods, and only tried to stem the flowing tide +of mendacity. Their strongly expressed view that the war +would not be a walk-over for us, and that we were fighting +a gallant foe who deemed themselves right in defending +their country, which had been most distinctly given back +to them by inviolable treaties (made by the Gladstone +Government), was correct, and that they would fight desperately +and to a large extent successfully was abundantly +proved by subsequent events. If Selous made a mistake it +was in allowing certain letters to the "Times" and "Morning +Post" to appear <i>after the war had commenced</i>. I have +reason, however, to believe that these letters were written +and sent in prior to the commencement of hostilities, and +that they were "held over" to a time when their appearance +was, to say the least of it, unfortunate.</p> + +<p>In justice to Selous, however, it must be said that after +this he kept silent, nor did he ever utter a word publicly in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span> +the matter. He felt that we were now hopelessly involved, +and that anything he could say would be of little use. +Though he felt sad and disappointed over the whole matter, +he was far too much a patriot to do other than wish success +to our arms, though he ever hoped that some amicable +settlement would evolve out of the whole disastrous affair. +Afterwards too he often expressed his appreciation of the +noble way in which the subsequent British Government +treated the Boers, both at the conclusion of peace and the +liberal manner in which we sought to bury the hatchet—a +manner which unfortunately has not always met with +success amongst the older Boer irreconcilables. Men like +Botha and Smuts have proved that our later policy has been +broad-minded and humane, and that in time we shall +amalgamate in one South African Dominion a nation absolutely +loyal to the British Crown; but it will be a long time +before the malcontents have lost all their bitterness and a +new generation understands what is meant by a Greater +South Africa.</p> + +<p>His true feelings as regards the war are thus stated in a +letter to me, November 5th, 1899:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"This war is a most deplorable business; but of course, +as you say, we <i>must</i> bring it to a successful conclusion now +at whatever cost; but think what South Africa will be like +when it is over. However, it is useless talking about it. My +letters to the 'Times' have raised a great deal of ill-feeling +against me in this country."</p></div> + +<p>And again, writing January 1st, 1900, he says:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I am very depressed about this war. It is a bad business, +and justice is not on our side. There was a lot of dirty work +done by the capitalists to bring it about, and no good can +come of it for this country. I have seen several letters +written by Jan Hofmeyr during the last few months, beginning +before the war. They are very interesting, and I +hope will be published some day. They seem to explode +the idea of the leaders of the Cape Africanders having been +in a conspiracy of any kind with the Pretoria lot."</p></div> + +<p>From 1872 onwards Selous had known and studied the +Boers intimately. He had lived and hunted with them from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span> +the Orange Free State to Matabeleland, and had found them +a simple race of hunter-farmers, intensely patriotic and +hopelessly conservative. He knew that "they are neither +angels nor devils, but just men like ourselves," and that the +views of the British, German and Jew storekeepers and +traders of the Transvaal and Orange Free State were hopelessly +wrong, because they did not know the real back-veldt +Boers of the country, who made up the majority of the +Nation. He himself had never received anything but kindness +and straight dealing from them, and was therefore +able to appreciate their indignation and outbursts of fury +when a second annexation was contemplated by our Government. +He replies to the charge that life for Englishmen was +impossible in the Transvaal after the retrocession to the +Boers of that country in 1881: "Mr. Rider Haggard has +told us that he found it impossible to go on living in the +Transvaal amid the daily insults of victorious Boers, and he +also tells us that Boers look upon Englishmen with contempt, +and consider them to be morally and physically cowards. +I travelled slowly through the Transvaal by bullock-waggon +shortly after the retrocession of the country in 1881, and +visited all the farmhouses on my route. I met with no +insults nor the least incivility anywhere, nor ever heard any +boasting about Boer successes over our troops, though at +that time I understood the 'Taal' well. In common with +all who really know the Boers, who have lived amongst them, +and not taken their character at second-hand, I have always +been struck by their moderation in speaking of their victories +over our soldiers. As for the Boers having a contempt for +Englishmen as individuals, that is nonsense. They hate the +British Government, and knowing their history, I for one +think they have ample reason for doing so. But the individual +Englishman that they know, they take at his real +value. There are of course, unfortunately, certain Englishmen +in Johannesburg, or people who are now put down as +Englishmen, who could not but appear as contemptible to a +Boer as they would do to most people in this country. But, +on the other hand, I could name many Englishmen and +Scotchmen, men who have been honest and upright and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> +fearless in all their dealings with their neighbours, who have +been held in immense respect by all the Boers of their +acquaintance. These men, however, lived amongst the +Boers, spoke their language, and took a sympathetic interest +in their lives; whilst one of the troubles of the present +situation in the Transvaal is that the Uitlander population +of Johannesburg is, in its sympathies, its mode of life, and +all its hopes and aspirations, as wide as the poles asunder +from the pastoral Boers, with whom it never mixes, and +whom it therefore does not understand." (Letter to the +"Times," October 24th, 1899.)</p> + +<p>This was also exactly my own experience as recently as +1893, when I lived entirely and trekked with Boers for a year. +Never was I ever treated except with the greatest kindness +both by my own intimate friends or casual acquaintances, +once I had learnt to speak the "Taal," nor did I ever hear +them "crow" over their victories of 1881. There was, however, +always the latent fear that the British Government +would again play them false, and they would be once more +forced to fight us; but with individual Englishmen they +liked and trusted there was no sign of animosity.<a name="FNanchor_52_52" id="FNanchor_52_52"></a><a href="#Footnote_52_52" class="fnanchor">[52]</a></p> + +<p>In June, 1900, Selous was asked to sign a protest, issued +by the "South Africa Conciliation Committee," inaugurated +by W. L. Courtney (editor of the "Fortnightly Review"). +In the following letter, however, written to the Secretary, +he manifests his sound common-sense in separating the +"causes of the war" from what could be done at the +moment when our forces were actually fighting and likely to +prove victorious. His grievance was with the authorities +who brought<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span> about the war and the methods which had +been employed to make it, and not with the conduct thereof +or its natural effects. Wherefore he refused to sign the +protest, and gave his reasons as follows:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<div class="right">"<i>August 3rd, 1900.</i></div> + +<p>"I have left your circular so long unanswered because I +have been thinking over it very deeply, and because, +although I realize most fully the force of all the arguments +that can be used against the annexation of the Boer Republics, +I still think that those who sign the protest ought +to be able to propose some scheme of settlement which +holds out a better prospect of future peace. I personally +can think of no such scheme. Had honourable terms been +offered to the Boers, and the independence of their countries +been assured to them with certain necessary limitations, immediately +after the occupation of Pretoria, there might +have been great hope for the future peace of the country, +but all that has occurred, not only in the Transvaal and +Orange State, but also in the Cape Colony, must have +caused such a feeling of exasperation amongst the Dutch +Africanders against the British Government, that I cannot +but feel that the granting of a limited independence to the +Boer Republics would not now produce rest or peace. +Things have gone too far for that now, and it seems to me +that Great Britain will only be able to hold South Africa in +the immediate future by force. I am of course convinced +of the truth of all you say in the protest, that the annexation +of the Boer Republics is 'contrary to the public declarations +of Her Majesty's Ministers, alien to all the best traditions +of a freedom-loving country, burdensome to the +resources of the nation, and wholly distasteful to the majority +of our fellow-subjects in South Africa,' but that does not +blind me to the fact that the race hatred that has been +engendered by this war is so deep and so terrible that the +granting of independence to the Boer Republics would be +more immediately disastrous to British supremacy in +South Africa than unjust annexation accompanied by the +garrisoning of the country with large numbers of troops. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span>Annexation or no annexation, I firmly believe that sooner +or later the people who actually live in South Africa—as distinguished +from those whose only interest in the country +is the exploitation of its mineral wealth—will govern the +country, and, if they wish it, have their own flag, and throw +off all allegiance to Great Britain. I would gladly sign any +protest against the policy which brought about the war, +one of the results of which is this ill-omened annexation of +independent states, but I am beginning to think, with John +Morley, that annexation was an almost necessary result of +a war pushed to the bitter end. I am very sorry to have +troubled you with so long a letter, but I wish you to understand +that, although my views as to the iniquity of the +policy which brought about the war will always remain +the same, and although I think the annexation of the two +Boer Republics a piece of injustice and a national disgrace, +and would most willingly have signed a protest against it +three months ago, I now feel the exasperation caused by the +war is so great that the independence of the Boer Republics +might very possibly be used against British supremacy in +South Africa. It is a very distressing outlook, and I can +see no light in the future; but still I do not feel justified in +signing the present protest. I beg to thank you for the last +two leaflets you sent me, Nos. 53 and 54. The publication +of Colonel Stonham's evidence, as to the humanity of the +Boers, ought to have a very good effect if it could be made +widely known."</p></div> + +<p>After this the war drew on slowly to its eventual finish +in 1901, Selous' only public contribution being a letter to +the "Speaker," which was used by the South African +Conciliation Committee in its efforts to influence the Government, +and part of this letter, which deals with the effects of +the war on the Boer population and the future, is worth +quoting:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Should it, however, be determined to erase the Boer +Republics from the map of Africa and to carry on the war +to the point of practically exterminating the able-bodied +male population of these two sparsely-peopled States, let +it not be thought that the surviving women will bring up<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span> +their children to become loyal British subjects. Let Englishmen +remember that the men who prophesied that within a +short time after the war was over the Boers would become +reconciled to the British, whom they would then have learnt +to respect, are the same people who also told us that the war +would be a very short and simple campaign, as the Boers +were a degenerate, cowardly race, who could no longer shoot +at all well, and who would be sure to disperse to their +homes after the first battle, if only a hundred of them were +killed. These were the sort of predictions which were very +commonly heard in this country a few months before the +war commenced, and they were the utterances of men +wholly ignorant of the Boer character.</p> + +<p>"As showing that there are people whose opinions are +entitled to respect who think differently, I will now quote +from memory a passage in a letter lately written by a +well-known and well-educated Dutch Africander to a friend +in this country: 'Those people who expect that the Boers +will soon forgive and forget this war, and settle down quietly +under the British flag, are most terribly mistaken. I think +I know my own countrymen, and I believe that if, after this +war is over, the independence of the Republics is destroyed, +the historic episode of Hamilcar making Hannibal swear +eternal enmity to Rome will be re-enacted in many a farmhouse +throughout the Transvaal and Orange Free State. +The Boer women will teach their children to hate the very +name of England, and bid them look forward to the day +when their country will be freed from British domination.' +These words, even if the idea they express is somewhat exaggerated, +are worthy of attention when it is remembered +how rapidly the Boers increase in numbers and fighting +strength." ("The Speaker," 1900.)</p></div> + +<p>After this he only expressed his views to a few personal +friends, such as President Roosevelt, who was in close +sympathy with his hopes that peace on a fair basis might +soon be restored. In reply to one of his letters, Roosevelt, +writing March, 1901, says:—</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 311px;"> +<a href="images/i271.jpg"><img src="images/i271-t.jpg" width="311" height="400" alt="The Wandering Minstrel." title="" /> +</a><span class="caption">The Wandering Minstrel.</span> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>"It makes me melancholy to see the Boer War hanging +on. Your limit of eighteen months (the time Selous stated +it would last)<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span> is rapidly approaching. Of course there can +be only one ending; but it is a dreadful thing to have the +ending come only by the exhaustion of the country and of +the fighting men. How I wish you could be made administrator +of all South Africa. Somehow I feel that you could +do what no other man could do, and really bring about peace. +I begin to be afraid you have been right about this war. I +hope we shall see things go right hereafter."</p></div> + +<p>It is interesting too to study both Roosevelt's and the +American attitude towards our policy in the Boer War. In +reply to Selous' explanation of the whole matter the American +statesman thus writes (March 19th, 1900):—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I appreciate very deeply the trouble you have taken in +writing to me; although in a way your letter has made me +feel very melancholy. My idea of the questions at issue has +been mainly derived from the 'Spectator,' a paper that I +take and always like, and which impresses me as being +honestly desirous of getting at the true facts in any given +case. I paid especial heed to what it said because of its +entire disapproval of Cecil Rhodes and the capitalist gang. +Moreover, a friend of mine, Ferdinand Becker, who was in +the Transvaal and who saw very clearly the rights and +wrongs of each side, and for whose judgment I have great +respect, insists that as things actually were the war was +inevitable, <i>that there had to be a fight, and that one or the other +race had to be supreme in South Africa</i>. By the way, much of +the pro-Boer feeling here is really anti-English, and as I +have a very warm remembrance of England's attitude to us +two years ago, I have of course no sympathy with such +manifestations. So I thought after Montague White's visit +to me that I should like to hear the other side from someone +whom I could thoroughly trust, and I appealed to you. It +is largely an academic curiosity on my part, so to speak, +for the answer of the English Premier to the communication +of transmissal sent by President McKinley with the letters +from the Presidents of the two Republics shows that any +mediation would be promptly rejected. I do not suppose +that the end can be very far distant now, unless there is a +formidable uprising in the Cape Colony, for it would look as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> +if there had never been fifty thousand Boers under arms, +and Roberts has four times that number of troops in South +Africa. Evidently the Boers are most gallant fighters, and +quite as efficient as they are gallant.</p> + +<p>"I had been inclined to look at the war as analogous to +the struggles which put the Americans in possession of +Texas, New Mexico, and California. I suppose the technical +rights are about the same in one case as in the other; but, +of course, there is an enormous difference in the quality of +the invading people; for the Boers have shown that they +have no kinship with the Mexicans. In Texas the Americans +first went in to settle and become citizens, making an Outlander +population. This Outlander population then rose, +and was helped by raids from the United States, which in +point of morality did not differ in the least from the Jameson +raid—although there was at back of them no capitalist +intrigue, but simply a love of adventure and a feeling of +arrogant and domineering race-superiority. The Americans +at last succeeded in wresting Texas from the Mexicans and +making it an independent Republic. This Republic tried +to conquer New Mexico but failed. Then we annexed it, +made its quarrels our own, and did conquer both New +Mexico and California. In the case of Texas there was the +dark blot of slavery which rested on the victors; for they +turned Texas from a free province into a slave republic. +Nevertheless, it was of course ultimately to the great advantage +of civilization that the Anglo-American should +supplant the Indo-Spaniard. It has been ultimately to +the advantage of the Indo-Spaniard himself, or at any rate +to the advantage of the best men in his ranks. In my +regiment, which was raised in the South-West, I had forty +or fifty men of part Indian blood and perhaps half as many +of part Spanish blood, and among my captains was one of +the former and one of the latter—both being as good +Americans in every sense of the word as were to be found in +our ranks.</p> + +<p>"If the two races, Dutch and English, are not riven +asunder by too intense antagonism, surely they ought to +amalgamate in South Africa as they have done here in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> +North America, where I and all my fellows of Dutch blood +are now mixed with and are indistinguishable from our +fellow Americans, not only of English, but of German, +Scandinavian, and other ancestry.</p> + +<p>"The doubtful, and to my mind the most melancholy, +element in the problem is what you bring out about the +Englishman no longer colonizing in the way that the Boer +does. This is a feature due, I suppose, to the enormous +development of urban life and the radical revolution in the +social and industrial conditions of the English-speaking +peoples during the past century. In our Pacific States, and +even more in Australia, we see the same tendency to the +foundation of enormous cities instead of the settlement of +the country districts by pioneer farmers. Luckily, America +north of the Rio Grande and Australia definitely belong to +our peoples already, and there is enough of the pastoral and +farming element among us to colonize the already thinly-settled +waste places which now belong to our people. But +the old movement which filled the Mississippi valley at the +beginning of this century with masterful dogged frontier-farmers, +each skilled in the use of the rifle and axe, each +almost independent of outside assistance, and each with a +swarm of tow-headed children, has nearly come to an end. +When Kentucky, at the close of the eighteenth century, was +as populous as Oregon 100 years later, Kentucky did not +have one-tenth of the urban population that Oregon had +when she reached the same stage. Now, urban people are +too civilized, have too many wants and too much social +ambition, to take up their abode permanently in the wilderness +and marry the kind of women who alone could be +contented, or indeed could live in the wilderness. On the +great plains of the West, when I was in the cattle business, +I saw many young Easterners and young Englishmen of +good families who came out there; but not one in twenty, +whether from the Atlantic States or from England, married +and grew up as a permanent settler in the country; and +the twentieth was usually a <i>déclassé</i>. The other nineteen +were always working to make money and then go home, or +somewhere else, and they did not have their womankind<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> +with them. The 'younger son' of whom Kipling sings is +a picturesque man always, and can do very useful work as +a hunter and explorer, or even a miner, but he is not a +settler, and does not leave any permanent mark upon any +true frontier-community with which I am acquainted. +After the frontier has been pushed back, when the ranchman +and the cowboy and the frontier-ganger, who are fitted for +the actual conditions, have come in, then the 'younger son' +and the struggling gentleman-adventurer may make their +appearance in the towns. Of course, there are exceptions to +all of this, but as a rule what I have pointed out is true. I +have seen scores—perhaps hundreds—of men from Oxford +and Cambridge, Harvard and Yale, who went into cattle-growing +on the Great Plains, but they did just as I did; +that is, worked with greater or less success at the business, +gained an immense amount of good from it personally, +especially in the way of strength and gratifying a taste for +healthy adventure, learned much of human nature from +associating with the men round about, and then went back +to their own homes in England or New York or Boston, +largely because, when it came to marrying and bringing up +children, they could not well face the conditions; and so +the real population of the future in the valleys of the upper +Missouri, the Platte, and the Rio Grande, will be composed +of the sons of their companions, who were themselves +descendants of small farmers in Texas, Missouri, and +Illinois, or of working-men from Scandinavia and Germany.</p> + +<p>"Pardon this long letter, which has wandered aside from +the thesis with which it started. I hope that the language of +the more highly civilized people will, in spite of the evil +influences of to-day, gradually oust the 'Taal' or whatever +you call Boer Dutch in South Africa, and that when the +conquest of the two Republics is succeeded by the full +liberty which I understand the Cape Dutch enjoy, there +will come a union in blood as well as in that between the two +peoples who are so fundamentally alike.</p> + +<p>"I am looking forward to the receipt of the three books +you have been so very kind as to send me. I do know a +certain amount about the Boers from the time of their great<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span> +trek onward, for it has always seemed to me to be one of the +most fascinating bits of modern history."</p></div> + +<p>In the spring of 1900 Selous went on a bird-nesting trip +to the forest and marshes of the Danube in Hungary, and +was successful in getting the eggs of many new species for +his collection. When he arrived home in June he found his +finances in low water, owing to enlarging his house, and so +feared he would be unable to make an extensive autumn +hunt, but later on things improved, and he was able to go +West after all.</p> + +<p>In September, 1900, he went to Canada to hunt moose, +and arrived at Mattawa, Ontario, on September 24th. On +this trip he was fortunate in securing the services of George +Crawford, a half-breed Indian, who was probably the best +moose-caller and hunter in that province. In spite of the +number of American hunters who at this time made the +districts of Kippewa and Tamiskaming their favourite +hunting-grounds, Crawford always knew where to go to +secure moose, and it was not long before Selous reached a +hunting-ground, about three days north of Mattawa, on +Lake Bois Franc, where he killed two fine bulls. After this +short trip he went to Snake Lake to try and secure a good +white-tailed deer stag, but was not very successful, as he +only secured a four-year-old buck with moderate horns. +On October 26th he landed in Newfoundland and, being +supplied with bad information, went by railway from Port-aux-Basque +to Howley, a station on the main line, where +the annual slaughter of caribou took place late in the season.</p> + +<p>It was not long before Selous found that the so-called +"sport" of shooting caribou on migration as they crossed +the line in their southern migration was not sport at all, +and that frequently, owing to the number of bullets flying +in all directions fired by enthusiastic meat-hunters, the +shooting was likely to result in human as well as cervine +casualties. Moreover, hardly any good stags come south +with the mass of does and immatures, so, taking his guide +Stroud and an old man named Robert Saunders he left +the place in disgust and went south to the Terra Nova river, +intending to strike into the heart of the country and, if<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span> +possible, catch up the main body of the migrating deer +before they cast their horns and reached their winter-quarters +near the south coast. But he was too late, and after an +onerous tramp, during which he penetrated beyond the +limits reached by other white men, he was forced to return +owing to lack of food, but not before his sharp eyes had seen +numerous trees stripped by "summering" stags in the +neighbourhood of St. John's Lake. These signs convinced +him that the local movements of the deer were unknown +even to the hunters in Newfoundland, and that the big stags +would probably be found in autumn in the heart of the island, +and not on migration in the north. In this he was quite +correct. He did not, however, go home without a specimen, +for he killed one nice stag on his journey inland.</p> + +<p>Accordingly he made plans to hunt in the neighbourhood +of St. John's Lake in the following autumn of 1901, and procuring +two canoes from Peterborough in Ontario, and +enlisting the services of Saunders and his cousin John Wells, +he ascended the rocky Terra Nova river in September. To +the reader it may seem easy to go seventy miles in a canoe +up-stream, but the fact that previous hunters had not been +there proves that there were difficulties. No Newfoundland +boats in fact would withstand the rocky benches of this swift-flowing +river, so progress can only be made for the most part +by wading and dragging the canoes, whilst the hunter has +to force his way through dense forest, so thick at times that +an axe has to be used for progress to be made before reaching +the higher plateaux, where lakes and streams are easily +passed. Once on Lake St. John, all was easy, and Selous +found game abundant and a small migration of big stags +already in progress.<a name="FNanchor_53_53" id="FNanchor_53_53"></a><a href="#Footnote_53_53" class="fnanchor">[53]</a></p> + +<p>Moreover, Selous was lucky enough to have struck a good +year for "heads." In less than eight days he shot his five +stags, two of which carried remarkably fine heads—one, +in fact, a forty-pointer, which he killed by a long shot close +to his camp, being one of the finest specimens ever killed +in the island by any sportsman. Selous often spoke afterwards +of this trip as being one of the pleasantest he ever +had in his life.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span></p> +<p>He writes, October 6th, 1901:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I am back from Newfoundland. I had a short but very +successful little trip into quite new country, thanks to my +canoes, and shot the five stags my licence entitled me to +kill very quickly. I have got one really remarkable head, +a second, very handsome, with beautiful double brow-antlers, +and very fine tops; and a third, a pretty regular head of +medium size—the other two not much to boast about. +But my two good heads are really fine, and when you see +them you will never rest till you go to my new ground and +get more like them. I can give you all particulars when we +meet, and have arranged that my guide—hardly the right +word, as we got into country where he had never been in +his life and where he says no one has ever yet hunted, +except a few Micmac Indians who were out after caribou, +but trapping beavers along the rivers—shall keep himself +unengaged for you up to June next."</p></div> + +<p>In December we had some good days together in Shropshire, +at Sir Beville Stanier's, shooting partridges, and at +Swythamley with the Brocklehursts killing driven grouse +in a blizzard. Selous, though then over fifty, was much +fitter and more active than many a man of twenty-five, and +the way he walked and talked was a joy to behold. After +dinner he would begin telling stories, and at 1.30 was still +hard at it when most of us were dying to go to bed. Nothing +could curb his enthusiasm once a congenial topic was +started, and his avidity was such both for acquiring and +dispensing knowledge that time itself seemed all too short.</p> + +<p>Early in January, 1902, he went to Smyrna for the purpose +of egg-collecting, with the added expectation of getting a +shot at a stag or wild goat, and on March 5th writes:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I got back from Asia Minor last week, with a good +series of eggs of the White-tailed Eagle and one Lämmergeier's +egg. I found two Lämmergeiers' nests, both +with young birds, but I got an addled egg which I was able +to blow. I had no shooting, though I made an attempt to +get a shot at a stag, but there was so much snow in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> +mountains that the Turks would not take pack-ponies in for +fear of getting snowed up."</p></div> + +<p>On August 11th we were all at Swythamley again enjoying +the hospitality of Sir Philip Brocklehurst and having +some very excellent shooting. One day we shot the park +and killed 1170 rabbits, and a notice of this event given in +the "Field," as 585½ brace of grouse, a good bag, indeed, for +Staffordshire, was a statement so far from the truth that we +easily traced it to the old squire's love of nonsense.</p> + +<p>Having some time at his disposal in September, Selous +resolved to take a short run out to Sardinia for the purpose +of adding specimens of the Mouflon to his collection. Most +of the English hunters who have killed this very sporting +little sheep have pursued it in March, at which time of year +the Mouflon are mostly hidden in the tall "Maquia" scrub +(<i>Erica arborea</i>), where they are difficult both to find and to +stalk. Someone, however, had given Selous the hint that +if he went to Sardinia in late September he would see the +sheep on the open hills, when they would probably afford +much better sport. This was quite true, but unfortunately +for the hunter the autumn of 1902 was one of the wettest +on record, and Selous, after the first few days of good weather, +when he killed three fair rams, lived for a fortnight in pouring +rain and discomfort in a leaky tent, and had eventually to +give up the chase in disgust. He came back, however, with +a high admiration for the intellectual abilities of the little +Mouflon, and resolved at some future date once again to +visit the "elevated farmyard,"<a name="FNanchor_54_54" id="FNanchor_54_54"></a><a href="#Footnote_54_54" class="fnanchor">[54]</a> as someone has termed these +mountains of "the Isle of Unrest."</p> + +<p>On November 17th he left on his first trip to British East +Africa, taking the German boat at Marseilles to Mombasa. +As this trip was somewhat experimental he made no large +plans and merely wished to get a few specimens of the common +species of mammals found there. This he hoped to do by +making short trips in the neighbourhood of the line. At +this time, even so near civilization, British East Africa was +truly a big game paradise.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span></p> +<p>Writing to Abel Chapman concerning this, Selous says:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"My trip to East Africa last year (1902-1903) cost me +just £300, but I think I did it cheaper than most people. I +got fairly good heads of Coke's, Neumann's, and Jackson's +Hartebeests, Topis, Impala, Bushbucks, Oribis, Steinbucks, +and Cavendish's Dik-diks. I did not get a Jackson's Wildebeest +as, although there were thousands all along the line +when I went up country, when I came back to try to get +one, they had migrated south. I saw lots of Common and +Defassa Waterbucks, but no good heads, so never shot one. +Also hundreds of Elands. I did not actually see a Rhino., +but often got quite fresh spoor; but I did not want to +shoot one of these animals as I have good specimens from +South Africa."</p></div> + +<p>He reached home in March, 1903, and the spring of this +year was, as usual, spent in egg-collecting. He writes, +June 30th:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I have just finished my egg-collecting season. I got a +Dotterel's nest on the top of Ben Wyvis, also a couple of +Ptarmigans' nests, which are difficult to find. I got too +several nests of Grasshopper Warbler, Wood Wren, and +Pied Flycatcher in Northumberland, but I had a very good +local man to help me."</p></div> + +<p>The year 1904 was a very busy one for Selous, and the +following letter to me gives some idea of his energy in +hunting for the eggs of birds of which he has not yet taken +specimens.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"During the last few days I have been marking King-fishers' +nests on the Thames and Water Rails' nests in +Thatcham Marsh, for Major Stirling (of Fairburn), who has +been very kind to me in Scotland and helped me to get all +sorts of good eggs. I have got him two Kingfishers' nests +marked that I am sure have eggs in them, and also two +Water Rails' nests. One of these had six eggs in it yesterday. +We go to Wargrave for the Kingfishers to-morrow, +and to Thatcham for the Water Rails on Thursday. On +Friday I am off to North Wales, where I hope to get a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span> +Chough's nest. During the first half of May I shall be here, +and will come over to see you during that time. On May +15th I start for Ross-shire, to get Crossbills, and then on to +Orkney to get eggs of Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl, Twite, +etc. On May 26th I must be at Ravenglass, in Cumberland, +to get a couple of clutches of Sandwich Terns' eggs (by permission), +and the next day on the Tyne for Pied Flycatchers, +Grasshopper Warblers, etc. Then back to Orkney early in +June for Merlins, Black Guillemot, Eider Duck, etc. Then +I think I shall try for a Scoter's nest near Melvick, in +Sutherlandshire, and I wind up the season with a trip to +St. Kilda with Musters to get eggs of Fork-tailed Petrel +and Fulmar. Are there any old orchards about you? If +so, we might look them over for a Hawfinch's nest about +May 10th. I am not going to lend any of my heads to the +Crystal Palace people. They wrote to me about it, but I +have declined to send them any heads."<a name="FNanchor_55_55" id="FNanchor_55_55"></a><a href="#Footnote_55_55" class="fnanchor">[55]</a></p></div> + +<p>Later in the year he wrote one of his characteristic letters, +speaking of his successes in egg-hunting and expressing his +sorrow at the death of our mutual friend, Sir Philip Brocklehurst:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I am now home again from my egg-collecting trip to the +north. I have had a fairly successful season. I got two +Choughs' nests in North Wales in April, and several Water +Rails' near here in a nice little swamp I know of. In Orkney +I got Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl, Merlin, Eider Duck, +Dunlin, Golden Plover, Rock Pipit, and Twite. I have also +taken this year in Northumberland and Cumberland nests of +Wood Wren, Grasshopper Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, Great +Spotted Woodpecker, Sandwich Tern, and Shell Duck. Now +I want a nest of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers. There are a +few about here, but I cannot find out where they nest. I am +going to the Crystal Palace to-morrow, and shall see your +Caribou heads there I hope. Now I want you to help me. +I am President of our village cricket-club, and have got +together a team to play them on July 9th (Saturday). I +am experiencing great difficulty in getting an eleven together. +Will you help me and play for me on that day? +If so, please come here in time for lunch. We do not play +till 2.30 p.m. Now can you come? Do, if you can, and +bring another man with you. Please let me know about +this as soon as possible, as I must now begin to hustle to get +my team together. Isn't it sad to think that poor old Sir +Philip Brocklehurst has gone? If we ever go to Swythamley +again, things can never be as they were in the old Squire's +time. I feel his loss very much. If you are at home now I +should like to come over and see you and have our usual +'crack,' my dear Johnny."</p></div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span></p> +<p>Just before leaving for Canada on July 14th he writes:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"What with people coming to see us here, garden-parties, +cricket, political meetings, etc., there seems to be no time +for anything. I hope you will have a good time Whale-hunting +in August in the Shetland Isles. Write us a good +account of it and make some good pictures."</p></div> + +<p>Leaving England on July 14th, 1904, Selous reached +Dawson City, on the Yukon, on August 8th. He went via +Vancouver, and much enjoyed the pleasant voyage up the +North Pacific coast, which abounds in islands and forests, +and in scenic effect is much superior to Norway, which it +resembles. Here he joined a party of sportsmen who +had chartered a flat-bottomed steamer to take them up the +north fork of the MacMillan river, a branch of the Yukon. +There was, however, a delay of ten days, and as Selous could +not endure inactivity he spent the time, with the help of a +half-breed Indian and a pack-horse, in the Ogilvy Mountains, +where he found and killed a male caribou of the variety +which I have recently described under the name of <i>Tarandus +rangifer ogilvyensis</i>, one of the many sub-specific races of +reindeer of the North American Continent as yet somewhat +imperfectly known. Selous then returned to Dawson, and +the hunting party being assembled on the little steamer, a +start up-stream was made on August 21st. After proceeding +some distance up the Yukon, the Pelly, and then the MacMillan +for five days through shallow and tortuous channels, +the steamer could go no further. At Slate Creek two +Americans, Professor Osgood the Zoologist, and Carl Rungius<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span> +the artist of mammals, left to establish a hunting-camp there, +whilst Selous and his friend, Mr. Charles Sheldon, a well-known +hunter and field naturalist, passed up the north fork +of the MacMillan, the rest of the party going up the south +fork. Selous soon killed a moose cow for meat, and in a few +days Sheldon, reconnoitring up in the mountains, found +a good camping-place on the edge of timber-line, so Selous +and his friend then left the canoes and carried their heavy +packs up the mountain. Whilst doing so Louis Cardinal, the +half-breed hunter, spied a bull moose lying in the scrub, and +Selous soon worked down to it and killed it at short range. +Sheldon's chief object of pursuit was the wild sheep of these +ranges, <i>Ovis fannini</i>, whilst Selous' was to obtain good +moose and caribou, and, if possible, grizzly bears and sheep.</p> + +<p>In the first two days Selous killed a fine caribou bull of +the sub-specific race <i>Tarandus rangifer osborni</i>, a fine form +of reindeer that exists from the Itcha Mountains in British +Columbia to the east of the Kenai Peninsula. This variety, +which is only found west of the Rocky Mountains, intergrades +to the south with <i>Tarandus rangifer montanus</i> of southern +British Columbia, and to the north-west with <i>Tarandus +rangifer stonei</i> of the Kenai peninsula. It is by far the +finest of the American caribou, with the exception of the +nearly extinct race, a branch of <i>Tarandus rangifer labradorensis</i>, +which belongs to the north-east corner of Labrador, +and carries fine massive horns from 50 to 61 inches long, +but not furnished as a rule with many points.<a name="FNanchor_56_56" id="FNanchor_56_56"></a><a href="#Footnote_56_56" class="fnanchor">[56]</a> Selous +was much cheered in getting so easily two fine specimens +of this great deer at once. One night in the middle of +September a fine display of the Aurora Borealis with its +magnificent tongues of flame was observed, and Selous +rightly says, "I count these splendours of the Arctic sky as +amongst the most marvellous of all the wonders of the +world," an opinion all who have seen them will endorse.</p> + +<p>In the next few days Selous killed another bull moose, +but not a large one, carrying a head with a span of 50 inches, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span>and then an old bull with horns evidently going back. At +last dawned a day of great good fortune, for the hunter +met and killed a great bull whose horns have seldom been +equalled by any taken out of the Yukon Territory. The +horns, measuring 67 inches across, a width not often surpassed +even in the Kenai peninsula, were very massive, and +carried 41 points; the skull and horns weighed over 75 lbs. +"Altogether," he says, "it seemed to me I had at last +obtained a trophy worth a king's ransom," for to a hunter +such as he no bag of gold or diamonds would have seemed +more precious.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile his friend, Charles Sheldon, had not been so +fortunate as he usually was in finding the big sheep rams, +and had only shot a few immatures and females and young +for the extensive collection he afterwards formed for +American museums, and, as the season was now late and +the prospect of the "freeze up" imminent, the two hunters +abandoned their hunting-camp and started down-stream +on the return home. After some disappointments, one in +which Sheldon lost a fine bull moose owing to a misfire, +Selous and his companion reached Plateau Mountain, +where Osgood and Rungius, who had enjoyed some good +sport with moose and caribou, were again met. The whole +party then went down-stream, and had some difficulty in +getting through the ice which was now forming, but reached +Selkirk safely on October 7th. On the whole this had been +a very successful trip for Selous, but he was a little disappointed +in not getting sheep, grizzly, and black bears.</p> + +<p>His own account of the whole trip is as follows:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"My dear Johnny,—Just a line to tell you that I got home +again from the Yukon country yesterday (November 7th). +I shall have a lot to tell you about it when we meet. The +original trip that I was invited to join fell through, as +neither the governor of the Yukon Territory was able to go +nor my friend Tyrrel who invited me to join the party. +There was a lot of delay, and eventually three Canadians, +three Americans, and myself hired a small flat-bottomed +steamer to take us up the Pelly and MacMillan rivers. This +took much longer than was expected, and it was not till<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span> +August 30th that we got to the furthest point to which the +steamer could take us. Then we all split up, and an American +(Charles Sheldon, an awfully good fellow, whom I hope I +shall be able to bring over to see you one of these days) and +myself (we had chummed up on the steamer) tackled the +north fork of the MacMillan river. We had each a twenty-foot +canoe and one man. My man was a French half-breed, +and Sheldon's a white man, both first-rate fellows. We had +a very 'tough' time getting the canoes up the river, as the +stream was fearfully strong and the water very cold. We +were in the water most of every day for six days, often up +to our waists, hauling the canoes up with ropes. Then we +reached the foot of a big range of mountains. The day we +left the steamer bad weather set in and we had 18 days of +filthy weather, sleet and snow, and the whole country +covered with snow. On September the 6th or 7th we packed +up into the mountains, carrying everything on our backs +to close up to timber-line (about 5000 feet in this northern +country, the point where we left the timber being about +2500 feet above sea-level). No Indians to pack, no guides, +no nothing, and damned little game either, though we were +in an absolutely new country, where there are no Indians +at all, and only four trappers in the whole district, and these +men never go up into the high mountains. There were +any quantity of beavers up the north fork of the MacMillan. +The trappers have not yet touched them and they +are wonderfully tame. We could find no sheep rams in the +mountains, only small flocks of ewes and kids. Moose after +September 18th were fairly numerous, but by no means +plentiful. I only saw three caribou, one a very good bull, +whose head will, I think, interest you. I believe it is the +kind that Merriam calls Osborn's caribou, a very large heavy +animal, with horns rather of the Barren Ground type, but +finely palmated at the top. I shot four bull moose and +spared two more. One of my moose has a right royal head, +and pays me well for all my trouble. The spread across the +palms, with no straggly points, is 67 inches, and it has 41 +points (23+18). My second best head measures 58½ inches +across the palms, with 22 points (11+11). I boxed my heads<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span> +in Vancouver, and hope to get them some time next month, +and you must come and see them as soon as they are set up."</p></div> + +<p>In the autumn of 1905 he went on his third trip to Newfoundland, +in order to see something more of the interior of +the island and to shoot a few caribou. The country he now +selected was that in the neighbourhood of King George IV +Lake, a district that had only previously been visited by two +white men, Cormack, its discoverer, in 1822, and Howley in +1875. This is not a difficult country to reach, as canoes +can be taken the whole way, and there are no bad "runs" +or long portages. The autumn of 1905 was, however, +perhaps the wettest on record, and it poured with rain every +day, whilst, as to the caribou stags, they carried the poorest +horns in any season, owing to the severity of the previous +winter. In this trip, in which he was accompanied by two +excellent Newfoundlanders, Joseph Geange and Samuel +Smart, Selous saw large numbers of caribou, but did not +obtain a single good head, and though he enjoyed the +journey, the trophies killed were somewhat disappointing, +and especially so as he had broken into quite new country.<a name="FNanchor_57_57" id="FNanchor_57_57"></a><a href="#Footnote_57_57" class="fnanchor">[57]</a></p> + +<p>Selous' own account, in a letter to me, November 22nd, +is as follows:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"By the time you get this letter I shall be at home again, +or at any rate in London. I have to commence my lecturing +on December 4th, but if I can get a spare day before then +I will come over and see you. My experience in Newfoundland +was much the same as yours. I saw a lot of caribou, +but no very large heads. I had, too, terribly bad weather, +almost continuous rain and sleet storms on the high ground +near George IV Lake. By-the-bye, Mr. Howley tells me +that to the best of his belief I am the third white man who +has visited that lake. The first was Cormack, who named +it a long time ago, and the second Mr. Howley, who was there +in 1875. The caribou in the country between King George's +Lake and the head of the Victoria river live there. I saw +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span>non-travelling deer there, all the herds were stationary, +feeding or lying down in one spot all day long. Lots of +trees too along the river, where the stags had cleaned their +horns. Packing in from Lloyd's river to the north-west, I +struck some splendid caribou-ground. Here the deer were +all on migration southwards. As a matter of fact, I did +very little systematic hunting, but a lot of tramping, always +carrying a 40 lb. pack myself. I have got one very pretty +head of 36 points, very regular and symmetrical, but not +large. In a storm of driving sleet it looked magnificent on +the living stag. I have another head I like, and some others +of lesser merit, one of them for the Natural History Museum. +I have preserved a complete animal for them."</p></div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a href="images/i289.jpg"><img src="images/i289-t.jpg" width="400" height="260" alt="OSBORN'S CARIBOU." title="" /> +</a><span class="caption">Osborn's Caribou.<br /><br /></span> +</div> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_52_52" id="Footnote_52_52"></a><a href="#FNanchor_52_52"><span class="label">[52]</span></a> As an instance of this I may mention that the greater number of +the "hunting" Boers I lived with and knew well were captured in the +Middelburg district in 1900 by a party of Steinacker's horse, who surprised +the commando at dawn. All were captured except Commandant +Roelef Van Staden, my former hunter, one of the finest men it has ever +been my good fortune to meet in any land. He fought his way out single-handed +and escaped. When brought into camp these Boers were well +treated by Colonel Greenhill-Gardyne (Gordon Highlanders), who asked +them if they knew me, to which they replied that I was the only Englishman +they had ever known and that they would consider it a favour if +he would kindly send a message of friendship to me, detailing their capture +and certain misfortunes that had befallen some of their families in the +war. They were also particularly anxious that I should know that Van +Staden had escaped. This letter I treasure, for it shows that the Boers +have no personal animosity to those who have once been their friends.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_53_53" id="Footnote_53_53"></a><a href="#FNanchor_53_53"><span class="label">[53]</span></a> This is very unusual, for in four seasons' hunting there, I never found +the deer move at so early a date as September 15th.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_54_54" id="Footnote_54_54"></a><a href="#FNanchor_54_54"><span class="label">[54]</span></a> On the hills of Genna Gentu, the principal home of the Mouflon in +Sardinia, the native shepherds allow their cattle and herds of sheep and +goats to graze amongst the wild sheep and this constant disturbance +keeps all creatures constantly on the move.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_55_55" id="Footnote_55_55"></a><a href="#FNanchor_55_55"><span class="label">[55]</span></a> Later he was persuaded to lend his heads for the exhibition, but few +visitors saw the collection.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_56_56" id="Footnote_56_56"></a><a href="#FNanchor_56_56"><span class="label">[56]</span></a> I was so fortunate as to kill one of these caribou in the Tanzilla +Mountains on the borders of Alaska, with fifty-three points, in 1908, but +this was quite an exceptional head of an unusual type.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_57_57" id="Footnote_57_57"></a><a href="#FNanchor_57_57"><span class="label">[57]</span></a> This year I was hunting in the Gander forests about 75 miles south-east +of King George IV Lake and saw an immense number of caribou +stags, but only one with a first-class head, a 35-pointer, which I was +fortunate enough to kill. Later in the season I saw most of the heads +killed in the island and there was not a good one amongst them.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> +<h3>1906-1907</h3> + + +<p>In April, 1906, Selous went all the way to Bosnia just +to take the nest and eggs of the Nutcracker, and those +who are not naturalists can scarcely understand such +excessive enthusiasm. This little piece of wandering, however, +seemed only an incentive to further restlessness, which +he himself admits, and he was off again on July 12th to +Western America for another hunt in the forests, this time +on the South Fork of the MacMillan river. On August 5th +he started from Whitehorse on the Yukon on his long +canoe-journey down the river, for he wished to save +the expense of taking the steamer to the mouth of +the Pelly. He was accompanied by Charles Coghlan, +who had been with him the previous year, and +Roderick Thomas, a hard-bitten old traveller of the +North-West. Selous found no difficulty in shooting the +rapids on the Yukon, and had a pleasant trip in fine weather +to Fort Selkirk, where he entered the Pelly on August 9th. +Here he was lucky enough to kill a cow moose, and thus had +an abundance of meat to take him on the long up-stream +journey to the MacMillan mountains, which could only be +effected by poling and towing. On August 18th he killed a +lynx. At last, on August 28th, he reached a point on the +South Fork of the MacMillan, where it became necessary to +leave the canoe and pack provisions and outfit up to timber-line. +Here almost immediately he killed a cow caribou for +meat, and a comfortable camp was soon made. During the +following days Selous hunted far and wide, and found that +Osborn's caribou was as plentiful in these ranges as his +friends in the previous year had found them. He killed six<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span> +splendid bulls, one of which is now to be seen, mounted +whole, in the Natural History Museum, and in a short time +got all the specimens he wanted. One day he saw a large +black animal, which he took to be a bear, coming towards +him, and eventually killed it at a distance of 400 yards. It +proved to be a black variety of the wolf—a somewhat rare +animal to kill with the rifle, and curiously enough he killed +another a few days later.</p> + +<p>Before leaving the mountains he shot a good bull moose +and missed another, whilst going down-stream, at 30 yards. +A second shot, however, killed the animal, and gave the +hunter another fine specimen with horns 63 inches across. +Selous reached Selkirk on September 20th, and so had no +difficulty in getting out before the ice formed.</p> + +<p>As soon as he got home he wrote to me telling of the +results of his trip, and I give it as showing the sympathetic +nature of his disposition for the sorrows of others:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The first part of your letter awoke afresh all my +sympathy for you and poor Mrs. Millais in your sorrow +for the loss of your dearly beloved child. I suppose you can +never hope to forget what you once possessed and can never +have again, nor would you wish to do so; but time is +merciful, and whilst never forgetting the sweetness of +disposition of your dear child, the sorrow for her loss will +gradually hurt you less and less. At least I trust it will be +so. I am so glad to hear that you have got such a splendid +lot of caribou heads this year. You well deserve them, for +you have taken a lot of trouble to get them. You must now +have quite a unique collection of Newfoundland caribou +heads. I got one good moose this year 63½ inches spread +(measured by Mr. Burlace the other day) and another pretty +head of 52 inches spread. Besides these two I only saw one +other bull moose—a fair-sized head. I saw a good many +caribou, but no large heads. Every big bull I saw seemed +to have a well-grown head. On August 29th I saw a single +old bull and shot him. The next day I saw another bull +with ten cows and shot him. These heads were both in +velvet, but fully grown out and the velvet just ready to +peel off. On September 1st I saw another single bull and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span> +shot him; and on the following day got another close to +camp. Both these bulls had their horns quite clean of +velvet, not a shred left on any part. I then went away to +another range of mountains to look for sheep and moose, +returning again to the caribou-ground about the middle of +September. On my first day I came across four splendid +old bulls all together. They all had big heads, and I got +close to them and could have shot them all, but I let two of +them go after killing the other two, which seemed to me to +have the finest horns. Whilst I was skinning the animals I +had shot (with my half-breed Indian) three more big bulls +<i>and a hornless cow</i> came and lay down on a knoll about +400 yards away. One of these seemed to have very large +horns; but I thought that six was enough, so I let them +alone. I think three or four of the heads I have got are +pretty good, but much better no doubt could be got if one +waited till they got into large herds after the rutting season. +Burlace makes my longest head 57¼ inches, another is +55 inches, and two others just over 51 and 50. Two of +them have an inside spread of 48 inches. One head is of +quite a different type to the other five. It is only about +40 inches long and very like a Newfoundland head with +beautiful tops. Besides the caribou and moose I only got +two wolves—very fine ones, and one of them black. I saw +no bears at all, and only female sheep. I am going away +on Saturday, December 1st, lecturing (with a two days' +interlude at Beville Stanier's), and shall not be home again +from Scotland till December 15th. On December 17th I +go away again till the 20th; but after that I shall be at home +for a long time. Let me know when you get your heads +home, and I will then come over to look at them, and you +must come and see my Yukon heads as soon as I get them +from Ward's."</p></div> + +<p>In May, 1907, he went to Asia Minor to take the eggs of +sea and raptorial birds, living on or near the Mediterranean +coasts.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>In June he wrote: "I was very pleased to see the letter +you wrote to the 'Field' about poor Arthur Neumann. I +had thought of writing something myself, but did not know<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</a></span> +him as well as you did. I shall never cease to regret his loss. +I look upon him as the last of the real genuine hunters of +African big game."</p></div> + +<p>Arthur Neumann, the celebrated elephant-hunter, was +born at Hockliffe Rectory, in Bedfordshire, in 1850. In +1868 he went to Natal and later to Swaziland, and acted as +interpreter during the Zulu war in 1879. From 1885-1887 +he hunted much in South Africa, and after a time went to +East Africa, where he helped to survey the line from the +coast to Lake Victoria Nyanza. After another visit to +South Africa he made his first journey after elephants to +the East of Mount Kenia and killed large numbers of bull +elephants.</p> + +<p>In 1896 he was badly injured by a cow elephant, and +returned to Mombasa in October, 1896. In 1899 he took +part in the second Boer war, and in 1902 returned to East +Africa and had another successful hunt, getting some +immense tusks.</p> + +<p>In 1903-1904, hunting in Turkana, Turkwel and the +Lorian swamp, he killed many elephants, and made his last +expedition in 1905-1906, when his ivory realized £4500 on +sale in London. He was a pioneer like Selous, and wherever +he went made a favourable impression on the native—helping +greatly to advance our hold on British East Africa. +He died suddenly in 1907.</p> + +<p>In August, 1907, Selous went on a little hunt after +reindeer in Norway, as the guest of his old friend, Captain +P. B. Vanderbyl, a hunter who has had perhaps as great a +general experience of big game hunting as any man living. +In this trip Selous shot five good stags in seven days' +hunting, but was not so fortunate as to get a first-class +specimen, although some of his heads were good. Of this +trip Captain Vanderbyl kindly sends me the following note:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Although friends of many years' standing, Selous and I +only did one shooting-trip together, and that was after +Reindeer in Norway. We sailed from Hull to Stavanger in +August, 1907, and marched in with pack-ponies a few miles +from the head of the Stavanger Fjord to Lyseheien, where +a small shooting-box had been recently erected.</p> + +<p>"Owing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</a></span> to a five years' close season which had just terminated +we found the reindeer fairly numerous, and not too +difficult to approach, but as they always feed up-wind, and +cover a lot of ground, we had some days to walk long +distances before spying any.</p> + +<p>"We arrived at Lyseheien a few days before the opening +of the season, and spent the time walking after ryper, of +which we used to get 12 or 15 brace a day, and although +Selous was never a good shot with the gun, he showed the +same keenness after the birds as he did for any form of sport. +He had to leave Norway a few days before I did, in order +to see his boys before they returned to school.</p> + +<p>"We were quite successful on this trip, and secured thirteen +stags between us, with some good heads among them. +When not hunting, we beguiled the time with some French +novels Selous produced, and I never knew of his liking for +this kind of literature before.</p> + +<p>"We both enjoyed the trip thoroughly, and were surprised +to find so wild and unfrequented a hunting ground within +about three days journey of London."</p></div> + +<p>During this season I was camped on the highest part of +the range, some thirty miles to the north. A heavy snowstorm, +lasting for six days, occurred on September 1st, and +drove all the deer south-west to Lyseheien, which accounted +in some measure for the excellent sport enjoyed by my friends.</p> + +<p>Reindeer are at all times subject to these sudden local +migrations, and the very uncertainty of the sport makes it +somewhat fascinating and difficult. In Norway it is now +difficult to secure a good reindeer head for this reason, and +the fact that indiscriminate poaching, even on what is +called strictly preserved ground, prevails.</p> + +<p>During the winter of 1907 and early in the following year +Selous devoted himself to finishing his book "African +Nature Notes and Reminiscences" (published by Macmillan +& Co. in 1908), a work which he wrote principally at the +instigation of his friend, Theodore Roosevelt. In this he +devotes the first two chapters to his views on protective +coloration and the influence of environment on living +organisms. For lucidity and accuracy of treatment he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</a></span> +never wrote anything better or more clearly discounted the +views of theoretical naturalists. It is a model of conclusive +argument backed by sound data. Commenting on his +remarks Ex-President Roosevelt thus gives his opinions on +the subject (November 1st, 1912):—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"It is a misfortune that in England and America the +naturalists should at the moment have gotten into an +absolutely fossilized condition of mind about such things as +protective coloration. Both the English and the American +scientific periodicals are under the control of men like +Professor Poulton and others who treat certain zoological +dogmas from a purely fetichistic standpoint, exactly as if +they were mediæval theologians. This is especially true of +their attitude toward the doctrine of natural selection, and +incidentally toward protective coloration. There is much in +natural selection; there is much in protective coloration. +But neither can be used to one-twentieth the extent that the +neo-Darwinians, such as Mr. Wallace and the rest, have used +them; indeed these neo-Darwinians have actually confused +the doctrine of natural selection with the doctrine of evolution +itself.</p> + +<p>"Heller is coming home soon. He has just written me +from Berlin, where he saw our friend Matzchie who, you +doubtless remember, has split up the African buffalo into +some twenty different species, based on different curves of +the horns. Matzchie told Heller that he had read my +statement that of the four bulls I shot feeding together near +the Nairobi Falls, the horns, according to Matzchie's theory, +showed that there were at least two and perhaps three +different species (among these four bulls from the same herd). +Well, Matzchie absolutely announces that doubtless there +were two species among them, because the locality is on the +border-line between two distinct types of buffalo, that of +Kenia and that of the Athi! I think this is one of the most +delightful examples of the mania for species-splitting that +I have ever seen. On the same basis Matzchie might just +as well divide the African buffalo into a hundred species as +into twenty; and as for the elephant he could make a new +species for every hundred square miles.</p> + +<p>"Apparently<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</a></span> your 'African Nature Notes' was 'hoodooed' +by my introduction and the dedication to me; but I cannot +help hoping that you will now publish a book giving your +experiences in East Africa and up the White Nile. Without +the handicap of my introduction, I think it would do well! +Seriously, the trouble with your 'African Nature Notes' is +that it is too good. The ideal hunting-book ought not to be +a simple record of slaughter; it ought to be good from the +literary standpoint and good from the standpoint of the +outdoor naturalist as well as from the standpoint of the big +game hunter. Stigand's books fulfil both the latter requirements, +but he has not your power to write well and +interestingly, and he has a rather morbid modesty or self-consciousness +which makes him unable to tell simply and +as a matter of course the really absorbingly interesting +personal adventures with which he has met. Unfortunately, +however, the average closet naturalist usually +wants to read an utterly dry little book by some closet +writer, and does not feel as if a book by a non-professional +was worth reading—for instance, I was interested in +London to find two or three of my scientific friends, who +knew nothing whatever about protective coloration in the +field, inclined to take a rather sniffy view of your absolutely +sound and, in the real sense, absolutely scientific, statement +of the case. On the other hand, the average man who +reads hunting-books is too apt to care for nothing at all but +the actual account of the hunting or of the travelling, +because he himself knows no more about the game than the +old Dutch and South African hunters whom you described +used to know about the different 'species' of lion and black +rhinoceros. Nevertheless I am sure that your 'African +Nature Notes' will last permanently as one of the best +books that any big game hunter and out-of-doors naturalist +has ever written. Charles Sheldon was saying exactly this +to me the other day. By the way, I hope he will soon write +something about his experiences in Alaska. They are well +worth writing about. I am much irritated because Shiras, +some of whose pictures I once sent you, will not make any +use of his extraordinary mass of notes and photographs of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</a></span> +American wild game and the rarer creatures of the American +forests and mountains.</p> + +<p>"I am sending you herewith a rather long pamphlet I +have published on the subject of protective coloration. +Thayer answered the appendix to my 'African Game +Trails,' in a popular Science Monthly article, re-stating and +amplifying his absurdities. Men like Professor Poulton +treat him with great seriousness, and indeed Professor +Poulton is himself an extremist on this subject. I thought +it would be worth while going into the subject more at +length, and accordingly did so in the bulletin of the American +Museum of Natural History, and I send you a copy. I shall +also send one to Stigand. Do write me about your experiences."</p></div> + +<p>Roosevelt was in a measure responsible for this excellent +book, and it was due to his encouragement that Selous +undertook its publication. He sent it in parts to his friend, +who thus summarizes the author's literary style:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I have been delighted with all the pieces you sent me, +and have read and re-read them all. Do go on with your +lion article. I earnestly wish you would now write a book +describing a natural history of big game. You are the only +man alive, so far as I know, who could do it. Take S.'s +book, for instance, which you sent me. It is an excellent +book in its way, but really it is only a kind of guide-book. +The sole contribution to natural history which it contains +is that about the wolves and the big sheep. But you have +the most extraordinary power of seeing things with minute +accuracy of detail, and then the equally necessary power to +describe vividly and accurately what you have seen. I read +S.'s book, and I have not the slightest idea how the sheep or +the ibex or the deer look; but after reading your articles I +can see the lions, not snarling but growling, with their lips +covering their teeth, looking from side to side as one of +them seeks to find what had hurt it, or throwing up its tail +stiff in the air as it comes galloping forward in the charge. +I can see the actual struggle as the lion kills a big ox or cow +buffalo. I can see the buffalo bulls trotting forward, stupid +and fierce-looking, but not dangerous unless molested, while<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</a></span> +they gaze from under their brow-armour of horn at the first +white man they have ever seen. I can see wild hounds, with +their ears pricked forward, leaping up above the grass to see +what had shot at the buffalo they were chasing.</p> + +<p>"I was immensely interested in your description of these +same wild hounds. And what a lesson you incidentally give +as to the wisdom of refraining from dogmatizing about +things that observers see differently. That experience of +yours about running into the pack of wild hounds, which, +nevertheless, as you point out, often run down antelopes +that no horse can run down, is most extraordinary. I am +equally struck by what you say as to the men who have run +down cheetahs on horseback. Judging from what Sir +Samuel Baker saw for instance, cheetahs must be able to +go at least two feet to a horse's one for half a mile or so. +I wonder if it is not possible that the men who succeeded +in running them down were able to get a clear chase of two +or three miles so as to wind them. If different observers had +recorded the two sets of facts you give as to the speed of +the wild hounds under different conditions, a great many +people would have jumped to the conclusion that one of +the two observers, whose stories seemed mutually contradictory, +must have been telling what was not so.</p> + +<p>"Let me thank you again for the real pleasure you have +given me by sending me these articles. Now do go on and +write that book. Buxton and I and a great many other +men can write ordinary books of trips in which we kill a few +sheep or goat or bear or elk or deer; but nobody can write +the natural history of big game as you can."</p></div> + +<p>Selous' intimacy with the President was of that charming +character which unfortunately we now only associate with +early Victorian days. They wrote real letters to one another +of that heart-to-heart nature which only two men absorbed +in similar tastes, and actuated by a similar intellectual +outlook, can send as tributes of mind to mind. Such letters +are ever a joy to the recipient; but once Selous seems to +have over-expressed his concern, when the President was +attacked and wounded by a would-be assassin. The answer +is both characteristic and amusing.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"My dear Selous,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[266]</a></span> I could not help being a little amused +by your statement that my 'magnificent behaviour, splendid +pluck and great constitutional strength have made a +great impression.' Come, come, old elephant-hunter and +lion-hunter! Down at the bottom of your heart you must +have a better perspective of my behaviour after being shot. +Modern civilisation, indeed, I suppose all civilization is +rather soft; and I suppose the average political orator, or +indeed the average sedentary broker or banker or business-man +or professional man, especially if elderly, is much overcome +by being shot or meeting with some other similar accident, +and feels very sorry for himself and thinks he has met with +an unparalleled misfortune; but the average soldier or +sailor in a campaign or battle, even the average miner or +deep-sea fisherman or fireman or policeman, and of course +the average hunter of dangerous game, would treat both my +accident and my behaviour after the accident as entirely +matter of course. It was nothing like as nerve-shattering +as your experience with the elephant that nearly got you, +or as your experience with more than one lion and more than +one buffalo. The injury itself was not as serious as your +injury the time that old four-bore gun was loaded twice over +by mistake; and as other injuries you received in the +hunting-field."</p></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[267]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XII</h2> +<h3>1908-1913</h3> + + +<p>On March 20th, 1908, President Roosevelt wrote to +Selous and announced his intention of taking a +long holiday in Africa as soon as his Presidency of +the United States came to an end, and asked Selous to help +him. So from this date until the following March, Selous +busied himself in making all the preparations and arrangements +of a trip the success of which was of the greatest possible +delight to Roosevelt and his son Kermit, and advantage to +the American museums of Natural History, which benefited +by the gift of a magnificent series of the East African and +Nile Fauna.<a name="FNanchor_58_58" id="FNanchor_58_58"></a><a href="#Footnote_58_58" class="fnanchor">[58]</a> Selous threw himself into the task with +characteristic energy, with the result that the President +had the very best advice and help. Roosevelt was at first +adverse to taking a white man as caravan-manager, but +Selous overruled this and proved the wisdom of employing +such men as Cuninghame and Judd (for a short period), who +are by far the most experienced hunters in East Africa, for +Roosevelt and his son had then nothing to do but hunt and +enjoy themselves, whilst all the burden of camp-arrangements +was taken off their shoulders. Writing on November +9th, 1908, Roosevelt expresses his gratitude, and in his +letter gives some insight into his policy of the "employment +of the fit."</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Perhaps you remember the walk we took down Rock +Creek, climbing along the sides of the Creek. On Saturday +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[268]</a></span> +I took fifty officers of the general staff and War College on +that same walk, because I thought the older ones might need +a little waking up. I was rather pleased to find that they +all went pretty well, even when we waded the Creek where +it was up to our armpits, and climbed the cliffs. My dear +Selous, it does not seem to me that I would have taken this +trip (to Africa) without your advice and aid, and I can +never begin to thank you for all you have done."</p></div> + +<p>President Roosevelt was also delighted with the prospect +that he would have Selous' company in his forthcoming +voyage to Africa. Writing December 28th, 1908, he says:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Three cheers! I am simply overjoyed that you are +going out. It is just the last touch to make everything +perfect. But you must leave me one lion somewhere! I +do not care whether it has a black mane or yellow mane, or +male or female, so long as it is a lion; and I do not really +expect to get one anyhow.<a name="FNanchor_59_59" id="FNanchor_59_59"></a><a href="#Footnote_59_59" class="fnanchor">[59]</a> I count upon seeing you on +April 5th at Naples. It makes all the difference in the world +to me that you are going, and I simply must get to MacMillan's +during part of the time that you are there.</p> + +<p>"I have written Sir Alfred Pease that I shall leave +Mombasa just as soon as I can after reaching there; go +straight to Nairobi, stay there as short a time as possible, +and then go direct to his ranch. I particularly wish to +avoid going on any hunting-trip immediately around +Nairobi or in the neighbourhood of the railroad, for that +would be to invite reporters and photographers to accompany +me, and in short, it would mean just what I am most +anxious to avoid.</p> + +<p>"Do let me repeat how delighted I am that you are to be +with me on the steamer, and I do hope we will now and then +meet during the time you are in British East Africa. I +should esteem it an honour and a favour if you would +accompany me for any part of my trip that you are able, +as my guest."</p></div> + +<p>No doubt to regular African hunters it is far better and +more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[269]</a></span> enjoyable that they should pursue their wanderings +unaccompanied by a white guide, but to any man, however +experienced in other lands, success in Africa in a "first +trip" certainly depends much on the local knowledge of +the white hunter who accompanies the expedition, if +expense is no object. A man may know all about hunting +elsewhere, yet would make the most egregious mistakes in +Africa, and perhaps never see the animals he most wishes +to possess if he went only accompanied by a black shikari, +so Selous made a point of insisting that Roosevelt should +have the best local guidance at his command. Thus he +writes to Sir Alfred Pease, who was then resident in East +Africa:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<div class="right">"<i>September 26th, 1908</i>.</div> + +<p>"<span class="smcap">My dear Sir Alfred</span>,</p> + +<p>"Since I received your letter I have heard again +from President Roosevelt. He tells me that he has heard +from Mr. Buxton,<a name="FNanchor_60_60" id="FNanchor_60_60"></a><a href="#Footnote_60_60" class="fnanchor">[60]</a> and that Mr. Buxton thinks that he +ought not to engage a white man to manage his caravan. +He quotes me the following passage from Mr. Buxton's +letter: 'If you wish to taste the sweets of the wilderness, +leave the Cook tourist element behind, and trust to the +native, who will serve a good master faithfully, and whom +you can change if not up to your standard.' The President +then goes on to say that he is puzzled; but that his own +judgment now <i>'leans very strongly</i>' towards engaging a +white man, and as I know that several men who have +recently travelled in East Africa have also strongly advised +him to do so, I feel sure that he will decide to engage Judd +or a man named Cuninghame, who has also been strongly +recommended to him. I must confess that I fail to follow +Mr. Buxton's argument. The objection to being a Cook's +tourist is, I always thought, because one does not like to +be one of a crowd with many of whom you may be entirely +out of sympathy, and how on earth the fact that he had a +white man to look after all the details of his caravan, instead +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[270]</a></span>of a native headman, would give his trip the flavour of a +Cook's tour, or prevent him in any way from tasting the +sweets of the wilderness, I entirely fail to understand. +Rather, I think, it would enhance the sweetness and enjoyment +of his trip by relieving him of all the troublesome +worries connected with the management of a large caravan. +First of all, I believe that both Judd and Cuninghame would +have a wider knowledge of the whole of East Africa than +any native headman. The President would say, 'Now I +want to go to the Gwas N'yiro river, where Neumann used +to hunt, or to the country to the north of Mount Elgon, or +to the country where Patterson saw all those rhinoceroses, +giraffes and other game last year.' His manager would then +work out the amount of provisions it would be necessary to +take for such a trip, the number of porters necessary, +engage those porters, and in fact make all the necessary +arrangements to carry out the President's wishes. He +would then arrange the loads, attend to the feeding of the +porters, the pitching of camp every evening, and give out +stores to the cook, and generally take all the petty details +of the management of a caravan off the President's hands. +As regards hunting, the manager of the caravan would +never go out with the President unless he asked him to do +so. He, the President, would go out hunting with his +Somali shikari, a staunch Masai or other native to carry +his second rifle, and natives to carry the meat and trophies +of any animal shot. Of course, if when going after lions, +elephants or buffaloes, he would like to have his white +manager with him, all well and good, and it would be an +advantage if such a man was an experienced hunter and a +steady, staunch fellow who could be depended on in an +emergency. Now, as I have said before, I feel sure that the +President will finally decide to engage either Judd or +Cuninghame, and the question is which is the better of +those two men. I know neither of them—for although I +seem to have met Cuninghame years ago, I do not remember +him. I never heard of Judd until Bulpett spoke to me about +him, nor of Cuninghame, until the President wrote and told +me that Captain and Mrs. Saunderson had strongly advised +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[271]</a></span>him to engage him. He was also advised to engage Cuninghame +by an American who was lately in East Africa, and +now I have just got a letter from Cuninghame himself, a copy +of which I enclose you to read. Please return it to me as I +have sent the original to the President and asked him to +get Mr. Akeley's opinion. As soon as I received this letter +from Cuninghame, I went to London and saw Mr. Claude +Tritton. He (Mr. Tritton) told me he knew both Judd and +Cuninghame well, and thought them both thoroughly +competent men. What do you think about it? Do you +know Cuninghame, or can you find out anything as to the +relative value of these two men—Judd and Cuninghame? +MacMillan evidently knows both of them, and he is coming +home in a month or six weeks' time. I have written all this +to the President, and asked him to wait until we find out +more about the two men; but suggesting that should he +finally decide to engage either Judd or Cuninghame, leaving +it to us to decide which was the better man, we should wait +to hear MacMillan's opinion, but then write and engage +one or the other, and ask him to pick out himself the best +Somali shikaris, gun-carriers and special native headmen, +whom he could have ready by a given date (this is your +suggestion, and I think an excellent one, as probably both +Judd and Cuninghame know some good and reliable men +and have had them with them on hunting-trips). In the +meantime I told the President that I would answer Cuninghame's +letter, in a strictly non-committal way, but telling +him that I would write again in a couple of months' time, +and that he <i>might</i> be wanted to manage the President's +early trips. Let me know what you think of all this. I am +now convinced that the President will take either Judd or +Cuninghame with him. My arguments may have had some +weight with him, for I am strongly in favour of his doing +so, but other people have also given him the same advice. +On the other hand, he has heard Mr. Buxton's arguments +on the other side, and he may decide to be guided by them. +But Mr. Buxton's views are, I think, not generally held by +men who have travelled extensively in Africa, and I think +the President will finally decide to engage either Judd or +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[272]</a></span>Cuninghame, and if so we must try and ensure his getting +the best man. I trust that the weather is now somewhat +better in Scotland, and that you have had some good sport.</p> + +<div class="right"> +"Believe me,<br /> +"Yours very truly,<br /> +"F. C. Selous.<br /> +</div> + +<p>"P.S.—As Cuninghame is now starting on a trip which +will last three or four months, he will be back at Nairobi +early next month, and if engaged by the President, would +then have plenty of time to look out for Somalis, and other +picked natives, before the President's arrival in Africa."</p></div> + +<p>Selous himself went on the hunt in East Africa with his +friend, W. N. MacMillan, who was resident in East Africa. +He left England on April 1st, 1909. Just before starting, +he gives his ideas on the prospects of hunting in the rainy +season.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>"<span class="smcap">My dear Johnny</span>,</p> + +<p>"Just a line to bid you good-bye before I start for East +Africa. I would have written to you long ago, but I have +been continually looking forward to coming over to see you +before I left England; but the bad weather has always +prevented me from doing so. I am going out to East Africa +at the very worst time of year, as heavy rains have still to +come in May and June. The consequence will be that when +I get there the whole country will be smothered in long +grass, just as it was when I was in East Africa last, game +will be very scattered, and there will be a very small chance +of getting a lion. I would never have entertained the idea +of going at this season but for the fact that I am going out +as the guest of Mr. MacMillan (who has a large ranch near +Nairobi), and my expenses will be very small. It just came +to this, that I had to go now—as President Roosevelt +wanted me to meet him at Naples and travel with him to +Nairobi—or not at all; but I don't look forward to much +success, and the risk of getting fever is always very much +greater when hunting in the rainy season, than in dry +weather. Very heavy rains have been falling this season all +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[273]</a></span>over North and South Rhodesia, and in British Central +Africa, as well as in East Africa. Every trip I have made +during the last few years has been marred by rain. My last +trip to East Africa was very much spoilt by rain and long +grass, then the trip to Sardinia, as well as the last ones to +Yukon and Newfoundland, were much spoilt by rain. I +hope that you have now quite recovered from the effects of +the pleurisy you caught last year in British Columbia. Are +you going anywhere this year I wonder?"</p></div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a href="images/i307.jpg"><img src="images/i307-t.jpg" width="400" height="260" alt="Mt. Kenia from the South." title="" /> +</a><br /><span class="caption">Mt. Kenia from the South.</span> +</div> + +<p>Selous' first trip with MacMillan was successful in his +getting several new species for his collection, but what he +most wanted was a good black-maned lion. He was, however, +unsuccessful in this. Mr. Williams, a member of his +party, found three lions one day and killed two of them +somewhat easily. The third charged and seized the unfortunate +hunter by the leg, severely biting him. His life, however, +was saved by the bravery of his Swahili gun-bearer, +who gave the lion a fatal shot as it stood over his master. +Mr. Williams was carried to hospital in Nairobi, where he +lay between life and death for some time, and then completely +recovered.</p> + +<p>At the beginning of September, 1910, the Second International +Congress of Field Sports was held at Vienna in +connection with the Exhibition. The First Congress met +at Paris in 1907, when the British delegate was Lord +Montagu of Beaulieu, while, at Vienna, Selous was appointed +by Sir Edward Grey, then Secretary of State for Foreign +Affairs, as the official delegate from this country. The +Congress was divided into three separate sections, dealing +respectively with the Economic Importance, the Science +and Practice, and the Legislation of Field Sports. The +meetings of these three sections were held simultaneously, +and the British delegate confined his attention to Section +III (Legislation). In this section he was instrumental, with +the cordial support of his French colleague, Comte Justinien +Clary, President of the St. Hubert Club of France, in +securing the passing of an important resolution in favour +of the International Protection of Migrating Birds (especially +the quail and woodcock).</p> + +<p>At the Exhibition<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[274]</a></span> Great Britain was represented by a +very fair collection of Big Game heads. Selous sending +his best Koodoo, Wart Hog, White Rhinoceros, and Alaskan +Moose, all exceptional specimens.</p> + +<p>Selous was delighted with all he saw of the Great Hunting +Exhibition, by far the finest of its kind ever offered to the +public. I had hoped to meet him there, as I was going to +hunt in Galicia, but found he had left for home. After +describing the exhibition he wrote to me:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>"Warburton Pike wishes me to tell you that he will show +you round the Exhibition. The Hungarian, Austrian and +old German stags' heads are simply wonderful, but there +are so many that it is bewildering. Weidmann's Heil."</p> +</div> + +<p>Warburton Pike, here mentioned, was a splendid specimen +of an Englishman, who was to British Columbia and Arctic +Canada what Selous himself was to Africa. In his person +existed a type of pioneer as modest as courageous. His +travels and privations in the Arctic barren grounds made +him known to most people in Canada, whilst his unselfish +devotion and unfailing kindness to his fellow colonists +endeared him to thousands of "voyageurs" who battled with +the forces of Nature in the far North-West. He had a little +mine amongst the Jack pines above Dease Lake where he +lived, in the four working months, chiefly on tea, game and +"flapjacks." Here he wrested from a refractory soil +about as much gold as would have satisfied a Chinaman. +Nevertheless, he toiled on year after year, because he had +faith and the grit that bites deep even when common sense +says, "Is it good enough?"</p> + +<p>Every spring saw "Pikey" full of hope, dragging his canoe +with two Indians up the rain-drenched valley of the Stikine +for 200 miles, and then on with pack-horses to his mine, +another 100 miles, and every fall he raced downward to the +sea, disappointed, but undefeated. When people met him +in Vancouver, they would say, "How goes it, Pikey?" +Then his kind face would light up. "Splendid," he would +reply, though he had hardly enough money to buy bread +and butter.</p> + +<p>Yet no one ever appealed to Warburton Pike in vain, for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[275]</a></span> +on the rare occasions when he had a little money he invariably +gave it away to his less fortunate friends. Every +wastrel and miner on the Pacific slope knew "Pikey" and +asked his advice and help, which was ever forthcoming, and +in the eyes of the colonists he was the man who embodied +the type of all that was best.</p> + +<p>From Vancouver to the Yukon and from St. Michaels to +the Mackenzie, the name of Warburton Pike was one to +conjure with, and though comparatively unknown in +England, his noble spirit will never be forgotten in the +homes of all those who knew and loved him. Like all good +men, he came to England in 1914, to play his part in the +Great War, and I think it broke his heart when he found no +one would employ him. He suffered a nervous breakdown, +and in a fit of depression he took his own life in the summer +of 1916. He published a few books, among which the best-known +is "Through the Sub-Arctic Forest."</p> + +<p>Selous had long cherished a desire to add to his great +collection of African trophies a specimen of the Giant +Eland of the Lower Sudan. An expedition for this purpose, +however, without outside aid would have been to him too +expensive a trip, so he made certain arrangements with +Lord Rothschild and the British Museum which helped to +alleviate the financial strain. After this had been successfully +effected, he left on January 19th, 1911. Thus he writes +of his plans on the eve of departure:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>"<span class="smcap">My Dear Johnny</span>,</p> + +<p>"Just a line in frightful haste to thank you for your +kind letter and all your good wishes. If I am successful in +finding the Elands, I fear I shall not be able to get a head for +my own collection, as if I get permission to shoot more than +those I want for the N.H. Museum, I must get a specimen +for Rothschild, who will give me £70 for it, and I don't think +they will let me get one for Rothschild and another for +myself in addition to those I want for the Museum. I have, +however, first to find the Elands and then shoot and preserve +them, and to do the latter all by myself, with only raw +savages to help me will be a hard job in the climate of the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[276]</a></span>Lado, where I am going to look for my game. I shall probably +be more sure of finding the Elands to the south of Wau, in +the Bahr-el-Ghazal Province, but the journey there would +be much more expensive, and my means are very limited. +I hope to get a free passage from Khartoum to Lado in the +Government steamer. I have been very much interested in +Buxton's new Koodoo-like antelope, but what nonsense it +is to call it a 'Mountain Inyala.' It does not resemble an +Inyala in any way. It is of course quite a distinct species. +I don't know if I shall be able to get anything for myself at +all this trip. The white-eared Kob and Mrs. Gray's Kob are +only found near Lake No, near the junction of the Bahr-el-Ghazal +with the Nile, but going by steamer to and back from +Lado, the steamer does not stop there, only steams through +their district, and there is only one steamer a month. I +shall look forward very much to seeing your new book on +American big game on my return from the Sudan. With +your own illustrations it cannot fail to be a very attractive +and interesting work. The climate of the Lado they tell +me is bad, unhealthy, intensely hot and enervating, but +I hope I keep pretty well, and come back all right."</p></div> + +<p>When he reached Cairo, he had an interview with Sir F. +Wingate, to whom he had letters of introduction from Sir +E. Grey. He then went on to Khartoum, where he met +Mr. Butler, who was then in charge of big game matters +connected with the Lower Sudan. Mr. Butler advised him +to go to Mongalla, as the best and most accessible place at +which to find the Giant Eland, since Wau had been much +hunted, but Selous thought that the Tembera country +would be the best, because few travellers had ever been +there, and it could only be reached by a toilsome journey +from the river with pack-donkeys. Accordingly he took the +steamer going south. At Rejaf the vessel stopped to take +in wood, and there met another steamer whose occupants +informed him of the death of poor Phil Oberlander, who +had just been killed by a buffalo near the village of Sheikh +Lowala. It appears that this unfortunate fellow, who had +just killed a fine Giant Eland at Mongalla, and was on his +way home up the river, had stopped at a village near<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[277]</a></span> +Mongalla for a day or two, to try to get a buffalo, of which +there were some herds in the neighbourhood. He had +landed and very soon found a good herd. His shots wounded +a big bull, which left the herd and retreated into the thick +bush. Oberlander at once followed, but unfortunately +forgot to reload his heavy rifle. The usual thing happened, +and the wounded bull charged suddenly from one flank, and +instead of reports two clicks ensued. The bull rushed at +Oberlander, knocked him to the ground and literally beat +his body to a pulp. Later in the day the bull was found +lying dead. Its head was recovered by Mr. Butler, who +sent it to the Vienna Museum, for which Oberlander had +collected industriously for several years.</p> + +<p>I first met Oberlander on the steamer going to Alaska, +in September, 1908. He then called himself Count Oberlander, +a title which I believe he had no claim to. He was +a strange creature, full of assurance, and with a very complete +contempt for British and American game-laws, and +apparently oblivious of the fact that without their institution +he would not have been able to obtain the specimens +he so earnestly desired to capture. His one idea seemed to +be to get specimens anyhow, and that a letter from the +authorities of the Vienna Museum and an unlimited expenditure +of cash would overcome all difficulties. In this +he was partly right and partly wrong, for when he shot +numerous female sheep and kids in the mountains of Cassiar +he reckoned without the long arm of the law and the vigilance +of the hawk-eyed Bryan Williams, our game warden in +Vancouver, who promptly had him arrested and heavily +fined.</p> + +<p>As an example of his impudence he told us the following +story, which I afterwards found was true in all details. +One day in August, 1908, he went to the National Park at +Yellowstone, and coolly informed two of the game wardens +that he had come there to shoot a buffalo. At first the +latter regarded the matter as a joke, but, finding he was in +earnest, they told him that if he did not clear out they would +confiscate his guns and arrest him. Unabashed, Oberlander +said:</p> + +<p>"Well,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[278]</a></span> you need not get huffy. I will give you £250 for +that old bull," pointing to an old patriarch within a wooden +enclosure. The shaft, however, went home, for the game +wardens at once reported the matter to their chief.</p> + +<p>Now, £250 was a very nice sum, and it was quite within +the realms of possibility that the old bull would die a +natural death within the next year or two and that the +dead carcase might be worth perhaps £50. Facts, therefore, +were facts, which seemed to appeal to the business instincts +of the park authorities, so next day Oberlander was informed +that he might shoot the buffalo as soon as his cheque +was forthcoming. Oberlander at once handed over the +money and killed the bull, shooting him through the bars +of the cage, and he showed us an excellent photograph of +this doughty deed with no little satisfaction.</p> + +<p>Oberlander afterwards hunted in Cassiar, Mexico, East +Africa, and the Arctic regions, before going on the expedition +up the Nile that was to prove fatal to him. In him +the Vienna Museum lost a good friend, but he could scarcely +be considered a good type of sportsman.</p> + +<p>We need not follow Selous' wanderings in the parched uninteresting +forest country about Tembera, where for nine +weeks, in company with a native chief named Yei, he hunted +the small herd of Giant Elands somewhat unsuccessfully. +At last he killed a good female, but had no luck in securing a +big male. On March 7th he went north to Rumbek, and on +March 28th he and Captain Tweedie went north to a small +river and shot nine Kobs. On April 4th he again left +Rumbek and returned south for another hunt for the +Elands, which was again unsuccessful. On April 29th he +arrived at the Nile and turned homewards.<a name="FNanchor_61_61" id="FNanchor_61_61"></a><a href="#Footnote_61_61" class="fnanchor">[61]</a></p> + +<p>"I cannot pretend," writes Selous, "I enjoyed my excursion +in the Bahr-el-Ghazal Province. In the first place, +I was unsuccessful in the main object of my journey. Then +the deadly monotony of the landscape, the extraordinary +scarcity of game, and the excessive heat of the climate, all +combined to make my trip very wearisome and uninteresting." +He came away, however,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[279]</a></span> with a very deep admiration +for the gallant band of young Britons who were doing +the work of the Empire in the wilds of Africa.</p> + +<p>At the end of this trying hunt he was far from well, and +was unable to ride, so he had to tramp the whole way to +the Nile on foot. Arrived at Rumbek the medical officer +there discovered the cause of his ill-health, so, as soon as +he arrived in England he saw Mr. Freyer, who recommended +an operation. "I got over the operation," he +writes to Abel Chapman, "wonderfully well, and simply +healed up like a dog. In fact, I was the record case for +healing up in ten years amongst Freyer's patients." I went +to see him in a nursing home in London, and heard all about +his Lado trip, which was rather a sore subject with him, +but, with his usual determination, he was only full of ideas +to go back again and make a success the next time. In +August we both went again to Swythamley, as the guests +of young Sir Philip Brocklehurst, and had a very pleasant +time amongst the grouse on the Derbyshire hills. Afterwards +Selous stayed for a time in the Isle of Wight, with his +wife and boys, and later in the autumn he travelled to Turin +Exhibition of hunting and shooting, as one of the British +jurors.</p> + +<p>Later in 1911 Selous again left for British East Africa, to +go on another hunt to the Gwas N'yiro river, with his +friend MacMillan. Before leaving he wrote to President +Roosevelt, intimating that he feared he was now too old +for the hard work entailed by African hunting, which called +forth the following comfortable advice (Sept. 11th, 1911).</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"MacMillan lunches here Thursday. I am very glad you +are going out with him to Africa. He is a trump! I am +rather amused at your saying that you will not take any +risks with lion now, and that you do not think your eyes are +very good. I would not trust you!—seriously. I always +wished to speak to you about the time that you followed +the lioness which crouched in a bush, and then so nearly +got Judd, who was riding after you. I think you were +taking more of a chance on that occasion than you ought to +have taken. It is not as if you had never killed a lion, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[280]</a></span> +were willing to take any chance to get your first specimen. +That I could quite understand. But you have killed a +great many, and you ought not to do as poor George Grey +did last year, and get caught through acting with needless +recklessness.<a name="FNanchor_62_62" id="FNanchor_62_62"></a><a href="#Footnote_62_62" class="fnanchor">[62]</a> I know you will not pay any heed to this +advice, and, doubtless, you regard me as over-cautious +with wild beasts, but, my dear fellow, at your age and with +your past, and with your chance of doing good work in the +present and future, I honestly do not think you ought to +take these risks unless there is some point in doing so.</p> + +<p>"You say you are too old for such a trip as that with +MacMillan. Nonsense! It is precisely the kind of trip +which you ought to take. Why, I, who am far less hardy +and fit, would like nothing better than to be along with you +and MacMillan on that trip. But you ought not to take +such a trip as that you took on the Bahr-el-Ghazal. It +would have meant nothing to you thirty years ago; it +would mean nothing to Kermit now; but you are nearly +sixty years old, and though I suppose there is no other +man of sixty who is physically as fit as you, still it is idle to +suppose that you can now do what you did when you were +in the twenties. Of course I never was physically fit in the +sense that you were, but still I was a man of fair hardihood, +and able to hold my own reasonably well in my younger +days; but when I went to Africa I realized perfectly well, +although I was only fifty, that I was no longer fit to do the +things I had done, and I deliberately set myself to the work +of supplying the place of the prowess I had lost by making +use of all that the years had brought in the way of gain to +offset it. That is, I exercised what I think I can truthfully +say was much intelligence and foresight in planning +the trip. I made it for a great scientific National museum +(which was itself backed by private capital), and made it +at the time when the fact that I had been President gave +me such prestige that the things were done for me which +ought to have been done, but were not done, for you last +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[281]</a></span>spring. Then I took along Kermit, who, in the case of the +bongo and koodoo and Northern Sable, was able to supply +the qualities that I once had had and now lacked. In consequence, +while everything was done to make my trip +successful and comparatively easy, I am yet entitled to +claim the modest credit that is implied in saying that I +took advantage of the opportunities thus generously given +me, and that I planned the trip carefully, and used the +resources that my past had given me, in the way of notoriety +or reputation, to add somewhat to my sum of achievement. +On your trip you also had genuine bad luck, and the trip +was not long enough, and the opportunities were not sufficiently +numerous, to allow the good and bad luck to even +up, as they will on such a long trip as mine. For instance, it +was simply luck in my case that got me some of my game; +but then it was simply luck, also, that I did not get some +other things; and so it about evened up.</p> + +<p>"My own physical limitations at the moment come +chiefly from a perfectly commonplace but exasperating +ailment—rheumatism. It not only cripples me a good deal, +so that I am unable to climb on or off a horse with any +speed, but it also prevents my keeping in condition. I +cannot take any long walks, and therefore cannot keep in +shape; but I am sufficiently fortunate to have a great many +interests, and I am afraid, sufficiently lazy also thoroughly +to enjoy being at home; and I shall be entirely happy if I +never leave Sagamore again for any length of time. I have +work which is congenial and honourable, although not of +any special importance, and if I can keep it for the next +seven or eight years, my youngest son will have graduated +from college, so that all the children will be swimming for +themselves, and then I am content not to try to earn any +more money.</p> + +<p>"Fond though I am of hunting and of the wilderness +and of natural history, it has not been to me quite the +passion that it has been to you, and though I would give +a great deal to repeat in some way or some fashion, say in +Central Asia or in Farther India, or in another part of Africa, +the trip I made last year, I know perfectly well that I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[282]</a></span> +cannot do it; and I do not particularly care for smaller +trips. If it were not for our infernal newspaper-men, I +should go off for a week or two this fall bear-hunting in the +Louisiana cane-brakes; but I know I should be pestered +out of my life by the newspaper-men, who would really destroy +all my pleasure in what I was doing. I have found that I +have to get really far off in the wilderness in order to get rid +of them, even now, when I am no longer a person of public +prominence. I never cared for the fishing-rod or the shot-gun, +and I cannot afford to keep hunters. But you, my +dear fellow, are still hardy, and you can still do much. I +have never understood why your 'African Nature Notes' +did not have a greater financial success. It is a book which +will last permanently, and will, I am sure, have an ever-increasing +meed of appreciation. I re-read it all last winter, +and Sheldon, as I think I told you, mentioned to me the +other day that he regarded it as the best book of the kind +that had ever been written.</p> + +<p>"Kermit is, at the moment, in New Brunswick getting +moose, caribou, and beaver for the National Museum. I +think I told you that he got four sheep, three of them for +the Museum, on his recent trip into the Mexican desert. +He made it just as you have made so many of your trips, +that is, he got two Mexicans and two small pack-mules, and +travelled without a tent, and with one spare pair of shoes +and one spare pair of socks as his sole luggage. Once they +nearly got into an ugly scrape through failure to find a +water-hole, for it is a dangerous country. Kermit found +that he could outlast in walking and in enduring thirst, not +only the Mexicans but the American prospectors whom he +once or twice met."</p></div> + +<p>The reference in his letter to the lioness "which crouched +in a bush, and then so nearly got Judd," refers to an incident +that happened in the Gwas N'yiro bush in Selous' +former hunt with MacMillan (1909), and this little adventure +was related to me by William Judd himself. It appears that +Selous and Judd were out together one day and disturbed +two lionesses, which disappeared in thick forest. Selous +at once galloped after them and outdistanced Judd, who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[283]</a></span> +came somewhat slowly cantering behind, as he did not wish +to interfere with Selous. All at once, from the side of the +path, Judd saw a great yellow body come high in the air +from the side of the game-trail. He had no time even to +raise his rifle from the position across the saddle-pommel, +but just cocked it up across and pulled the trigger. One of +the lionesses, for such it was, had apparently crouched and +allowed Selous to pass, and had then hurled herself upon +the second hunter. By a fine piece of judgment, or a happy +fluke, Judd's bullet went through the lioness's eye and +landed her dead at his feet. His horse swerved. He fell +off, and found himself standing beside the dead body of his +adversary. Selous then returned, and was astonished to find +Judd standing over the dead animal in the path he had so +lately passed. I saw the skin of this lioness in Judd's house, +near Nairobi, in 1913, and noticed the little bullet hole over +the eye. If the missile had gone an inch higher it is doubtful +if the hunter would have escaped with his life, or at any rate +without a severe mauling.</p> + +<p>After the trip with MacMillan, 1911-1912, Selous writes +(June 23rd, 1913):—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"My dear Johnny,—I wonder where you are and what you +are doing. Some one told me the other day that you were +going to Africa on a shooting-trip this year. I had quite an +interesting time with MacMillan, and got a few nice things +to add to my collection. I got three nice Lesser Koodoos +on the lower Gwas N'yiro river as well as Gerenuks, good +Beisa, and Impala—though nothing exceptional—very +good specimens of the small races of Grant's Gazelle—<i>notata</i> +and <i>Brighti</i>—Grévy's zebra, the reticulated giraffe, +a good bushbuck, a striped hyena, two buffalo bulls, and a +lot of Dik-diks (of two distinct species and, I think, possibly +three). I don't know whether you have seen two letters of +mine in the 'Field'<a name="FNanchor_63_63" id="FNanchor_63_63"></a><a href="#Footnote_63_63" class="fnanchor">[63]</a> for June 8th and 15th, but if you have, +you will have read my account of a rather interesting experience +I had with a lion. This was the only lion I actually +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[284]</a></span>fired at, though I saw four lionesses one day, and tracked a +lion and lioness on another occasion for a long distance and +got close to them, but, owing to the thickness of the bush, +could not see them. That was the trouble on the lower +Gwas N'yiro river. The bush was so frightfully thick along +the river, and outside, too, very often, that it required +great luck to get a lion in the daytime, and they would not +come to baits at night. The bush was simply awful for +buffaloes. Let me know what you are doing and I will try +and come over to see you one of these days."</p></div> + +<p>Selous seems to have been unusually unlucky on the few +occasions he met with lions in the Gwas N'yiro bush. On +March 2nd, 1912, he suddenly came face to face with a big +lion, but as soon as it saw him, it dived into the forest and was +immediately lost to view. On another occasion he wounded +a pallah buck, which a lion then killed, and death was so +recent that Selous sat over "the kill" and waited. The +lion came and stood within twenty-five yards of the hunter, +who fired two shots at it, and although assured that it was +severely wounded he never recovered the body.<a name="FNanchor_64_64" id="FNanchor_64_64"></a><a href="#Footnote_64_64" class="fnanchor">[64]</a></p> + +<p>The most exciting incident, however, of this trip was the +killing of what he calls "My Last Buffalo." Near the river +he found the tracks of two old buffalo bulls, which he +followed industriously for six miles. At last he obtained a +snap shot and hit one of the bulls badly through the lungs. +After following the wounded animal a short distance, he +suddenly heard the unmistakable grunts which always precede +a charge. "The next instant the buffalo was on us, +coming over the edge of the gully with nose outstretched, +half a ton of bone and muscle driven at tremendous speed +by the very excusable rage and fury of a brave and determined +animal.... When I fired, the muzzle of my rifle must +have been within three yards of the buffalo." The buffalo +fell to the shot, the vertebræ of the neck being struck, and +as he fell struck Elani the Somali.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"He only received this one terrific blow, though he was +pushed to the bottom of the gully—only a few yards—in +front of the buffalo's knees and right under its nose, but +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[285]</a></span>my bullet had for a moment partially paralysed it. I got +another cartridge into the chamber of my rifle as quickly +as possible, and, turning to the buffalo, somehow got a +second bullet into its hind-quarters, which brought it down +altogether. When I was again ready to fire, the buffalo was +on its knees, with its hind-legs doubled in under it, in the +bed of the gully a few yards below me, and Elani was under +its great neck between its nose and its chest, with one arm +outstretched and his right hand on the buffalo's shoulder, +so that I had to shoot carefully for fear of hitting it.</p> + +<p>"Elani then pushed himself with his feet free of the +buffalo, whilst I stood where I was, ready to put in another +shot if necessary, and it was, for the brave and determined +bull partially recovered from the shocks its nervous system +had received, though the mists of death were already in its +eyes." Another bullet finished this gallant old bull. Elani +the Somali was little the worse for his severe handling.</p></div> + +<p>Selous spent the autumn of 1912 quietly at home or +shooting with friends.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Writing to Chapman, September 26th, 1912, he says: +"Don't worry about our visit to Hexham the other day. +We got through the time quite easily. I can always pass an +hour or two reading, very comfortably, but what I dislike +more than anything else in English life is the crowds of +people everywhere.... The crowds spoil all the pleasure of +going to a cricket- or football-match or a theatre. It is +always such a trouble getting away. I am already longing +to be in Africa again. If only Mrs. Selous would be happy +there, I would rather live in East Africa than in this country."</p></div> + +<p>His mother<a name="FNanchor_65_65" id="FNanchor_65_65"></a><a href="#Footnote_65_65" class="fnanchor">[65]</a> was still alive at Longford House, Gloucester, +but getting old and feeble. He visited her in December, +1912. On December 7th, 1912, he was in Devonshire, +shooting pheasants at MacMillan's place. "We got two +fine days' shooting," he writes to Chapman, "but at the +best, pheasant shooting is a very inferior sport to the +pursuit of the grouse and the blackcock on the wild free +moors of Northumberland. May I live to renew my acquaintance +with them next year."</p> + +<p>Never<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[286]</a></span> did the spring come round but it always filled +Selous with new delight, and then he used to write me long +letters of the arrival of the birds and the advent of the early +flowers. His joy was great when the Wrynecks took to his +nesting-boxes in the garden, the Long-eared Owls nested +in the woods close by, or the rare Dartford Warbler was seen +again in its old haunts. Thus, on April 15th, he says:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I was very disappointed not to see you yesterday, as I +was looking forward to a good crack with you. I have not +yet heard the cuckoo, but the cuckoo's mate has been here +in the garden since April 2nd. There are several pairs of +snipe on Whitmoor Common (just below Worplesdon village) +this year. They are now in full 'bleat.' There are also a +number of Redshanks, the first I have ever seen here."</p></div> + +<p>We used often to go out and look for nests in the commons, +hedgerows, and woods at Worplesdon, and it was now a +sorrow to him that he could no longer, owing to a slight +deafness, recognize the notes of birds at a distance. These +nests, when found, he never touched, as he had already +got specimens of the eggs of all common birds, but the joy +of hunting was always present, and he never tired of watching +the habits of birds, even though he knew them well.</p> + +<p>In the early part of 1913, Selous made a little trip to +Jersey and Normandy, to visit the home of his ancestors, +in whose history he always showed a lively interest. He wrote +a long account of this to President Roosevelt, who replied as +follows (April 2nd, 1913):—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I was greatly interested in your account of your visit +to the home of your people in the Channel Islands, and +then to Normandy. Of course, the Channel Islands are +the last little fragment of the old Duchy of Normandy. +I was always pleased by the way in which their people, +when they drink the health of the King, toast him as 'The +Duke.' It is the one fragment of the gigantic British +Empire which owes fealty to the Royal House of England +primarily as the representative of the still older ducal line +of Normandy. Moreover, the people of the Channel Islands +have always seemed to me, like the French Huguenots, to +combine the virile virtues of the northern races with that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[287]</a></span> +quality of fineness and distinction which are far more apt +to be found in France—at least in old France—than among +our northern Teutonic peoples.</p> + +<p>"Indeed, those cathedrals represent the greatest architecture +this world ever saw, with the sole exception of +Greece at its best. All that you say about the Normans +is true. What they accomplished in government, in +war, in conquest, in architecture, was wonderful beyond +description. No adequate explanation of the Norman +achievements during the eleventh and twelfth centuries +has ever been or ever can be made. As you say, +it was their conquest of England and the Scotch lowlands +that gave to the English their great push forward; +and they gave this push in many different lands. The +handful of Norman adventurers who went to Italy fifty +years before the conquest of England speedily conquered +South Italy and Sicily and part of Greece, and ruled over +Saracen, Italian and Byzantine alike. The handful of +Norman adventurers who conquered Ireland, thereby for +the first time brought that country into the current of +European affairs. It was the Normans to whom we owe +the great 'Song of Roland.' They formed principalities +and dukedoms in the Holy Land and the Balkan Peninsula. +They set their stamp on the whole contemporary culture of +Western Europe, just as their kinsfolk, who, as heathens, +conquered heathen Russia, were the first to organize the +Slav communities of Eastern Europe. In a way, the action +of the Normans in the eleventh and twelfth centuries (for +by the thirteenth century their importance had vanished) +represented the continuation, culmination, and vanishing +of the tremendous Norse or Scandinavian movement which +began about the year 800, and ended in the latter part of +the eleventh century, when its Norman offshoot was at the +zenith of its power and influence. There are many things +about these people and their movements which are hard to +explain. Wherever the Norsemen went, they became completely +merged with the people they conquered, and although +they formed a ruling caste they lost all trace of their own +language and traditions. The Norse invaders became<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[288]</a></span> +Sicilians in Sicily, Russians in Russia, Frenchmen in Normandy, +Irishmen in Ireland, English- and Scotchmen in +Great Britain. They furnished kings to England, Scotland +and Sicily, and rulers to a dozen other countries, but they +always assimilated themselves to the conquered people, and +their blood must always have been only a thin strain in the +community as a whole. When the Normans came over to +conquer England, I believe that they represented the fusion, +not only of Scandinavians and Franks, but of the old Gallo-Romans, +whose language they took. A great many of the +adventurers were base-born. King William himself was the +bastard son of a tanner's daughter. Cooks and varlets, if +vigorous enough, founded noble families. Quantities of +Bretons and Flemings accompanied the Normans to England. +Their language was purely French, and their culture +was the culture of Latin Europe. They had lost every trace +of the Norse language, and every remembrance of Norse +literature and history. In William's army there seems to +be no question that any man of fighting ability came to the +front without any regard to his ancestry, just as was true +of the Vikings from whom the Normans were descended; +yet these people were certainly not only masters of war and +government, but were more cultured, more imaginative, +more civilized and also more enterprising and energetic, not +only than the English but than any of the other peoples +among whom they settled. In England two centuries and +a half later, their tongue had practically been lost; they +had been completely absorbed, and were typical Englishmen, +and their blood must have been but a thin thread in +the veins of the conquerors of Cressy and Agincourt. Yet +this thin thread made of the English something totally +different from what they had been before, and from what +their kinsmen, the low Dutch of the Continent, continued to +be. It is all absorbingly interesting."</p></div> + +<p>In the spring of 1913 Selous decided to take a hunt in +Iceland to collect the eggs of the various northern species +of birds, and in this I was fortunately able to be of some +assistance to him, as I had ridden nearly 1000 miles there in +1899, to study the bird-life of the island. Wherefore I was +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[289]</a></span> +able to give him accurate information of the various nesting-localities, +and where each species was to be found in the +summer months. Of only one bird, the Grey Phalarope, I +could tell him nothing, but he and his friend, Heatley Noble, +were so industrious that they found it breeding on the south +coast of the island and secured eggs.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 341px;"> +<a href="images/i325.jpg"><img src="images/i325-t.jpg" width="341" height="400" alt="Bull Moose about to lie down." title="" /> +</a><br /><span class="caption">Bull Moose about to lie down.</span> +</div> + +<p>Of this trip, Heatley Noble, an intimate and well-loved +friend of Selous, kindly sends me the following notes:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Well do I remember our first meeting, which was +destined to prove the beginning of a close friendship of +more than twenty years—I was working on the lawn when +I saw a picturesque figure dressed in shooting-clothes and +the ever-present 'sombrero' walking towards me. Off +came the hat and 'Good morning, sir, my name is Selous. +I am just beginning to arrange my collection of eggs and +was advised at the Natural History Museum to call on you, +as they say your method of keeping a collection was +good.'</p> + +<p>"How odd it seemed to me that this hero of a thousand +hairbreadth escapes should start egg-collecting once more +at his time of life (he was then about forty-five). I was soon +to learn that the energy he has always thrown into his +hunting-trips was to be given equally to this new pursuit—it +was not really new, as he had collected as a boy at +Rugby, and in Germany, but years spent away from home +had seriously damaged the spoils of early days. I showed +him my collection, and on hearing that he wanted to start +with even the commonest species, we went off and collected +what nests I knew. How interested I was to see the care +with which this man, who could handle four-bore rifles as +tooth-picks, yet retained the delicacy of touch which +enabled him to wrap in cotton-wool such small eggs as those +of Blue Tits and Chiffchaffs! He told me he was off to Asia +Minor for a few days, and then on to the plains of Hungary. +This programme would have been sufficient for most men, +but there were some days to spare, the season was short, so +I recommended him to go to the Isles of Scilly; the owner +being an old friend, I was sure I could get him leave. He +went, and subsequently wrote me a long letter mentioning<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[290]</a></span> +all the different species he had found, which fairly made my +mouth water!</p> + +<p>"Unlike some collectors, Fred Selous, if he knew where +a good thing was to be found, made it his delight to share +that knowledge. Perhaps to the detriment of the species, +but greatly to the joy of his friends. Jealousy was unknown +to him, his pleasure was always to help others, regardless of +trouble; had he been to any part of the world where you had +not, he would make it his business to give you the minutest +details so that you could go there almost blindfold! I +know this from personal experience, as it was thanks to +him I went birds'-nesting into Andalusia and Hungary, +besides many little trips in these Isles. If he had been +lucky with some rare species in a foreign country, he would +press his duplicates on anyone interested, and more than +this, it was difficult to prevent him handing out eggs he +really could not spare. His own large collection was purely +personal. I believe there were only some Bearded Vultures' +eggs in it that he did not take with his own hands. These +came from Sardinia, where he had been after Mouflon—he +had seen the birds, but was too soon for eggs. If I found a +nest on this property which he wanted, he would never let +me take the eggs and send them to him, he would bicycle +over to lunch (twenty-three miles each way) and take them +with his own hands!</p> + +<p>"I had long wished to visit Iceland on a nesting-trip, and +in the early spring of 1913, wrote asking Selous if he would +come. To my great joy I found that he had already +arranged to go there, and it was soon fixed up that we +should go together. What a glorious time we had, and how +much I owe to his companionship, invariable good temper +and knowledge of travel! The ship we went out in was a +smelly beastly thing, the weather cold, sea rough and food +vile. The latter bothered Fred not at all, he often said he +could live on any food that would support a human being, +and from subsequent experience I believe he was right. He +liked some things better than others, but anything would +do. I only saw him beaten once; we had had an eight-hour +ride in vile weather, at last we arrived at the farm where we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[291]</a></span> +were to spend the night. Fred loved meat, and our host +produced a plate of stuff that might have been thin slices of +mutton. Fred attacked it, and I watched developments! +In place of the Aldermanic smile I expected, the face contracted, +the mouth opened, a sharp word escaped, and later +on the first course of his dinner turned out to be pickled +Guillemot of the previous season! But to return to our +ship. Fred didn't smoke, the rest of the company did to a +man, rank Danish cigars, which made even a good sailor +wish he had never left home. We were driven into the +dining saloon, the only place where there was some peace, +though the smell of ponies and cod took the place of vile +cigars. Here Fred used to spend his day reading, his +favourite book being 'Tess of the D'Urbervilles.' One day +he complained bitterly of the light, and for the first time I +noticed that this wonderful man was reading small print without +glasses—aged, I think, sixty-three, and as long-sighted +as anyone I ever met. All things come to an end in time, and +after what seemed a month, and was really three days, we +arrived at Reykjavik, starting the following day on our trip. +The first trek was a short one, only twenty miles, but +quite long enough for me, as next day I could hardly climb +on the pony, whereas Selous jumped on like a boy, and +during the whole of our journey, above 1000 miles on pony +back, never once felt stiffness. We did well from an ornithological +point of view, finding some forty-six different kinds +of nests, and bringing home over 1000 eggs, <i>not one</i> of which +was broken, thanks mostly to the careful packing of our +friend. Selous had the greatest objection to getting his feet +wet unnecessarily, and when crossing those rapid rough +rivers would take his feet out of the stirrups and somehow +curl them up behind him, it was a wonderful performance, +and how he kept his balance with the pony stumbling and +regaining his feet as only an Icelander can, fairly beat me. +Once, when crossing an extra bad place, full of boulders and +in a flooded condition, his pony got on the top of a flat rock +under water; when he went to crawl down on the other side, +there was the inevitable hole from back-wash—down went +the pony, the jerk pulling Fred over on to his ears—I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[292]</a></span> +thought he must have fallen into the boiling cauldron—No; +a short scramble, the pony righted himself and there +was Fred as peaceful as ever, didn't even look round! +When we were safe on the far side, I said to him, 'If you +had gone off then, you would not have stopped till you got +to the sea.' His reply was, 'Yes, but I didn't.'</p> + +<p>"I was very anxious to get on to the Island of Grimsey, +one of the European breeding places of the Little Auk. It +is situated some sixty-five miles from Akureyri, and I was +told motor fishing-boats went there sometimes. I told our +guide to telephone on and find out if such a boat could be +hired, the reply came back that a small one would be +available. The terms were settled, and the boat was to be +ready the following evening, to start by 9 p.m. About +8 o'clock, we went to the quay to inspect our ship, when to +my horror I was shown a single-cylinder thing not as large +as a moderate Thames pleasure-launch, a free-board about +10 inches, no cabin, no deck. I'm bound to confess my +heart failed me, it didn't seem quite good enough to trust +ourselves to a sixty-five mile trip in a little tub with two +youths (one of whom had a withered hand) and a very +doubtful looking compass! Not so Fred, he never raised +the least objection to a North Sea trip in a ship dependent +on a single plug, which might become sooty any moment! +In due time we started, and after watching the midnight +sun, my shipmate remarked, 'I think I shall turn in.' +'Turn in where?' 'Oh, the cockpit will do.' It was full +of rusty old chains, he could just get into it and lie curled +up in a sort of knot on the rug, and here he passed a +dreamless night, never moving until I called him as the boat +touched land about 8.30 a.m. On landing, the first thing +was to find out where the Little Auk might breed. The +Parson told us he knew a man skilled in such matters. With +a total population of 72 souls, 13 of which were belonging +to the Parson, it ought not to be difficult to find the tastes +of any unit of the congregation (especially after eighteen +years' residence). In a short time a fisherman arrived with +a coil of rope and a crowbar; the latter he drove into the +ground, tied the rope to it and heaved the end over the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[293]</a></span> +rock. Our friendly Parson then waved towards the sea, +remarking, 'There you are, how do you like it? The birds +breed in the rocks at the bottom.' Honestly I did <i>not</i> like +it, but Fred remarked, 'Thank you, that will do well,' and +without another word seized the rope and was soon at the +bottom. I <i>had</i> to follow, the Parson looking down from the +top very much like the picture of Nebuchadnezzar looking +down at Daniel in the lions' den. The Little Auk was not +there, only Puffins inhabited that part of the island, and +we had to regain the top as best we could. Later on we +were shown a spot where the bird really did breed, and two +eggs rewarded us for the long journey. We left again the +same evening in a thick fog, Selous curling himself up once +more on the rusty chains, and utterly oblivious to the fact +that it was just a toss-up if our helmsman ever found the +mainland again or not. A short time after this event we +were resting at a farmhouse, and as usual asked if the boys +knew of any nests. One of them replied that there was a +Merlin's nest with five eggs in some rocks a few miles from +the farm. Off we started, and all went well until we came +to the face of a nasty crumbling steep place. The farm-boy, +with only a pair of shoes made from raw sheepskin, made no +bones about it and dashed up to the top. I was next, and +after going up a certain distance could find no foothold and +had to stop where I was. Selous was a little below me, and, +when he reached my none too comfortable seat, I suggested +that it was no place for me, and that the boy who was at +the nest might as well bring down the eggs. This was not +Fred's way of doing things, he simply remarked, 'I think +I'll go a little further.' He did, right up into the nest, +returning with the five eggs, and this too with a pair of +long, heavy Norwegian field-boots on. I felt a proper +weakling, but our friend never once rubbed it in by word or +deed. Of side he had none, and the possibility of hurting +anyone's feelings was absolutely repugnant to him <i>always</i>. +During our long rides in Iceland, he told me many things +about his life in Africa in the earlier days. How I wish I +could have taken down the stories he related! To hear him +talk was like listening to someone reading a book. He was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[294]</a></span> +never at a loss for a word or the name of a place. Perhaps +we would have been riding together in silence for some time, +then Fred would turn round with the remark, 'Do you +know,' he then would start and tell me something of his +early days in Africa, what may never have been published, +things he did for which <i>others</i> got the praise. I fear this +most unselfish of men was far too often made use of. Not +that Selous did not see through the schemes of various +impostors; he did, but as he would never have done a dirty +trick to a living soul, he could not believe they would to +him. His fondness for tea was a fine advertisement for this +indigestible drink. He told me that in his early camping +days in Africa, he used to throw a handful of tea in the pot +before starting off to hunt, let it simmer all day, freshening +it with another handful in the evening. The tea-leaves were +never emptied! The first time he stayed with me I saw him +making very bad weather of a glass of champagne; on asking +if he would prefer something else, the prompt reply came—'Tea.' +Ever after that he was provided with his pet drink, +and it used to interest me to see how he invariably left the +spoon in the cup, a relic of old veldt days where manners +were unknown. Fred's ideas on food were different to most +people's. One evening after a wretched eight hours' ride +in pouring cold rain, just as we neared the farm where we +were to rest, I said, 'How would you like to dine with +me at the Ritz to-night? A little clear soup, a grilled sole, +lamb cutlets and green peas, mushrooms on toast and a +bottle of Champagne 94?' 'Thanks very much, but if I +had my choice of what I should like best, it would be good +fat moose and tea.'</p> + +<p>"I think it was not generally known that Selous held +strong views about what he called Psychic Force, for during +the whole of our long friendship I only once heard him let +himself go on this subject, and I am bound to confess that +coming from a man like him whose every word was truth, +anyone who heard him relate what he had seen take place +in his own home with only his brothers and sisters present, +could not but help owning that he was in the presence of +something beyond his understanding. His conversation was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[295]</a></span> +always worth listening to, but like all brave men, it was +difficult to get him to talk. If he liked those present, he +would often delight his audience and yarn on for hours, if +he didn't, he was civility and politeness itself, but no +yarns! His little sayings, without <i>an atom</i> of side, always +amused me. The last time but one that I saw him when on +leave, I remarked on his close-cropped beard. 'Yes,' he +said, 'it looked so white in the bush, they seemed as if they +were always shooting at it.'</p> + +<p>"When war broke out I had not seen him for some little +time. I was killing rabbits in the park, and on looking up +saw Fred. He was furious, he had hoped to be sent to +France as a 'Guide,' but the scheme fell through, and he +feared he would not get a job. How cross he was! Shortly +after I received a wire that he was coming over to lunch. +He arrived radiant as a boy home from school, the reason +being that he was to go to Africa with a contingent of 150 +men with the rank of lieutenant, at the age of sixty-three! +And yet there are conscientious shirkers who <i>also</i> call themselves +'Englishmen.' The last time I saw him he lunched +here on the way from Gloucester when he had been to say +good-bye to his boy in the Flying Corps, and was just +starting for his return to Africa. In the midst of all he had +to do, and the rush of settling his affairs, he heard of our +own trouble. Sitting down at once, he found time to write +one of the most sympathetic, charming letters one pal may +write to another. It came straight from that great heart +which knew no fear, but loved his neighbour far better than +himself."</p></div> + +<p>Of the trip to Iceland Selous writes to Chapman (July +26th, 1913):—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Just a line to tell you that Heatley Noble and I got back +from Iceland a few days ago. We had a lot of cold, disagreeable +weather, but got a nice lot of eggs; indeed, +practically everything that one can get in Iceland, except +the Purple Sandpiper. When we got to where they were, it +was too late, and we only found a pair with young. We got +some eggs which were taken a fortnight earlier. We found +the Red-necked Pharalope breeding in hundreds at Myvatn<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[296]</a></span> +and other places, and we also took several clutches of Grey +Pharalope which we found breeding in some numbers in +two districts. We got all the Iceland ducks at and near +Myvatn, including the Harlequin, Barrow's Golden Eye, +Scaup, Long-tailed Duck, Scoter and several others. +Whooper Swans were plentiful in some parts of the south +and west, but not in the north, and we saw a good many +Great Northern Divers, and got several clutches of eggs. +We went out to the island of Grimsey, thirty miles north of +the north coast of Iceland and just within the Arctic circle, +and got the eggs of the Little Auk there; and also Snow +Buntings, which were extraordinarily abundant on the +island. Redwings and Mealy Redpolls we got in the birch +scrub in the north. But I will tell you all about our trip +when we meet. The boys came home on Wednesday, and +we are all going to Scotland on August 9th. I don't yet +know when the show will come on at which I shall have to +speak, but I hope that it will not be before October. I found +the Sandpipers' and Wheatears' eggs on my arrival home."</p></div> + +<p>In August and September he went to Scotland for the +grouse-shooting, which he enjoyed, but which never seemed +to fill the place in his mind of Africa. He was always +thinking of the land of sunshine, and says to Chapman +(September 9th, 1913):—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"During the long waits at grouse-driving the other day, +I was always wishing myself in the forests on the slopes of +Mount Kenia, collecting butterflies, for there every moment +was full of excitement. I am sorry to tell you that my dear +old mother's health—she is now in her eighty-eighth year—is +such that it will henceforth be impossible for me to leave +England again on any long trip during her lifetime. She is +not ill, but she has lost strength terribly during the last +three months, and I do not think her life can be much +further prolonged. So now all hope of going to the Sudan +this winter is gone, and as at my age every year tells heavily +against me, I doubt whether I shall ever get a giant Eland +for the Natural History Museum."</p></div> + +<p>Abel Chapman at this time asked Selous to go with him +to the Sudan, but Selous could not go then, as he had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[297]</a></span> +business with his mother's will, but suggested he might +possibly join him in February, 1914, down the Nile below +the sudd.</p> + +<p>In November, 1913, he went to Rugby to give a lecture, +and to see his boy Freddy, of whom he was very proud. To +Chapman he says:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I went there yesterday (Rugby) to see the football +match against Cheltenham College. Freddy played for +Rugby. He has played in every out match for the school +this term, against the Old Guard, the Oxford A, the old +Rugbeians, and Cheltenham College, so I think he is now +definitely in the first fifteen. As he is now only fifteen +years of age, and will not be sixteen till April 21st next, I +think that is rather good; indeed, I think he must be the +youngest boy in the school fifteen, and so may some day be +Captain of the Rugby fifteen. He plays forward, and +weighed 11 stone 10 lbs."</p></div> + +<p>Young Fred Selous was a true son of his father, and very +like him in many ways. He had the same charm and +modesty of manner, and had he lived would have gone far, +and no doubt made his mark in the world. But it was not +to be, for he gave his life for his country on January 4th, +1918, on the same day one year later than the death of his +father. He was educated at Bilton Grange and Rugby, +where he proved to be an excellent athlete, being in the +Running VIII, and in 1915 Captain of the Rugby XV. He +entered Sandhurst in September, 1915, and on leaving in +April, 1916, was gazetted to the Royal East Surrey Regiment +and attached to the R.F.C. Very soon he developed +exceptional ability as a flying officer. In July, 1916, he went +to the front and was awarded both the Military Cross and +the Italian Silver Medal of Military Valour. My friend, +Lieutenant Edward Thornton, was flying close to Freddy +Selous on the fatal day, and states:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I was up at 15,000 ft. over the German lines, when I +saw Captain Selous take a dive at a German machine some +2000 feet below. What actually happened I do not know, +but all at once I saw both wings of the machine collapse, +and he fell to the earth like a stone."</p></div> + +<p>The major<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[298]</a></span> commanding Freddy's squadron thus wrote +to his bereaved mother:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"It is a severe blow to the squadron to lose him, for he +was beloved by officers and men alike. In fact, his popularity +extended to a much greater area than his own aerodrome. +In the short time that I have known him I have +been struck with the courage and keenness of your son—always +ready for his jobs, and always going about his work +with the cheeriest and happiest of smiles. He was the life +and soul of the mess."</p></div> + +<p>The second son of Selous and his wife is Harold Sherborne +Selous, who will be nineteen in October, 1918. He was +educated at Radley College, and is at present in the Officers' +Cadet Battalion at Pirbright, and expects to take a commission +shortly.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_58_58" id="Footnote_58_58"></a><a href="#FNanchor_58_58"><span class="label">[58]</span></a> The collection of Birds and Mammals made by the Roosevelt expedition +is now for the most part in the American Museum of Natural History +at New York and at Washington. It is probably the best collection ever +made by one expedition in Africa, and the book which the President wrote—"African +Game Trails"—will always remain one of the best works of +reference on the subject.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_59_59" id="Footnote_59_59"></a><a href="#FNanchor_59_59"><span class="label">[59]</span></a> President Roosevelt realised his hopes. In two days, between Sir +Alfred Pease's farm and the railway (Kapiti Plains), he and his son Kermit +killed seven lions. They also killed several others in the Sotik.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_60_60" id="Footnote_60_60"></a><a href="#FNanchor_60_60"><span class="label">[60]</span></a> Mr. Edward North Buxton also did much to help the President in +his forthcoming trip.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_61_61" id="Footnote_61_61"></a><a href="#FNanchor_61_61"><span class="label">[61]</span></a> Selous gave a full account of his trip in articles in the "Field," +July-September, 1911.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_62_62" id="Footnote_62_62"></a><a href="#FNanchor_62_62"><span class="label">[62]</span></a> George Grey, brother of Lord Grey of Falloden, an excellent hunter +and charming personality. He was killed by a lion on Sir Alfred Pease's +estate in 1910.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_63_63" id="Footnote_63_63"></a><a href="#FNanchor_63_63"><span class="label">[63]</span></a> Selous, like all other good sportsmen, cherished a warm appreciation +for the "Field" newspaper. Mr. J. E. Harting, the Natural History and +Shooting Editor, was an old and much valued friend.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_64_64" id="Footnote_64_64"></a><a href="#FNanchor_64_64"><span class="label">[64]</span></a> See "The Field," June 8th, 1912.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_65_65" id="Footnote_65_65"></a><a href="#FNanchor_65_65"><span class="label">[65]</span></a> She died peacefully in 1913.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[299]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII</h2> +<h3>1914-1915</h3> + + +<p>In May, 1914, Selous went to Texel Island, on the coast +of Holland, where he took a few eggs and enjoyed +watching the Ruffs, Avocets, Godwits, Turnstones, +and Spoonbills. In June and July he was making preparations +for an expedition with his friend Abel Chapman to +the Sudan and White Nile, with the object of collecting +Gazelles and eventually, if possible, the Giant Eland. The +plan was to enter via Port Sudan, shoot Ibex and Gazelles +between that port and Khartoum and then go south in +January, 1915, to Lake No, where Mrs. Gray's Lechwe +could be found. Selous would then leave his friend and go +to Wau for the Elands, and afterwards to the hinterland of +the Bahr-el-Ghazal and search for the various local races +of Uganda Kob found there and still imperfectly known.<a name="FNanchor_66_66" id="FNanchor_66_66"></a><a href="#Footnote_66_66" class="fnanchor">[66]</a></p> + +<p>Other events of greater importance, however, put an +end to this proposed trip. In August commenced the Great +War, in which Selous at first had no thought of taking part, +but as a succession of adverse circumstances multiplied, he +felt that interest and responsibility in the conflict of nations +that true men of whatever rank or station must experience. +Foresight, common sense, and a knowledge of the great +power of the Central Empires soon convinced him that in +order to beat them, sooner or later we should have to enrol +every fit man in the United Kingdom. He was not a man +to delay once his mind was made up. The question was +only how and where his services could be of most use. +He understood "the bush" and "bush fighting" better +than most men<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[300]</a></span> and he resolved to try and join the forces +fighting in East Africa.</p> + +<p>Soon he learned that it was probable that his friend Colonel +Driscoll was about to organize a force, perhaps for service +in East Africa, or even for the front in France.</p> + +<p>Writing to Abel Chapman on August 12th, 1914, he says:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Before seeking enrolment in the Legion of Frontiersmen, +I went to one of the biggest Life Insurance Companies in +London and was examined by their chief medical officer, +and I have got a splendid certificate of health. After saying +that he found all my organs perfectly sound he goes on, +'his heart in particular, considering the active life he has +led, is in excellent condition. He is also remarkably active +and muscular and in my opinion fit for service anywhere.' +I may say that Colonel Driscoll has not yet got his authority +from the Government to get his men together, though he +has enrolled several thousand and is prepared to come forward +at a moment's notice. I fear that there will be frightful +delay, as I have good reason to believe that none of our +troops have yet left England and the Government will +attend to nothing until they have got all their regular +forces to the front. However, if the war goes on for any +time they will want all the men they can get, and I fully +expect that the Legion of Frontiersmen will get to the front +sooner or later, but perhaps not till the Colonial forces +arrive in England."</p></div> + +<p>Writing on August 14th, 1914, he says:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I believe this war will be a terrific business, and that +we shall have to send something like a million of men out +of the country before it is over, so that sooner or later I +think I shall get into the fighting line. Freddy will not be +old enough to volunteer until April 21st next, when he will +be seventeen, and I fully expect that he will be wanted. +<i>If I should be eliminated it would not matter a bit as I have +had my day</i>, but it would be a pity if so promising a boy +got scuppered at the outset of his life."</p></div> + +<p>All this time he was fretting at official delays, for writing +to Chapman, September 22nd, 1914, he betrays his impatience.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[301]</a></span> passes my understanding why the War Office will not +give the order to Colonel Driscoll to take some of his men, +who are all well disciplined and can shoot, to the front at +once.... I am afraid that Lord Kitchener has no intention +of employing anything in this war but regular troops.... +Driscoll offered to take 1000 men to British East Africa +to invade and take German East Africa,<a name="FNanchor_67_67" id="FNanchor_67_67"></a><a href="#Footnote_67_67" class="fnanchor">[67]</a> but this offer was +also refused."</p></div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>In October, Colonel Driscoll thought there was no chance +of being employed. "I personally," writes Selous to Chapman, +October 23rd, 1914, "do not think he will ever be +employed at all, so I determined to make an application +direct to the War Office for service at the front with the +Army Service Corps, or as an interpreter, or for any kind of +work in which a good knowledge of French and some German +might be useful. I got two letters of introduction to two +members of Parliament who are working at the War Office +and was sympathetically received by them. I took my +health certificate with me. My application for service was +submitted straight to Lord Kitchener, and I have got his +reply from H. J. Tennant, M.P.: 'I spoke to Lord Kitchener +to-day about you and he thought that <i>your age was prohibitive +against your employment</i> here or at the seat of war +in Europe.' Well, I suppose that is the end of it, for I put +no faith in Driscoll's belief that sooner or later his services +will be required, so I suppose that neither you nor I will be +allowed to serve our country in this war. We are looked +upon as useless old buffers."</p></div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>In November, 1914, he was doing special constable at +Pirbright and was rather depressed that he could get +nothing better to do, and that his boy Freddy would soon +have to go into training as a soldier. He hoped his son +would be able to join the Egyptian Army and have "a +good time in the Sudan or the King's African Rifles. As I +can do nothing that really matters, I often feel that I should +like to go right away—say to the Belgian Congo—hunting +and collecting for a year. But until the war is over, or nearly +over, I am afraid I shall not be able to leave here, as besides +being enrolled myself as a special constable, I have now +undertaken to do a lot of work under the 'Defence of the +Realm' Act. I feel it is all unnecessary fuss and bother, as +even if a raid could be made on the East coast of England, +no invasion could take place south of the Thames until +the French are conquered and crushed, and the Germans +take possession of all the Channel ports opposite our south-eastern +shores, and further until our Navy has lost command +of the seas. Personally I don't believe that either of these +disasters can ever happen, so I must do what the Government +requires. Anyhow I feel that it is a waste of energy." +(Letter to Chapman, November 11th, 1914.)</p></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[302]</a></span></p><p>In February, 1915, he still had hopes of going to East +Africa with Colonel Driscoll's force, and speaks of the difficulties +he had encountered in obtaining his commission in a +letter to my wife. (February 18th, 1915.)</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I know absolutely nothing about the 'Legion of Frontiersmen' +as far as service is concerned, but Colonel Driscoll +has always promised me that if he was sent abroad, he would +take me with him as 'Intelligence Officer.' After last +September, when he offered to take 1000 or 2000 men to +East Africa and his services were declined by the War +Office and the Colonial Office, I tried to get a job myself +with the Army Service Corps in France. I went to the War +Office and saw Mr. Tennant and said that I could speak +French, a good deal of German and make the Flemish people +understand my South African Dutch. Mr. Tennant laid my +application and my very excellent bill of health before Lord +Kitchener, who wrote me the next day simply saying that +'my age was prohibitive against giving me any employment +either here or at the seat of war in Europe.' After +that I gave up all hope of being able to do anything and +settled down as leader of the special constables of Pirbright, +and also did work for the 'Defence of the Realm' Act. In +December, however, I got a letter from Colonel Driscoll +saying, 'If I am ordered out—as is very probable—to East +Africa, will you come with me?' I wired at once to say I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[303]</a></span> +would be ready at very short notice, and went to see him. +I found that the War Office had sent for him and asked +him how long it would take him to get together 1000 men +for service in East Africa. He said that the War Office +had already got 3000 men, originally enrolled in the Legion, +who when they found that they could not be employed in a +body had enlisted in the new army. However, he undertook +to get 1000 men by the end of January, and I can +vouch that he was working very hard to accomplish this, +when he got a letter from the W. O. (who had told him to +get on with the enlistment of the men) saying that for the +present his services would not be required, as they were in +communication with the Government of India as to getting +more troops for East Africa from there. Everything seemed +over again, but about three weeks ago, I got another letter +from Driscoll saying, 'Are you available for service at once?' +The W. O. had come to him again and asked <i>him</i> to get +1000 men together by February 10th. I have been helping +him since then in getting notices in the papers, and receiving +the names of men willing to serve in East Africa. Colonel +Driscoll wanted and still wants to take me with him as +Intelligence Officer, so I went last Monday to the War +Office and saw Major Guest (who was with Major-General +Lloyd the other day when he inspected Driscoll's men) and +asked him about maps of German East Africa, and Major +Guest then told me that they were not going to give Driscoll +an Intelligence Officer. He told me that Driscoll would +just have to put down the names of his officers and submit +them to the W. O. for acceptance or rejection. As I told +Major Guest, this would mean that my name would certainly +be rejected on account of my age. I then saw Driscoll +again, and found him very much discouraged, as he said +that not only had the W. O. refused to allow either a signalling +officer, a transport, or an intelligence officer<a name="FNanchor_68_68" id="FNanchor_68_68"></a><a href="#Footnote_68_68" class="fnanchor">[68]</a> on his +strength, but they also wanted to impose some men of their +own choosing on him as officers, whom he does not know, +thereby obliging him to dismiss some of his company officers, +who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[304]</a></span> have served with him, and whom he does know. I +think it quite possible that Driscoll may resign, but he +will not do so until he has got the men the War Office want. +As far as I am concerned I now think my chances of going +to Africa with this force are small, although Major Guest +told me that General Lloyd was in favour of letting me go. +I know absolutely nothing about the Legion of Frontiersmen +in this country, nor do I believe that there is the slightest +chance of the Germans landing any force in this country, +as long as our Navy remains in being."</p></div> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>On February 4th, 1915, he went to see Colonel Driscoll, +who said the War Office had stretched the age-limit in his +case, that he would take him to East Africa as Intelligence +Officer. "I hope I shall not prove too old for the job and +break down," he writes. Colonel Driscoll expected to have +two or three months' training and leave for East Africa in +April. On March 7th, Mrs. Selous went to Havre to work +in the Y.M.C.A. hut there. Selous then left for London. +"It was thought that I would start for East Africa with an +advance contingent before she left for France," but he was +delayed, waiting for the whole regiment to go together. +Writing to Chapman, March 21st, 1915, he says: "I understand +that we are to start for East Africa next Saturday, or +very soon afterwards. Well, good-bye, old friend. These +troublous times will be over some day and then if we are +still both alive and have any vitality left, we must do that +Nile trip."</p> +</div> + +<p>Selous landed with his battalion at Mombasa on May 4th, +1915. Colonel R. Meinertzhagen gives a few particulars of +the strange assortment of men comprising the force:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The battalion (25th Royal Fusiliers) concentrated at +Kajiado soon after landing at Mombasa, when it was inspected +by General Tighe, then Commanding in East Africa. +I accompanied Tighe on this inspection, and we formed a +very high opinion of the officers and men. They were an +unpolished lot but real good business-like men who meant +fighting.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a href="images/i343.jpg"><img src="images/i343-t.jpg" width="400" height="282" alt="Mt. Kilimanjaro From The North." title="" /> +</a><br /><span class="caption">Mt. Kilimanjaro from the North.</span> +</div> + +<p>"Selous was then in front of his platoon, looking very +serious and standing strictly to attention. We recognized +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[305]</a></span> +each other at once and were soon deep in the question of +the validity of the Nakuru Hartebeest and the breeding +of the Harlequin Duck in Iceland. We both forgot we were +on parade, much to the amusement of Selous' platoon, who +still stood rigidly to attention throughout the discussion.</p> + +<p>"Selous' company was indeed a mixed lot and contained +men from the French Foreign Legion, ex-Metropolitan +policemen, a general of the Honduras Army, lighthouse +keepers, keepers from the Zoo, Park Lane plutocrats, music-hall +acrobats, but none the less excellent stuff and devoted +to their officers."</p></div> + +<p>After some delays the regiment was sent up by the +Uganda railway to the Victoria Nyanza, where they went +by steamer to attack the German forces on the Western +bank of the Great Lake at Bukoba. The following notes +are Selous' own account of these operations.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<div class="center"> +<i>Personal Experiences, during the Attack on and Capture of the<br /> +Town and Wireless Installation at Bukoba, on the<br /> +Western side of Lake Victoria Nyanza.</i><br /> +</div> + +<p>It was about midnight on June 21st, 1915, or very early +on the morning of June 22nd, that we approached an island +in the bay of Bukoba, which, as the captain of our ship no +doubt knew very well, and as we were to find out on the +following day, was only about half a mile from the town, +and the fine wireless installation close to the Lake shore. +We had been going very slowly and quietly for some time +before nearing the island, and the intention of our commander-in-chief +may have been to land his forces in the +dark, without the knowledge of the Germans. But the +guard on the island were wide awake, and either heard or +saw our steamer approaching, as they immediately sent up +six blue lights, one after the other, which illuminated the +whole island, and of course, warned the Germans in Bukoba +that a hostile British force was about to attack the town. +They no doubt thought that this attack would be made in +the bay itself, under cover of the ships' guns, as we found +later that all their trenches and block-houses along the +shores of the bay had been manned. After the flashlights<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[306]</a></span> +had gone up, and it was evident that a surprise attack on +the town was no longer possible, all our ships retired in the +darkness for some little distance, but before daylight again +approached the coast, at a point some three miles to the +north of Bukoba, from which they were hidden by a point +of land. We all stood to arms on the crowded decks at +4 a.m., and silently waited for daylight. At the first streak +of dawn, about 5.30, the disembarkation of our men (400 +of the 25th Battalion Royal Fusiliers) commenced. My +Company, A, was the first to land, a somewhat slow process, +as the heavy row-boats only travelled very slowly and our +ship was further than it looked from the shore. From +within a few yards of the water's edge to the base of a +precipitous slope, some 200 yards distant, which in places +was a sheer cliff, some 300 or 400 feet high, the ground was +covered with bush and large banana-plantations, amongst +which were scattered a few large and comfortable-looking +native huts. Had the Germans only known that we were +going to attempt a landing at this spot and brought a +machine-gun to the top of the cliff, or had they even lined +the top of the cliff with riflemen, they would probably have +been able to kill every man in the closely packed boats, +and sunk the latter before they reached the shore. Luckily +they did not know where we were going to land, until too +late, for once on shore, we worked our way as quickly as +possible through the banana-plantations, and gained the +top of the cliff unopposed. We were only just in time, +however, as we were soon engaged with the enemy's forces, +which, having now become aware of our intentions, were +rapidly advancing to meet us. The disembarkation of B, +C, and D Companies (100 men each) of our battalion was +now proceeding rapidly, and the advance towards the town +commenced.<a name="FNanchor_69_69" id="FNanchor_69_69"></a><a href="#Footnote_69_69" class="fnanchor">[69]</a></p> + +<p>It <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[307]</a></span> +is impossible for me to attempt to give any general +idea of the whole engagement, which lasted for two days, +and I can only tell you some of my own experiences and +impressions. We fought in a long thin skirmishing line, +which extended from the sea to over a mile inland, and +slowly and gradually pushed our opponents back towards +Bukoba. On the right of our frontiersmen were 300 men +of the Loyal North Lancashire regiment, and somewhere—I +believe near the sea-shore, though I must confess that I never +saw them—was a contingent of the King's African Rifles—native +African troops, commanded by white officers. Our +whole force was supported by four guns of an Indian +Mountain Battery (the 28th) and four machine-guns. The +forces opposed to us were undoubtedly very inferior to +ours numerically, and consisted, I think, entirely of well-trained +and well-armed native and Arab troops, commanded +by German commissioned and non-commissioned officers, +and a number of German civilian sharpshooters (men +who no doubt have done a lot of big game hunting) +armed with sporting rifles, fitted with hair-triggers and +telescopic sights. With these rifles they used soft-nosed +expanding bullets.<a name="FNanchor_70_70" id="FNanchor_70_70"></a><a href="#Footnote_70_70" class="fnanchor">[70]</a> They had two cannons, I do not +know of what calibre,<a name="FNanchor_71_71" id="FNanchor_71_71"></a><a href="#Footnote_71_71" class="fnanchor">[71]</a> but of quite a considerable range +and two machine-guns. But in another way our opponents +had a very great advantage over us, as they had the benefit +of the most splendid cover, banana-plantations, patches of +thick bush, and bits of ground strewn with rocks, against +which we had to advance in the open. Many bullets seemed +to pass very close to me, whilst others were much too high. +Several times, too, a machine-gun was turned on my platoon, +but the range was quite 2000 yards and my men were very +scattered, and the rocks and stones gave us good cover +between our advances. Presently two of our own machine-guns +came up, and searched the hill-side for the enemy's +gun, firing all along the crest of the hill. I do not know if +they actually put any of the German machine-gun contingent +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[308]</a></span> +out of action, but they certainly caused them to +withdraw their gun.</p> + +<p>In the course of the day I had a rather curious experience. +I was expecting to see the men of C Company on my right, +when I suddenly saw two men dressed in khaki and wearing +helmets amongst the rocks, less than 200 yards away +from me on my right. There were also two or three natives +in khaki with them. I said to Corporal Jenner, who was +close to me, "Those must be two of our men with some of +the native carriers," and we stepped out into the open. We +were immediately fired on, but still I could not bring myself +to fire back at them, and thinking that they were our own +men and that seeing us suddenly, where they did not expect +any of our men to be, they had mistaken us for Germans, +I took off my helmet and waved it to them. One of them +at once removed his helmet and waved it back to me. I +was just putting on my helmet again, when the Germans—for +they were Germans—fired at me again, and then dived +in amongst the rocks. Their bullets appeared to whistle +very close past me, though they may not have been as near +as they seemed. At one point a lot of the enemy whom my +platoon had gradually forced out of the rocks had to cross +the open valley below, but they were then a long way off, and +though we expended a lot of ammunition on them I only +saw one drop. We also killed one black soldier at close +quarters in the rocks, and I have his rifle, which I shall +keep as a souvenir.</p> + +<p>About 5 o'clock our whole force advanced across the +open valley below the ridges we had taken nearly the whole +day to clear. To do this we had to get through a swamp, +intersected by a small river, which was much more than +waist deep. Having negotiated this, we then took possession +of two rocks, hills from which we drove the enemy just +before it got dark. I was standing beside a stone on the +top of the first hill, when a bullet struck a small dead stump +just in front of and within a yard of me. Where the bullet +afterwards went I don't know, but it sent a large chunk of +dead wood against my chest, and another against a man +just behind me, which hit him in the groin. He evidently<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[309]</a></span> +thought he was hit and fell to the ground with a groan. +But he was no more hit or hurt than I was, and soon recovered +his composure. We had had a very hard day, +having had nothing to eat, and not even a cup of coffee +before leaving the ship. Provisions were to have been sent +on shore for us, but if they were, we never got them. I had +a hard biscuit and a lump of cheese in my pocket, but these +were ruined in the swamp. General Stewart and his Staff +joined us in the evening, and one of his staff gave Major +Webb, Lieutenant Hargraves and myself each a small +sausage. Colonel Kitchener (Lord Kitchener's brother) was +with General Stewart's Staff, and he introduced himself to +me, and was as nice as possible. He insisted on giving me +a few thin biscuits which I shared with my two company +officers. The day had been intensely hot and muggy, but +the night was clear and there was a good moon. Colonel +Driscoll wanted to go on and take the town by storm in +the night; but General Stewart thought it better to wait +until the morning. Most of our men were, I think, very +much exhausted, but I, I think, was in as good shape as +any of them. I really was not tired at all. We passed a +most uncomfortable night.<a name="FNanchor_72_72" id="FNanchor_72_72"></a><a href="#Footnote_72_72" class="fnanchor">[72]</a> As soon as the dew began to +fall it got very cold, so cold that we could not sleep at all. +We were wet through too up to our chests. During the +night someone set light to some native huts in the banana-plantation +below our hill, so I took advantage of the blaze +and went down there, and stripping stark naked dried all +my things before going up the hill again. Whilst I was +doing this our dead were taken past on stretchers. The +wounded had been taken on to our hospital-ship in the +afternoon.</p> + +<p>Before dawn on the morning of June 23rd, we all stood +to arms again on the top of the hills we had occupied the +previous evening, and very glad we all were when at last +day broke and the long, cold, dreary, sleepless night was +past. We had nothing to eat, and nothing to drink but the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[310]</a></span>water in our water-bottles, and again commenced the day's +work on empty stomachs. Soon after daybreak, our +signaller brought a message to Colonel Driscoll from General +Stewart, telling him to send an officer and twenty men +through the bush and banana-plantations below the hill, in +order to find out the line taken by the road (which we could +plainly see passing below our hill and entering the plantations) +through the swamps which lay between us and the +town of Bukoba, and then to approach as near the town as +possible in order to ascertain what forces were defending +it. Colonel Driscoll and Major Webb did me the honour to +select me to lead this patrol, and I lost no time in selecting +twenty good men of my own platoon to accompany me. +After getting off the hill we advanced in single file along +the road, I leading, and my men following, with intervals +of about six paces between them. We followed the road, +and it was somewhat jumpy work, passing along the edge +of several banana-plantations, and patches of bush, as they +afforded such ideal cover for sharpshooters of the type we +had encountered on the previous day. However, there were +none there, and we presently emerged on to an open plain +covered with grass about two or two and a half feet high, +and saw the road running through it straight in to the town. +All along the road were posts at intervals of fifty yards or +so supporting a telegraph or telephone wire which was +probably connected up with some fort from which we had +compelled the enemy to retire on the previous day.</p> + +<p>On emerging into the open beyond the plantations at the +foot of the hill, we were perhaps twelve or fifteen hundred +yards from the wireless installation and the nearest houses. +The sea-shore was perhaps half a mile to our left, and between +us and the lake ran a reedy swamp, which we could see ran +to within some 500 yards of the wireless installation and then +curved to the right, the straight road we were on going right +across it over a bridge. I now followed the road across the +open ground, searching both to right and left and straight +in front for any signs of the enemy. But we could see nothing +and hear nothing, and I began to think that possibly Bukoba +had been deserted during the night, and that I and my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[311]</a></span> +patrol might walk right into it unopposed, But as we +approached the bridge over the swamp, I saw the opportunities +it offered for an ambush, and so passed the word +down my line of men telling them to leave the road, and +keeping their relative positions, edge off to the left, in the +direction of the swamp. We had hardly commenced this +movement, when we were fired on from somewhere near +the bridge. "Down," I shouted, and my command was +obeyed with the utmost alacrity. The bullets whistled +past us, but no one was hit, and we then crawled through +the grass to the swamp, and then again advanced along its +edge until we were within about 600 yards of the wireless +installation. Along the swamp we usually had good cover, +but whenever I tried to reconnoitre and raised myself above +the grass to get a good look round I was fired on, I could +not tell exactly from where. Two or three times a machine-gun +was turned on us, but except when trying to reconnoitre +we were pretty safe, and the bullets really whizzed +over us. I expected that our whole battalion would have +received orders to advance on the town shortly after my +patrol had shown that there were no enemy forces on this +side of where the road crossed the swamp. But before this +happened the enemy's gun positions were shelled both by +the Indian Mounted Battery on the hill, and by the guns +on our ships, which were now closing in on the Bay of +Bukoba. The Germans returned the fire of the Mountain +Battery most pluckily with two guns mounted on the hill +behind the town, but did not reply to the fire of the ships' +guns. This artillery duel had gone on for some time when +about 9 o'clock a terrific storm burst over the area of the +fighting, accompanied by torrential rain and partial darkness. +In a few minutes my men and I, and all who were +exposed to its violence, were soaked to the skin. The rain, +however, was luckily, if not exactly warm, not cold and +gave us no sense of chill.</p> + +<p>When the storm was over, the big guns again opened +fire. Several hours had now passed since I left the hill on +which our battalion had passed the night, and I wondered +why no general advance had been made on the town. I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[312]</a></span> +did not think that it would be either wise or right to advance +any further with only twenty men, as I knew there was a +machine-gun in front of us, somewhere near the wireless +installation, and it was impossible to tell what forces were +still holding Bukoba and waiting to open fire from the +shelter of the houses on any men advancing against it. So +I sent one of the men with me—a South African named +Budler—and my native boy Ramazani, with a note to +Colonel Driscoll that there was a good line of advance towards +Bukoba, along the edge of the swamp where my +men were lying. My men met Colonel Driscoll and learnt +from him that a general advance was in fact then taking +place. C Company soon came up and took up their position +a little beyond me along the reed-bed, and I learnt that +Major Webb with the rest of A Company was advancing on +our right, and then B and D Companies were still further to +the right. The Adjutant, Captain White, then came along +and thought that some of us ought to cross to the further +side of the swamp. This was at once done by the men of +C Company, some of my men with myself as their leader, +and Captain White himself. The stream in the middle of +the swamp was quite deep and we all got wet up to our +breasts. Just before we crossed the swamp Lieutenant +Miles of the King's African Rifles came up with a machine-gun, +with which he opened fire on one of the houses near the +wireless installation, from which we thought that a German +machine-gun had been firing at us. This proved to be right, +but unfortunately the German gun got the range of our +gun first, and when three of his men had been wounded, +one very severely, Lieutenant Miles had to withdraw his +gun into the shelter of the hollow formed by the reed-bed. +German sharpshooters, firing from we could not tell exactly +where, were now sending some bullets disagreeably close to +us as we lay flat just beyond the swamp. These bullets, +fortunately in no great number, seemed to ping past us only +a few inches above our bodies. Presently Sergeant-Major +Bottomly of C Company came across the swamp, and lay +down alongside of me, or at least separated from me by +just a yard, my black boy Ramazani lying between us,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[313]</a></span> +but a little lower down, so that his head was on a line with +my hips. I just said a word to Bottomly, and then turned +my head away from him again to look in the direction from +which the bullets were coming. Almost immediately my black +boy Ramazani touched me, and said: "Master, soldier hit, +dead." I had never heard a sound, but turning my head +I saw poor Bottomly lying on his back, stone dead, with a +bullet through his head. I noticed a large signet ring on his +right hand, as his arm hung limp across his body. His +head and face were nearly covered by his helmet, but the +blood was trickling down over his throat, and I knew that +he must have been shot through the brain and killed instantaneously.</p> + +<p>Our ships had now crept right into the Bay of Bukoba, +and as they fired on the town, or the enemy's gun positions, +their shells came screaming and whistling over us. The +machine-guns were going too with their wicked rattle, and +bullets from snipers' rifles came with an unpleasant sound, +sometimes apparently within a few inches of our bodies, +which were just then pressed as close to the ground as +possible. I thought, as I lay there only a yard away from +the blood-stained corpse of poor Sergeant-Major Bottomly, +listening to the peculiar noise of each kind of projectile as +it found its invisible course through the air above and around +me, that I could recall various half-hours of my life passed +amidst much pleasanter surroundings. And yet what a +small and miserable thing this was, after all, in the way of a +battle compared with the titanic combats which have been +taking place in Europe ever since the greatest war in history +commenced last August. I can well understand how the +nerves of any man, however strong, may be shaken to +pieces, by the awful clamour of the giant shells and the +concentrated fire of many machine-guns, and countless +numbers of rifles, and the terrible havoc wrought by +these fearful weapons of destruction.</p> + +<p>As the advance of the companies of our battalion on the +right seemed to be very slow, and we did not know exactly +what opposition lay in front of us, Colonel Driscoll asked +me to call for three or four volunteers, and crawl forwards<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[314]</a></span> +in order to make a reconnaissance. I took four men of my +own platoon who were close to me. We had not proceeded +far when a shot was fired at us from somewhere to our right. +This bullet seemed just to skim over us. We immediately +lay flat, and wriggling to the left got shelter in a slight +hollow of the ground. Along this hollow we advanced to +within some three hundred yards of the house nearest to +the wireless installation, when several shots were fired at us, +and we could also hear talking beyond the rising ground +to our left. We could see no sign of the enemy near the +wireless installation, nor anywhere down the main street +of the town, and I think that Bukoba was at that time +already deserted, except for a few sharpshooters who were +covering the evacuation, so I at once crawled back to make +my report to Colonel Driscoll. On our way we passed some +of Major Leitch's men (C Company) and on my reaching +Colonel Driscoll and making my report, he asked me to +collect the rest of my own men, and then took one of the four +men with me to guide him to where Major Leitch was, as he +wanted to speak to him. Almost immediately after I had +parted from him, my man, Private Mucklow (from Worcestershire), +was shot dead alongside of Colonel Driscoll, as he had +incautiously stood up. This, I think, was almost if not +absolutely the last shot fired by the enemy, and no opposition +whatever was made to the advance upon, and occupation +of the town by our battalion. I think that both their +machine-guns had been put out of action by shells from the +Indian Mounted Battery, but they were carried away. +They abandoned one of their pieces of artillery, however. +We found it with four oxen ready yoked to drag it away, +but a shell from our battery had killed one of the oxen and +so in their hurry the Germans abandoned the gun. The +sappers destroyed most completely the wonderful structure +of the wireless installation, which was something like a +small Eiffel Tower, and nearly if not quite 200 feet high, +with immensely strong concrete foundations. It must +have cost a great deal of money to construct in Germany +and then convey over so many thousands of miles of land +and sea to the very heart of Africa all the component parts<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[315]</a></span> +of this wonderful example of material civilization, but I +suppose the destruction of this wireless installation was the +chief object of this expedition to Bukoba.</p> + +<p>Immediately upon entering the town my company was +sent on to the hill behind it to guard against any attack, and +the men of the Loyal North Lancashire regiment presently +worked round along the ridge of the higher hills beyond, and +posted pickets on all points of vantage. I therefore did not +actually witness the destruction of the wireless installation. +Neither I nor my men had had anything to eat since the +previous evening and very little since the evening before we +left the ship, but we got some bananas in the plantations on +the hillsides below us, though only a few of them were ripe. +My men, however, brought me two fine large ones quite ripe +and of a most delicious flavour.</p> + +<p>There was a sort of arsenal on the hill we were guarding, +and this was blown up about 5 o'clock, an immense amount +of ammunition being destroyed. The houses of the German +residents, probably Government officials for the most part, +were very well and comfortably built and furnished. The +arsenal in the town was set alight and great quantities of +ammunition and some dynamite destroyed. A good deal of +beer and wine and provisions of various kinds was discovered +in Bukoba, but I saw no drunkenness amongst our men.</p> + +<p>Just at sundown the order came from General Stewart +that our battalion was to parade and march to the jetty +and re-embark at once. But at first we had to bury our +dead. A great grave was dug in the sandy soil, between the +burning arsenal and the Governor's house, and in it were +laid three deep the bodies of six Britons, still swathed in +their blood-stained clothes, who had given their lives for +King and Country, far, far away from their native land and +all who held them dear. These men had all been killed outright, +but two more who had died of their wounds after +being taken to the hospital-ship were brought ashore and +buried within sound of the murmuring waters of the great +inland lake. Altogether our casualties amounted to twenty; +8 killed and 12 wounded. The re-embarkation of our +battalion took a very long time, and it was not till 2 a.m.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">[316]</a></span> +on the morning of June 24th that my company, A, at last +got on board. Until then we had been sitting and lying +about on the jetty in our wet clothes, without food, fire, or +warm tea or coffee.</p> + +<p>Before midday on the 24th our flotilla started back across +the lake for Kisumu, which we reached on the evening of +the 25th. The authorities had made our men intensely +uncomfortable on board the steamer by putting a lot of +mules on the crowded decks with them. They were able to +rest and get food at Kisumu, and about six o'clock on the +evening of the 26th we started by train for Nairobi. Again +the authorities packed our men like sardines into miserable +third-class carriages made for natives. They could surely +have given us two trains and so allowed our tired men a +little space to stretch themselves. We arrived at Nairobi +at 6.30 on the evening of the 27th, and were packed off +again at 7 o'clock for Kajiado. One would have thought +that as our men had come out from England to fight for +East Africa, and that as we had just returned from a successful +attack on an enemy's stronghold, and as our time of +arrival in Nairobi had been telegraphed on ahead, that +something might have been done by the townspeople on +behalf of our tired and hungry men; or that even some kind +of official welcome might have been accorded them. But +not a bite of food for man or officer was to be had on our +arrival at Nairobi, and not even hot water could be obtained +to make tea with.</p> + +<p>Leaving Nairobi on the evening of June 27th, we reached +our camp at Kajiado early the following morning, and our +first expedition against the Germans was at an end.</p> + +<div class="right"> +F. C. <span class="smcap">Selous</span>,<br /> +Lieutenant 25th Battalion<br /> +Royal Fusiliers.<br /> +</div> +</div> + +<p>In a letter to his friend Heatley Noble (July 26th, 1915), +Selous, who was then with his battalion guarding the +Uganda railway near Voi, speaks of the difficulties lying +ahead of our people and the efforts, only partially successful,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">[317]</a></span> +to hold our territory against the splendidly organized +German forces.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Since our fight at Bukoba we have made an attack +on a German post in British territory on the road from +Voi to Taveta. Our attack in this case failed, as our information +seems to have been all wrong, and the Germans +were found to be more strongly posted than had been +supposed. An Indian Punjabi regiment was badly +cut up, the Colonel killed and the Adjutant wounded +and taken prisoner. The native porters, carrying ammunition +and equipment of all kinds, threw down everything +and cleared as soon as the first shots were fired, +and the Germans took possession of everything, including +the dead and wounded. They buried the Colonel +with full military honours, and allowed the Adjutant to +send word that he was being well looked after. There were +several other units engaged in this affair, 500 Rhodesians, +some of the Loyal North Lancs, and three companies of the +K.A.R.; but the casualties in all these contingents were +very small, only the Indian regiment apparently having +got up against the machine-guns. Things are now at a +standstill out here, and when there will be another move it +is impossible to say. Botha had 50,000 men, and equipment +of all kinds to conquer the Germans in South-West +Africa, and he did his job splendidly. Here we have under +2000 white troops, some 2000 African blacks and a considerable +number of Indians, most of them very much demoralized +as they caught it badly at Tanga and Jasin. The Germans +are said to have 4000 or 5000 white men in G.E.A. and +nearly 20,000 very well trained black troops under German +officers.<a name="FNanchor_73_73" id="FNanchor_73_73"></a><a href="#Footnote_73_73" class="fnanchor">[73]</a> They are, too, splendidly equipped in every way, +and have no end of machine-guns and ammunition. Even +if we had a large army here, we could not move it across +country to the vital points in G.E.A., as the difficulties of +transport would be insurmountable. The only way would +be to take Dar-es-Salaam and Tanga, and then advance +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">[318]</a></span>methodically up their railways, as Botha did in S.W. Africa. +For this we should require at least 20,000 or 30,000 men, +and as we are not likely to get them, in my opinion we shall +be stuck out here until peace is made in Europe. I hope to +God that will be before many months are over, or all our +young men will be killed. I hope and trust your sons are +still alive. I often think of them and of your and Mrs. +Noble's terrible anxiety. There has been a lot of sickness—fever +and dysentery—both amongst the officers and men of +this battalion, but only two deaths—two privates died of +dysentery. I think that I am the only one of our officers who +has not suffered at all from either bad diarrhœa, dysentery +or fever. I have been quite well all the time, and have +never been an hour off duty. Bukoba was rather hard, +scarcely any food for two days and nights, up to our chests +in the swamps, and then lying out in our wet clothes without +fire or blanket. I did not suffer any after-effects at all, I +am glad to say, and have now got into very good condition. +The long marches do not tire me at all, and the men now +say that when I fall out no one will be left standing in the +battalion. This is, of course, nonsense, but as far as standing +fatigue, sun, thirst, etc., I think that I am really better +than most of them. Three of our officers have been found +unfit for further service, and there are some others who are +weak constitutionally, and will never be able to stand any +really hard work. So we are very short of officers, and +whether Colonel Driscoll's recommendation in my favour +for good conduct in the field is attended to or not, I shall +very likely get to be a captain before long, as I am the +senior subaltern in the battalion. I don't know my drill +very well, but my men, I hear, say they have great confidence +in me, and will go anywhere with me; but once I +am through with this job, no more military duty for me. I +hate all the drill and routine-work, and I shall be far too +old to take part in any other war after this one."</p></div> + +<p>In a letter to me, written from Voi (December 8th, 1915), +Selous gives a short general survey of the operations since +he landed.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">[319]</a></span> +"<span class="smcap">My dear Johnny</span>, +</p> + +<p>"Your letter of October 31st reached me here three +days ago, and I was very pleased to get it and to hear +all your news. It is now more than seven months since +we landed at Mombasa, on May 4th, and we have had a +wearing, trying time ever since. Only one of our officers +has been killed, but there has been much sickness both in +our battalion and the Loyal North Lancs regiment, which +came here from India, and several of our men have died +from dysentery or fever, and several of our officers have been +invalided home. I think that I am the only officer who has +not been in hospital. So far I have not been ill at all and I +have never yet been a day off duty or had a day's leave. +I have never applied for leave, but if I can last out for a +few months longer, and during that time we are able to +push the Germans back over their own frontier, and are then +able to force them to give in, I want to get a couple of +months' leave, and go to Uganda, after those fine water-bucks +on the Semliki river. We were first of all on the high +veldt in the game reserve on the Magadi railway, and there +the climate was very fine, but for the last four months we +have been in this comparatively low hot country, protecting +the Voi-Maktau railway, and hunting German patrols and +dynamiting parties, in the most frightful bush. I was out +in command of 30 rifles to the west of the Teita Hills +towards the Tsavo river, and tracked a German dynamiting +party for two days, and at one time was very close to them, +but the bush was simply awful and they got off (without +bombing the Uganda line) by moonlight, when we could +no longer follow their tracks. The day after I got back +from this 11 days' patrol, I was sent out again with 70 +rifles and 120 porters to examine the courses of the Mwatate +and Bura rivers, and see how far they carried water, and if +there were any German patrols about. I was out 7 days +on this patrol. These patrols are not all pure joy, as the +heat of the sun is now very great, and heavy rain falls +almost every night. We can carry no tents or any kind +of protection against the weather, and we had three very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">[320]</a></span> +bad nights during the two patrols, lying in the soaking +rain and mud all night. Every night heavy thunder-storms +break all round about, but they are very local and we have +been lucky in not getting into the middle of more of them at +nights. We often get soaked in the daytime, but dry again +as soon as the storm is over. This bush-work is very trying, +as the German black askaris are very much better at it +than heavily equipped white men, many of whom have +always lived in towns before coming out here. They are +recruited from fighting tribes—mostly Manyamwesi—and +are not only very brave, but very well armed. We have met +with some nasty knocks in this district, but have also +ambushed the enemy now and again, and inflicted heavy +punishment on them. A party of the Lancs were ambushed +and badly cut up 6 miles from here not long ago, losing +2 officers and nearly 20 men killed, and when Lieutenant +Dartnell of ours was killed,<a name="FNanchor_74_74" id="FNanchor_74_74"></a><a href="#Footnote_74_74" class="fnanchor">[74]</a> the mounted infantry to which +he was attached were ambushed and suffered severely. +On the other hand, the mounted infantry with two companies +of Baluchis not long afterwards waylaid a party of +the enemy, and killed over 30 of them, and one German +officer. Only yesterday, the Boer force from the Uas +n'gishu (Belfield's Scouts) 100 men under Major Arnoldi, +went out from Maktau, and meeting a German force +coming towards Maktau from their strongly fortified +position at M'buyuni, 13 miles away, attacked them, +and killed two white Germans and over 20 askaris, and +took prisoners 4 white Germans (2 wounded). The Boers +had only one casualty, which was unfortunately their +leader Major Arnoldi. He was only wounded in the shoulder, +but fell from his saddle, and his foot unfortunately catching +in his stirrup had his brains knocked out against a tree. +In all the time I have been out here I have only taken part +in one incident of interest. That was the journey up to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">[321]</a></span> +and across the Victoria Nyanza, and the attack on and +capture of Bukoba on the western side of the lake. 400 +of our men took part in this adventure, and it was we +men of the 25th Fusiliers who did everything that was +done. I was then a lieutenant in A Company, and led my +platoon on the first day, and conducted a very risky patrol +of 20 men early on the second day, and a reconnaissance +later—more risky still—with four men who volunteered for +the job. We had two days' fighting, and, as I was always +in front, I had personally some very narrow escapes. I may +tell you privately, but keep it to yourself, that Colonel +Driscoll was very pleased with my conduct at Bukoba, and +told me that he had recommended me for promotion and +something more, but as I have never heard anything more +about it, no notice was taken, I suppose, of Colonel Driscoll's +recommendation. I should certainly have liked my name to +have been mentioned in despatches. However, it can't be +helped, and I may get another chance. I have got my +promotion to captain, but that came to me in the natural +course of events, as a Captain Williams was invalided home, +and I was the senior subaltern. You may possibly have +heard that there have been disasters out here, but if the +whole truth about everything out here is ever known it will +be a revelation to most people. It was certainly an evil +day for British East Africa <i>when the Indian Government took +over the defence of this country</i>.<a name="FNanchor_75_75" id="FNanchor_75_75"></a><a href="#Footnote_75_75" class="fnanchor">[75]</a> With the exception of the +Baluchis and the Cashmiris all the other Indian troops have +failed badly out here, and have proved very inferior to either +our own K.A.R.'s or the German native askaris. The attack +on, and capture of Bukoba by our men is the only success +on any considerable scale yet scored by the British out here. +I do not say it was much, but at any rate we carried out +what we were set to do, and captured the town of Bukoba +and destroyed the very fine wireless installation. We +hear that a British general from France is on his +way out here as G.O.C., and that large numbers of troops +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">[322]</a></span>are coming here both from South Africa and other +parts. Something is undoubtedly in preparation, but I +suppose it will be another two months before everything +is in readiness for a big advance. And the Germans +may move first, as they have four times as many men +as we have, and many more guns and machine-guns. +We are now in a camp built by the North Lancs and +some Indian troops, or rather two camps a mile apart. +Sickness has reduced our battalion to about 700 men, and +of these many are weak and ill, and I don't think we have +more than 400 men who are really strong and capable of +marching 20 miles in the hot sun, with their heavy equipment. +Our whole battalion, after having been continually +split up and sent in batches all over the country, were at +last brought all together again here under Colonel Driscoll; +three companies in the one camp and one in the +smaller camp a mile away. But last week the Colonel +in command at Maktau got nervous and ordered +Colonel Driscoll to send half his battalion there. Now +we are left in this very large camp with under +200 rifles—counting all our black scouts—and all the +tailors, cobblers, barbers, commissariat and orderly-room +people. We haven't a gun of any kind, nor even a +single machine-gun, and the camp itself is in a hollow commanded +by higher ground on all sides. We have another +100 or 150 rifles in the smaller camp a mile away. Well, +news came a few days ago that a large enemy force with +several Hotchkiss guns and many Maxims was advancing +on Kisigau, from which an Indian garrison was driven some +time ago. We had another small garrison at Kisigau of +50 K.A.R.'s. The Germans have again captured the place +after killing or wounding 40 of the garrison. The remainder +made their escape. When the G.O.C. and the other generals +at Nairobi and Voi heard of this advance on Kisigau, they +thought the Germans intended making a determined +attack on the railway line, and sent 1500 troops—Rhodesians, +North Lancs, K.A.R.'s, and Indians—down to +Voi to march from Maungu to Kisigau, leaving Maktau very +short of men, though they there have plenty of guns, a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">[323]</a></span> +mountain battery and machine-guns, and the place is very +strongly fortified. At the new station Mashoti, between +here and Maktau, only 100 men have been left, but they have +guns and machine-guns, and are in a very well constructed +camp in a very good position. If we are attacked here by +any considerable force with guns and machine-guns we can +do nothing, and shall probably all get scuppered. We were +fully expecting an attack yesterday, last night, or this +morning, as we got a message from Maktau that a large force +was approaching. The last rumour is that 10,000 men are +advancing on Maktau. At the same time, if the Germans +are going to do anything worth while, now is their +chance, before the new troops get here. They know everything +about us from their Arab and native spies. +Well! if the Germans know the state of this place +and do not attack it, they will be great fools. The +whole position is farcical. This is a very important point, +as if it is taken, the water supply to Maktau and Mashoti +will be cut off, and yet we have been left with only a few +rifles and not a single gun or machine-gun to defend an +immense perimeter. Well! all we can do is to 'wait and see,' +as Mr. Asquith would say. I am afraid that the war will +go on for some time yet, and thousands more of our men +will be killed before it is over. I have two young nephews +at the Front in France now and I think a third has gone to +Serbia with the Motor Transport. My eldest son Freddy +will not be eighteen till next April, but I expect he will be +sent out soon after then, as he is big and strong for his age. +If he goes out and gets killed<a name="FNanchor_76_76" id="FNanchor_76_76"></a><a href="#Footnote_76_76" class="fnanchor">[76]</a> it will break his mother's +heart and mine too, if I should live to come home, and it +will be the same for you and your wife if you lose Geoff;<a name="FNanchor_77_77" id="FNanchor_77_77"></a><a href="#Footnote_77_77" class="fnanchor">[77]</a> +but I pray God he will be spared to outlive this terrible war. +I suppose the Germans cannot now possibly win the war; +but can the Allies absolutely crush them before their +finances are exhausted? The war will soon probably be +costing us<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">[324]</a></span> £6,000,000 a day instead of £5,000,000. How +long can we stand that? We seem to have made some +terrible mistakes and miscalculations, especially in the +Dardanelles and the Balkans. However, like everyone else +out here, I suppose I am despondent. Perhaps the heat +down here is depressing. This place has the reputation of +being very unhealthy in the rainy season, and I fear our +men will suffer very much during the next two months. +Your naval work must be very interesting, and you must +tell me all about it, if we ever meet again. I was very +sorry to hear that poor Gerald Legge<a name="FNanchor_78_78" id="FNanchor_78_78"></a><a href="#Footnote_78_78" class="fnanchor">[78]</a> had been killed. +But who is going to be left alive when this war is over?</p> + +<p>"Well! good-bye, old friend, and with very kind regards +to Mrs. Millais and all your family and wishing Geoff the +best of good luck, yours ever,</p> + +<div class="right"><span class="smcap">FRED</span>.<br /></div> + +<p>"P.S.—I have not seen Judd yet. He was scouting down +on the German border for some months after the war broke +out, but has been on his farm near Nairobi for the last six +months."</p></div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<a href="images/i361.jpg"><img src="images/i361-t.jpg" width="400" height="272" alt="A SHOT ON THE PLAINS, BRITISH EAST AFRICA." title="" /> +</a><span class="caption"><br />A Shot on the Plains, British East Africa.</span> +</div> + +<p>The following letters from Ex-President Roosevelt in +reply to letters from Selous, describing local conditions in +B.E. Africa, give some of his views on Germany prior to +the entry of America in the Great War:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<div class="right"> +"<span class="smcap">OYSTER BAY</span>,<br /> +"<span class="smcap">LONG ISLAND</span>, N.Y.,<br /> +"<i>April 2nd</i>, 1915.<br /> +</div> + +<p> +"<span class="smcap">MY DEAR SELOUS</span>,<br /> +</p> + +<p>"I have received your letter of February 23rd and +send this to Nairobi. I am exceedingly glad you have gone +to British East Africa. I am sorry to say that very reluctantly +I have come to the same conclusion that you +have about the purposes and conduct of Germany. The +behaviour<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">[325]</a></span> of her armies in Belgium and in the North of +France was, I think, the inevitable result of the kind of +doctrine that has been preached by those high in authority +in Germany and which was typified by the Emperor's famous +advice to his troops in China to 'behave like Huns.' A +man cannot direct soldiers to behave like Huns and then +escape responsibility for the swinish horrors that follow. +From my book you have already seen how strongly I have +spoken as to the failure of the United States and other +neutrals to do their duty when the Hague Conventions were +violated. You cannot speak any more strongly than I have +spoken.</p> + +<p>"One genuine surprise to me was the strength that the +Germans have shown in their colonies.<a name="FNanchor_79_79" id="FNanchor_79_79"></a><a href="#Footnote_79_79" class="fnanchor">[79]</a> I agree with you +that the attitude of the Boers has been one of the finest +tributes imaginable to the justice with which England has +behaved in South Africa. I have sent your letter to Kermit. +It will make him eager to be beside you under Driscoll. +I most earnestly hope that you won't be used as a transport +officer. Tarlton writes me that he was not allowed to go to +the front either. I would a good deal rather trust Tarlton +and you in a fight than most of the men who are technically +entirely fit because of their youth and physical soundness.</p> + +<p>"I have not the heart to write to you about ordinary +things while you are in the midst of this terrible struggle. As I +have said in an article I recently wrote, I do not believe +in neutrality between right and wrong; and I am very +sorry that the United States is not in the struggle. If there +were a war, my four boys would go, although I suppose +that the two younger ones would have to go as enlisted men; +and I should ask permission to raise a division of nine regiments +of the same type as the regiment I commanded in +Cuba. They were men in whom your soul would have +delighted. They were much of the stamp of the Hills of +British East Africa—by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">[326]</a></span> the way, if you see them give +them my warm regards, as also to Newland and any other +friends you meet. I am delighted to hear about your son.</p> + +<div class="right"> +"With hearty good wishes,<br /> +"Faithfully yours,<br /> +"<span class="smcap">THEODORE ROOSEVELT</span>."<br /><br /><br /><br /> +</div> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<div class="right">"<i>August 26th</i>, 1915.</div> + +<p> +"<span class="smcap">DEAR SELOUS</span>,<br /> +</p> + +<p>"Your letter of July 11th has just come. I congratulate +you with all my heart. It is simply first-class to have +you a fighting officer in the fighting line, leading your men +in the very work that you are particularly and peculiarly +fitted to do. I was wholly unable to understand Lord Kitchener +refusing you a commission. It seemed to me to be +an instance of following the letter that kills instead of the +spirit that gives life. The Germans have used Von Hindenburg,<a name="FNanchor_80_80" id="FNanchor_80_80"></a><a href="#Footnote_80_80" class="fnanchor">[80]</a> +who was away over the legal age-limit for generals; +and he has been their best general. There is undoubtedly +a certain type of bureaucrat who would have thought it +more important to observe the rule by keeping him at +home than to have secured his leadership in victory. Of +course, I personally believe in universal military service, +and in the most rigorous application of military law during +a war. If I had control in East Africa—or in Great Britain +or the United States, for that matter!—I would make every +man do whatever was best for the nation, whether this +meant that he was to fight or to produce ammunition or to +produce coal, and I would treat the man who sought to +make a profit out of the war or who went on a strike so as +to avoid doing his duty in the war just as summarily as I +would treat the soldier who flinched in a fight.</p> + +<p>"I am so pleased that MacMillan is with you and is doing +so well with the commissariat. Give him my heartiest +regards. I wish to heaven Kermit and I were with you, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">[327]</a></span>or at least that Kermit<a name="FNanchor_81_81" id="FNanchor_81_81"></a><a href="#Footnote_81_81" class="fnanchor">[81]</a> was with you, and that I was helping +in the trenches in Flanders, where I would be of more +service.</p> + +<p>"I send you herewith two articles I have just written in +reference to what I regard as the frightful misconduct of +my own country. The trouble is that the men at the head +of our Government are doing just exactly what the men at +the head of your Government did up to a year and a quarter +ago; and they treat the words of men like myself precisely +as your men treated Lord Roberts—I do not mean to compare +myself to Lord Roberts in this matter, but the attitude +of the governmental authorities toward him and toward +me has been the same.</p> + +<p>"That was a first-class little fight at Bukoba. If the +Germans keep sinking boats with our citizens on them, +sooner or later I cannot help thinking our citizens as a whole +will themselves insist on fighting. The professional pacifists +have done this country a damage that cannot be over-stated. +If you come through all right and if, in the event +of war, I come through all right, I shall look forward eagerly +to seeing you when the war is over and asking for more +details about what you tell me concerning the attitude of +so many people in British East Africa and in Nairobi, for I +am immensely puzzled over it. Pray present my warmest +regards to MacMillan and my hearty congratulations as +well, and also present my respects and congratulations to +Colonel Driscoll."</p></div> + +<p>Writing at an earlier date (December 4th, 1914), Roosevelt +in his usual vigorous style thus expresses his estimate +of German policy:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I don't wonder that you feel a little bit concerned about +the war. Moreover, I am not certain that the theory that +France and England are to act as anvil and Russia as hammer +will work out. It looks to me as if, unit for unit, the +Russians had shown a marked inferiority to the Germans, +French,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[328]</a></span> and English. They have enormous numbers and +great endurance, and these may become decisive factors in +the end. I do hope that your army will increase in numbers, +however, to the point of being able to become formidable as +an offensive factor.</p> + +<p>"I have a great admiration and respect for the Germans. +I wish to heavens that this country would wake up to the +hideous damage, moral and physical, caused by the deification +of mere industrialism, of softness and of self-indulgence. +National acceptance of the need of hard labour, of facing risk, +and of the exercise of foresight is necessary to national greatness. +If I must choose between a policy of blood and iron and +one of milk and water—especially of skimmed milk and dishwater—why +I am for the policy of blood and iron. It is +better not only for the nation, but in the end for the world. +But my admiration for the Germans does not blind me to +the fact that for the last fifty years their development +along the lines of policy advocated by Frederick the Great +and Bismarck, and so enthusiastically championed by Carlyle, +has resulted in their becoming a very grave menace to every +nation with which they are brought in contact. I immensely +admire German industrial, social, and military efficiency; +but I abhor the kind of militarism which has resulted in +such cynical contempt for international morality and such +appalling ruthlessness in war. I think it folly for a man +not to admire the German efficiency; and utter weakness +for him not to realize that that efficiency may be used +against his own nation and take steps accordingly. I wish +I were in the war myself!"</p></div> + +<p>The authorities at home at last resolved to take the East +African campaign into their own hands, and in January +appointed General Smuts to the command and gave him +adequate forces with which to make an advance into +German East Africa. Selous' letter to me, February 25th, +1916, brings his narrative up to date.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>"<span class="smcap">My dear Johnny</span>,</p> + +<p>"After a long interval we got a mail here yesterday, +and it brought me your letter of January 5th. This<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[329]</a></span> +is the second letter I have received from you, so I +think I must have missed one, and it may have gone +down in the ill-fated 'Persia,' which had mails for East +Africa on board. I have not much news to give you, nor +much time to write it, as we are now just getting ready for +a move forward. After over five months of hard grinding +work in the very hot sun, guarding the line from Voi to near +Mombasa, and from Voi to Maktau, on the way to Taveta, +and many patrols without any kind of shelter all through +the heavy rains of December and January, we were sent +up to Kajiado on the Magadi railway, and then on here +about a fortnight ago. We are now camped just over the +German border, and go on to Longido, 18 miles ahead, +very shortly. You will have seen in the papers that General +Smith-Dorrien was taken ill in South Africa, and that +General Smuts has taken his place as G.O.C. out here. +He will, I think, commence the offensive against the Germans +immediately, but <i>if</i> the Germans have the forces +they are said to have, and <i>if</i> all their native troops remain +loyal to them, we shall have a devil of a job. I hear that +General Smuts, who arrived in the country a week ago, and +has already been to Longido by motor-car, fully realizes +that this affair will be a much more difficult business than +the South-West Africa campaign. There the Germans had +no native troops, and Botha had ten men for every man the +Germans could muster. Then the country in German S.W. +Africa was much easier to work in than this dense tropical +bush, which lends itself at every yard to ambushes and is +everywhere very much in favour of the defending forces. +Water is a great difficulty here, too, and the greater part of +German East Africa between our border and the Dar-es-Salaam, +Tanganyika railway, except round Kilimanjaro +and other high mountains, seems to be very waterless. +There is only one permanent water between Kajiado and +this camp, over 50 miles, and the transport animals have +to do a trek of over 30 miles without water. However, +we have this year had no dry season, for since it commenced +to rain in November, it has been raining off and on ever +since, not sufficiently to fill the water-holes, but quite<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">[330]</a></span> +enough to make things very uncomfortable, and to keep the +grass growing, which I am afraid is all in favour of the +Germans, as it makes good cover for their ambushes everywhere. +The German officers out here seem to be very fine +soldiers, and what people do not realize, their black troops +are not only as brave as any Zulus, but splendidly led and +well armed and supported with any number of machine-guns. +No better men could be found in the whole world, +and personally, in this bush-covered, overgrown, but still +hot and waterless country, I would much sooner have to +fight against Germans from the Fatherland than these well-trained +and elusive blacks. If we could only gain some +success a lot of them might desert. But all the successes +have been on their side up to now (except at Bukoba), and +they must be full of confidence. A fortnight ago, just before +General Smuts reached this country, an attack was launched +against a German position not far from Taveta, by three +regiments of South Africans, supported by a regiment of +Baluchis and some Rhodesians. The situation was only +saved from complete disaster by the Baluchis and the +Rhodesians. I enclose a reference to the affair in the +Nairobi paper, but it has been very unfortunate, and is a +very bad beginning to the new campaign now opening, as +it will keep the German black troops loyal to their masters, +and fill them with renewed confidence. Smuts' generalship +may prove superior to all the difficulties he will have to +contend with, but I expect he now realizes that he is up against +a much more difficult proposition than he had expected. +When we advance from our most forward base—Longido—we +are not to carry any kind of tents or shelter from the +weather, and as the heavy rains now seem to be setting in +(we are having heavy thunder-storms with soaking rain now +every day or night) we are likely to have a very bad time, +and most of us who are still fit will be sure to go down with +fever or dysentery, as the heavy rains may last all through +March, April, May, and June. Well! the future is on the +knees of the gods, and we must take the luck they send us. +Lately we have been practising attacks on positions, advancing +in bush formation under General Sheppard, an awfully<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">[331]</a></span> +nice man, who I think will command the brigade to which +we are attached. I am now in command of A Company of +the 25th Fusiliers, and in all our manœuvres A and B +Companies have to lead the advance, so I expect we shall +have to do the same when it comes to actually attacking +any German position. When we landed at Mombasa on +May 4th last our battalion was nearly 1100 strong and there +were 273 men in A Company. Now we have lost more than +half our officers, and have not more than 400 men fit to +march and fight. This is the effect of the climate. In A +Company we can muster about 100 fit men, and three +officers (myself and two men raised from the ranks). Well! +I hope that this accursed war will be over by next August, +and I think it will, as by that time Germany will surely be +exhausted, as well as some of the Allies. By April, I see +it is stated, that the war will be costing us £6,000,000 a day. +How long can we stand that? What I cannot understand +is, where are our armies of millions of men, and all the +stores of munitions we are making and buying from America. +We are said to have now 5,000,000 of men well armed and +equipped, and yet we do not appear to have more than +1,000,000 in France and Flanders, nor more than 500,000 +in Salonika and Egypt together. In Mesopotamia and East +Africa, we have only a few hundreds of British troops, all +the rest being Indians and South Africans. Well! I hope +I shall live through this show, and come home again, as I +want to see my wife again, and watch my boys' careers. +I believe that Freddy will pass out of Sandhurst this month. +I was very pleased to hear that all is so far going well with +you and yours. May your boys be spared to you and their +mother whatever happens. With very kind regards to all +of you."</p> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<div class="right"><br /><br /><br /> +"<span class="smcap">OLD MOSCHI</span>,<br /> +"<span class="smcap">ON THE SLOPES OF KILIMANJARO</span>,<br /> +"<i>May 2nd</i>, 1916.</div> + +<p>"<span class="smcap">My dear Johnny</span>,</p> + +<p>"It is a long time now since I last heard from you, but +I trust that all is still going well with you and yours. On +the day after to-morrow we shall have been a whole solid year<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">[332]</a></span> +out here, as we landed at Mombasa on May 4th, 1915. Of +that year we have been over six months in the low unhealthy +bush-country, doing heavy marches in the hottest hours +of the day, and lying out on patrols with no shelter or +protection whatever from the weather, all through the +heavy rains of December and January last. As I never had +any fever, diarrhoea or dysentery, but was always well, I +did more of this patrol work than any other officer in our +battalion, and it meant long marches too, sometimes +following small parties of Germans trying to blow up the +Uganda railway. In common with all the other white +troops serving on foot out here, our battalion has suffered +terribly from the climate, and is now almost quite used up. +The Loyal North Lancs regiment has been out here eighteen +months; but they have had two strong drafts from home +to make good their losses. However, they have now been +sent or are just about to go to Wynberg, near Cape Town, to +recruit, and from there will probably be sent home. Four +of our officers and a lot of our men have also been sent +there. The Rhodesian regiment which first came out here +has also suffered very badly from the climate, and has now +been sent to the escarpment near Nairobi to recruit. The +South African troops which have only just come out here +are also suffering a lot from fever and dysentery, and +Van Deventer is said to have lost about 1400 horses (from +horse-sickness) out of the 2000 he had six weeks ago. +The condition of our battalion is simply lamentable. When +we came up from the low country at the end of February +to Kajiado (5800 feet above sea-level) Colonel Driscoll tried +to collect all his men from the various hospitals and convalescent +homes in the country. We had landed at Mombasa +on May 4th, 1915, with 1127 rifles, and we mustered +at Kajiado about 700 on February 1st, 1916; but of these +many were no longer of any use for marching in the hot +sun. From Kajiado we went to Longido, and were incorporated +with Colonel Stewart's Brigade, which had to march +right round Kilimanjaro, and meet General Smuts' much +larger force at Moschi. As far as our Brigade was concerned +only 449 of the 691 who had left Kajiado were found<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">[333]</a></span> +to be fit enough for the heavy marching in front of us. +Starting from Longido late in the morning of March 5th, +we marched 9 miles under a very hot sun to Sheep Hill. +There was there no shelter from the sun, and we passed a +very unpleasant day. We were told to rest and sleep, as +we had a long night-march of 20 miles before us. We +marched all night long except from 12 to 2 a.m., and did +not get to the water until after midday the next day, and +the distance registered in General Stewart's motor-car was +30 miles instead of 20. We had other very long marches in +the very hot sun, in choking clouds of fine lava-dust, churned +up by the heavy transport. The Germans had prepared to +dispute our advance along the main road from Longido +to New Moschi, which passes N'gara Nairobi. But under +the guidance of a Boer settler in German East Africa, named +Pretorius, we left the road soon after leaving Sheep Hill +and travelled across country to Boma N'gombi, 15 miles +from New Moschi (the railway terminus), on the road to +Aruscha. The Germans, whose main forces were trying to +hold back Smuts' big columns advancing on Taveta, apparently +had not sufficient forces to come out and attack +General Stewart's column, so we got through with nothing +more than a little sniping. Arrived at Boma N'gombi, we +got into communication with General Smuts through our +wireless, and General Stewart was ordered to send a picked +force by a forced march to join up with one of his forces at +Masai Kraal, and then advance together to New Moschi. +About half of our 449 men (many of whom were now badly +knocked up) were considered fit for this advance and I +led 55 men of my A Company, the 55 fittest men of the +282 of A Company who had stepped ashore at Mombasa +less than a year before. The night we left Boma N'gombi +heavy rain came on and we marched in rain and mud and +pitch darkness for many miles along an old abandoned +waggon-road. Before daylight we joined up with some +mounted scouts, who informed us that the Germans had +evacuated New Moschi and gone off down the railway, +and that South African troops had occupied both New +Moschi and Old Moschi (where I am now writing on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">[334]</a></span> +slopes of Kilimanjaro and six miles by road from New +Moschi in the plain below us). The day after we got to +New Moschi, we were sent off with part of General Stewart's +Brigade, under Colonel (now Brigadier-General Sheppard) +to co-operate with the S. African forces against the Germans, +who had retired from Taveta towards the Ruwu river. +A night march of 16 miles brought us to Newi Hill on the +road to Taveta, and after a march of a few miles the next +afternoon we got in touch with the E.A.M.R., and shortly +afterwards a few German snipers. We pushed them back +and then entrenched as well as we could. That night they +sniped us a bit, but did no harm. The bush was very thick +all round our camp, but it was nearly full moon. We heard +the attack on one of the S.A. Brigades to our left, and also +the heavy German gun (a 4.1 naval gun from the 'Königsberg') +firing both at this brigade and at Van Deventer's +Brigade, which had advanced down the railway line from +New Moschi to Kahi station. These brigades, I believe, +ought to have got in touch with us, but they did not do so. +During March 20th we improved our trenches and prepared +for a night attack, which in fact started at 8.45 and was +kept up till 1 a.m. The black troops, under German officers, +behaved very pluckily, and time after time answered the +bugle call to advance on our camp. Our Maxims kept them +off. Fortunately they had no machine-guns with them, +and though they fired thousands of shots at our camp they +did very little damage, as almost all the bullets went pinging +over us. Soon after 1 a.m. we heard their bugle sounding +the 'assemble' and they drew off. In the morning the +dead just in front of our machine-gun commanding the road +were collected and laid out in a row—like pheasants or hares +after a drive—but the bush was not searched for the rest +of the dead, as we had to push on and attack the Germans +who were entrenched across the road a few miles on ahead +on the Soko river. They held us off all day, and we had +about 200 casualties, as the South African Brigades on our +right and left which were to have enveloped them could +not or did not come up. The men of our battalion (about +50 of each of our 4 companies) were in reserve, but late in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">[335]</a></span> +the afternoon A, C, and D Companies had to go forward +to support an Indian regiment. I was in command of my +50 men of A Company. We really could do nothing but +lie very flat, trying to dig ourselves in with bayonets and +fingers, being under the sweeping fire of three or four +machine-guns. The lie of the ground just saved us when +lying flat, and the bullets just swept over us in bouquets. +We only had 17 casualties, and only 2 men killed dead. +So far our battalion has not had much fighting, but we have +gone through much hardship, fatigue, and exposure. You +will wonder how I have stood it all at my age. But the fact +remains that from May 4th, 1915, to February 6th, 1916, I +never took leave or a day's rest, and was never a single day +off duty or away from my company. From February 6th +to the 12th I had to lie up, as I had jiggers in one of my +toes, and the inflammation went to my groin. Since then I +have never been a day away from my company again up +till to-day, and have never put my leg over a horse, but +done all the marching with the men, carrying my rifle, 50 +or 60 rounds of ammunition, water-bottle, glasses and +haversack with food—at least 20 lbs. altogether. But the +men have usually had to carry 150 rounds of ammunition. +Still, considering that I shall be sixty-five at the end of +this year I have stuck it out remarkably well, and am one +of the very few in the battalion who has never yet had a +day's illness, for inflammation caused by jiggers cannot +be called illness. But now I am beginning to be troubled +with hæmorrhoids and another trouble. I have kept this +in check out here for a whole year with astringent ointment, +but during the last month it has got much worse and it +may oblige me to come home on leave for an operation. +The wet and damp of the last month here may have had +something to do with the aggravation of my trouble.</p> + +<p>"General Smuts was very lucky. He was just given time +to carry out his operations round Kilimanjaro and drove +the Germans down the line towards Tanga before the rain +set in. We have been up here (about 300 men, of whom +100 have been in hospital and a lot more ill in camp, as the +hospital is full) for nearly a month and it has rained almost<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">[336]</a></span> +day and night all the time, and we have lived in a sea of +vile sticky mud. One of our officers as near as possible died +of dysentery, but he is now much better. We—both officers +and men—have had nothing but bare army rations since +leaving Longido on March 5th last. However, we are now +leaving this place, and going to M'buyuni, near Maktau, on the +Voi-Taveta Railway, as the railway is now through to New +Moschi—but from Taveta to Moschi it is very uncertain, +as the heavy rains keep washing parts of the line away. The +Germans blew up their naval 4.1 gun at the Ruwu river +after firing all the 70 rounds at our camp and the two +S.A. Brigades. They put the shells very close to our camp +but did not hit it, but they dropped one amongst Van +Deventer's men and killed five or six men and horses. After +the fighting at the Soko and round Kahe on March 20th +and 21st, the Germans retired down the Tanga Railway, and +are said to be entrenching at various places. Nothing +further can be done on our side until the rains are over, as +all transport of a railway line is now almost impossible. +Horses, mules, and men are all suffering terribly from the +climate, and diseases of man and beast, and the frightful +thick bush will help the Germans very much if they intend +to fight on till the bitter end. Van Deventer has had a +fresh lot of horses sent to him, and is now near the main +German Railway from Dar-es-Salaam to Lake Tanganyika. +The Belgians ought, too, soon to be co-operating from the +Congo. We have just got the terribly bad news of General +Townshend's surrender to the Turks in Mesopotamia, and the +outbreak in Ireland. My son Freddy passed out of +Sandhurst on April 6th and is, I expect, now attached to +the Royal West Surrey regiment. The Commandant at +Sandhurst has written to my wife speaking in very high +terms of praise about him; but, alas, I may never see him +alive again if this accursed war goes on much longer. And +you and poor Mrs. Millais must now be most anxious about +your eldest boy too. Well! of course their country comes +first for them and for us, and we must all try and do our +duty, but it will break our wives' hearts if either of them +loses her boy, and it will take all the joy of life out of us +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337">[337]</a></span> +too. Well! I have written you an unconscionably long +letter, but it has hardly ever stopped raining now for more +than an hour or so at a time for two days and nights, and +we are enveloped in thick mist, and there is nothing to do +but read and write. The weather gets worse and worse, +that is the rain gets more incessant. Everything is saturated +with moisture, and my blankets seem quite wet when I get +into them at night. It is the constant unending wet and +damp I think that gets to the men's stomachs and bowels +and gives them dysentery. The slopes of Kilimanjaro may +be a health resort in the dry season, but they are not much +of a place to live in during the heavy rains. And the natives +say that the rains will go on until the middle or end of +June. Well! once more good-bye, old fellow, and with +very kind regards to Mrs. Millais and your children, and +trusting that all is well with all of them."</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a href="images/i379.jpg"><img src="images/i379-t.jpg" width="400" height="270" alt="FARU! FARU!" title="" /> +</a><span class="caption">Faru! Faru!<br /><br /></span> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<div class="right">"<i>May 4th</i>, 1916.</div> + +<p>"To-day is the anniversary of our landing at Mombasa on +May 4th, 1915. Since writing to you two days ago I have +seen a good doctor, as my trouble with piles is getting bad. +He says I must have an operation soon, as if I went on long +hard marches now I might get into a state which would +require an immediate operation or serious consequences to +me might happen. He advises me strongly to go home and +have the operation there, as he does not think there is a +really skilful surgeon out here. In all probability, therefore, +as soon as I get to the big camp at M'buyuni, I shall be +again examined, and a board of medical men will recommend +that I shall be given three months' leave of absence +to go home and have this operation, so I may be home +almost as soon as this letter. Really it does not much +matter, as our battalion is played out, used up, and they +will probably not find more than 300 men fit for duty, and +these only fit for garrison-duty on the lines of communication. +The forward movements to the Dar-es-Salaam line +will I think be carried out by Smuts' mounted forces and +his 1000 motor bicyclists and armoured motors, as soon as +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338">[338]</a></span> +the rains are over and the country becomes possible for +transport. During the rains I believe the railway will be +pushed on from New Moschi towards the main German +railway line. Well! good-bye again."</p></div> + +<p>In June, 1916, after an examination by a medical board, +Selous came home to undergo an operation which was completely +successful. He was only ill for twelve days and then +went to his home for a short rest. In August he went out +again with a draft to East Africa, going via the Cape.</p> + +<p>Both at the time Selous served with them and during +his short absence, the sufferings and difficulties of our troops +in this bush fighting under tropical rains and intense heat +were such as to try the nerves of the strongest troops. +Colonel Driscoll, who commanded the battalion of Frontiersmen, +gives a vivid picture ("The Weekly Dispatch," July +21st, 1918) of the sufferings endured by the men who were +so unfortunate as to be wounded.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"It's very different when you get down to the plains and +the bush. I don't think any words could describe that. A +vast and almost impenetrable forest so thick that when an +aeroplane goes up the observer sees nothing but a great +green carpet below him. And wild animals, mind you, as +well as wild devils to fight; the sun burning your very +flesh; the flies intolerable.</p> + +<p>"Imagine a camp at night under these conditions. +Round and about the lions are roaring from hunger. Hyenas +prowl in the hope of snapping up a sentry or leaping in and +carrying off a wounded man. I have known a man +with a temperature of 105 Fahrenheit stagger up in the +morning and insist upon continuing the march. It was +the old spirit of my Scouts ever unquenchable.</p> + +<p>"The natives—the old natives, as I have said—were +always on our side. What would have happened to us if +they had not hated the German like the devil I cannot tell +you. But they followed us through the bush, often for +miles, brought us food and attached themselves to us as +servants, who were quite ready to carry rifles upon occasion. +This was very helpful, for sometimes at night, when the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">[339]</a></span> +force was absolutely without provisions, we had to send +men scouting in native villages, and they could easily have +been betrayed. Nothing would have been easier for a +treacherous native than to have sneaked out while two or +three of our men were in his hut and to have warned the +nearest camp of Askaris. It never happened. The loathing +of the Blonde Beast was too universal.</p> + +<p>"All this sounds bad enough, but believe me, it gives you +but a poor account of what it cost us to win 'German East.'"</p></div> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_66_66" id="Footnote_66_66"></a><a href="#FNanchor_66_66"><span class="label">[66]</span></a> The Kob of Western Bahr-el-Ghazal has whitish ears and a white area +round the eye, which is not found in the Uganda Kob. It has been named +by Dr. Heller, Vaughan's Kob, from a single specimen.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_67_67" id="Footnote_67_67"></a><a href="#FNanchor_67_67"><span class="label">[67]</span></a> As a matter of fact his proposition was a heavier one than the +authorities imagined. It took a large army, working hard over a period +of four years, before the Germans were driven out of British and German +East Africa.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_68_68" id="Footnote_68_68"></a><a href="#FNanchor_68_68"><span class="label">[68]</span></a> This was hardly the fault of the War Office, who had already +organized their local intelligence officers in East Africa.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_69_69" id="Footnote_69_69"></a><a href="#FNanchor_69_69"><span class="label">[69]</span></a> Note by Col. R. Meinertzhagen, Chief of Intelligence Department:— +</p><p> +"This landing was really a very fine piece of work for troops who had +had no previous experience. The Germans themselves, which we learnt +later, thought that a landing at that particular spot was an impossible +operation, and therefore failed to guard against it. The rapidity with +which the Fusiliers got ashore and up a steep bush-clad escarpment gave +the enemy no time to meet it. This initial success, which was intended as a +covering movement for the main landing, was largely responsible for the +capture of Bukoba."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_70_70" id="Footnote_70_70"></a><a href="#FNanchor_70_70"><span class="label">[70]</span></a> In two authenticated cases a ·600 Rigby cordite rifle and a Holland +·375 were used in each case with sporting ammunition.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_71_71" id="Footnote_71_71"></a><a href="#FNanchor_71_71"><span class="label">[71]</span></a> 75 millimetres or 3 inch (R. Meinertzhagen).</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_72_72" id="Footnote_72_72"></a><a href="#FNanchor_72_72"><span class="label">[72]</span></a> "I slept under a rock near Selous that night. He was full of enthusiasm, +and we discussed 'birds' till far into the night, getting drenched through +with the dew and badly bitten by mosquitoes" (R. Meinertzhagen).</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_73_73" id="Footnote_73_73"></a><a href="#FNanchor_73_73"><span class="label">[73]</span></a> On the best authority the Germans had 2500 white troops and 4200 +askaris at the beginning of the War. During the War they raised their +black troops and police to from 12,000 to 18,000.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_74_74" id="Footnote_74_74"></a><a href="#FNanchor_74_74"><span class="label">[74]</span></a> "Dartnell was awarded the V.C. posthumously for gallantry, when +wounded preferring to stop behind with his men, when he could have been +evacuated. The enemy on returning to the scene of the fight where +Dartnell had been left with the wounded, commenced to kill them, and +Dartnell fought to the last, trying to protect his men." (R. Meinertzhagen, +Col.).</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_75_75" id="Footnote_75_75"></a><a href="#FNanchor_75_75"><span class="label">[75]</span></a> The Indian Government were not to blame. They had sent all their +best troops to France and had to keep large reserves in India for possible +contingencies, so that the troops they sent to East Africa were not of the +best quality.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_76_76" id="Footnote_76_76"></a><a href="#FNanchor_76_76"><span class="label">[76]</span></a> Capt. Freddy Selous, <span class="smcap">M</span>.<span class="smcap">C</span>., R.A.F.C., killed in action, January 4th, +1918.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_77_77" id="Footnote_77_77"></a><a href="#FNanchor_77_77"><span class="label">[77]</span></a> Capt. G. de C. Millais, Bedfordshire Regiment, killed in action, +August 22nd, 1918.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_78_78" id="Footnote_78_78"></a><a href="#FNanchor_78_78"><span class="label">[78]</span></a> Capt. the Hon. Gerald Legge, second son of the Earl of Dartmouth, +killed in action in Gallipoli, August, 1915; an excellent naturalist and a +great friend of ours.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_79_79" id="Footnote_79_79"></a><a href="#FNanchor_79_79"><span class="label">[79]</span></a> "The German strength was not so much (at any rate in East Africa) +their numbers, but their efficiency, and the fact that they were prepared +and we were not. They also scored heavily by being able to draft into +their black ranks ten per cent of trained white soldiers who were settlers +and business men in peace time. We had no such asset. Moreover, the +German superiority of machine-guns, 2 to every 100 men, outweighed our +2 to 800 men!" (R. Meinertzhagen, Col.)</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_80_80" id="Footnote_80_80"></a><a href="#FNanchor_80_80"><span class="label">[80]</span></a> "Hindenburg has been a mere figure-head and idol of the people. +Ludendorff is the brain of the German Army and real conducting head" +(R. Meinertzhagen, Col.).</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_81_81" id="Footnote_81_81"></a><a href="#FNanchor_81_81"><span class="label">[81]</span></a> In 1917, Kermit Roosevelt joined our forces in Mesopotamia. Since +this date Roosevelt's three other sons have joined the American troops, +and two have distinguished themselves as soldiers. Lieut. Quentin +Roosevelt was killed in action in France in July, 1918.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">[340]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV</h2> +<h3><span class="smcap">September</span>, 1916-1917</h3> + + +<p>Selous left England on his last journey on August +10th, 1916, and landed at Mombasa (via the Cape) +in September with a draft of 400 new recruits for +the 25th Royal Fusiliers. First he went up the Uganda +railway to Nairobi, and later to Korogwe in the Usambara +valley, and after resting here a week or two brought his +detachment on to Tanga in September, where he was detained +for nearly eight weeks. He remained at Tanga until +December 2nd, until his force moved up to Dar-es-Salaam +to take part in a fresh movement against the Germans.</p> + +<p>The campaign in German East Africa had now entered +on its most difficult period. Owing to the enormous wastage +in men and horses, transport of all kinds was most difficult +and in some cases impossible during the rainy season. +Writing from Tanga on November 11th, 1916, to Chapman, +he says:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The war has now entered upon a very difficult phase. +As von Lettow-Vorbeck—a very able and determined man—the +German commander, has been allowed to escape with +considerable forces well equipped with machine-guns, into +the wilderness towards the Portuguese border. We hold all +the ports, all the towns, plantations, etc., and both the +railway lines—but von Lettow still commands a force, +it is thought, of over 1000 whites and several thousand +trained black troops, well found in arms and ammunition. +The wastage from fever and dysentery has +been terrible, and, as the heavy rains will come on, where +the Germans are, very shortly now, if Smuts cannot round +them up quickly it will be impossible to continue this campaign +for months. He is busy repairing roads and railways<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341">[341]</a></span> +and getting up supplies to near the Front, and we are expecting +to get forward again at any moment. With the +latest drafts our battalion has had 1400 men out here. All +we have left of them are 149 at Kijabe (but these must +mostly be unfit for further hard service) and 394 here, of +which latter number 101 are sick. Two have died in hospital +this week. Of the two fine Rhodesian regiments, it is said +that only 68 are fit. The North Lancs Regt. has wasted +to nothing, in spite of many drafts. The position is now +most difficult, and unless a decision can quickly be arrived +at, this campaign may drag on for months and have to be +finished by black troops, as another month in a heavy +rainy season, without shelter and short rations, will lay out +all the white troops still left.</p> + +<div class="right">"F. C. S."<br /><br /></div> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"During the period March-September, 1916, General Smuts +captured the region from Kilimanjaro to Dar-es-Salaam, +whilst the Belgians gradually occupied the western part of +German East Africa, from the Great Lakes to Tabora, and +General Northey the south-west part of the country. The +Germans were thus restricted to the south, the south-centre +and south-eastern regions, except the actual coast-line.</p> + +<p>"After evacuating Tabora the German troops in that +region, who were under General Wahle, retired south-east +towards Mahenge, a government station on a high plateau +centrally situated between the northern end of Lake Nyasa +and the sea at Kilwa. Part of the enemy force which had +opposed General Smuts also retreated to Mahenge, its commanding +officer being Major Kraut. In its retreat General +Wahle's force harried, and was harried by, General Northey's +columns. Wahle broke through the British lines and joined +Kraut, who was being threatened from the north by General +Van Deventer, the commander of General Smuts' Second +Division. In the closing days of 1916 and the beginning +of 1917 a combined effort was made by Generals Van Deventer +and Northey to 'round up' the Germans holding +the Mahenge plateau. The movement promised success, +but, in the words of General Smuts, the enemy 'eventually<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342">[342]</a></span> +escaped through the dense bush and forest under cover of +darkness, and eluded pursuit.'</p> + +<p>"Meantime the main enemy force, under Colonel von +Lettow-Vorbeck, upon whom the Kaiser in November, 1916, +conferred the Ordre Pour le Merite, had been driven by +General Smuts to the region of the Rufigi, south of Dar-es-Salaam. +At this period General Smuts reorganized his +forces, and, in view of the extremely unhealthy character +of the country in which further operations were to be conducted, +as many as possible of the white troops from South +Africa were sent home, over 12,000 leaving East Africa +between the middle of October and the end of December, +1916. They were replaced by newly raised battalions of +King's African Rifles and by a Nigerian Brigade under +General Cunliffe. On January 1, 1917, General Smuts +began a new offensive in the Rufigi area, his object being to +cut all connection between the enemy in the Rufigi and +Mahenge regions and either to envelop the enemy on the +Rufigi or to deal a heavy blow as he escaped south. The last +object was accomplished; a heavy blow was inflicted upon +von Lettow-Vorbeck's force, but it was not brought to a +decisive engagement. This brief campaign was ended in +March by the advent of the rainy season. While it was in +progress General Smuts was summoned to England to represent +South Africa in the special sittings of the War Cabinet. +He relinquished his command on January 20, 1917, being +succeeded by Major-General A. R. Hoskins, <span class="smcap">C.M.G.</span>, <span class="smcap">D.S.O.</span>, +who had previously commanded the First Division."— +"The Times History and Encyclopædia of the War," the +campaign in German East Africa (III), pp. 397-398.</p></div> + +<p>On December 8th, the Royal Fusiliers went in open trucks +by rail to Mikesse, near Morogoro, and from thence had a +very trying eight days' march to Kissaki. During this and +previous marches Selous never rode a yard of the way, but +marched like his men, living on their rough fare and enduring +the constant rain and soaking bivouacs with stoical indifference. +On December 15th he writes to his wife from Tulo:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"We are now marching to Kissaki, and from there will +probably<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343">[343]</a></span> advance and attack the Germans on the Rufigi river. +Very heavy rains have now set in, and we have had rather +a bad time of it, and our detachment has shrunk from 384 +to 170, with which we march to-day. We hear the bridge +over the Rufigi river has been washed away by the floods +and the German forces cut in two."</p></div> + +<p>One of his last letters, written on Christmas Day, 1916, +from Kissaki, states:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"We are on the eve of an attack on the Germans out +here. Their lines here are quite close to ours, our forces are +gathering, and we shall now attack their lines in several +places simultaneously in a few days. Our forces are terribly +depleted principally from sickness. The German forces are +sure to be entrenching, and as they still have a number of +machine-guns, it may be no child's play attacking their +positions, and we may meet with heavy losses."</p></div> + +<p>During the last three weeks of 1916, General Smuts +(except for Van Deventer's Division) had not been engaged +in important operations but was busy reorganizing his +columns. Von Lettow-Vorbeck was, however, forced out +of Kissaki on September 15th, by the brigade under Brits +and Nussey. He then took up his position between the +Ingeta and Rufigi rivers, where he remained until January +1st, when General Smuts began another offensive from +Kissaki.</p> + +<p>An attack was made on the German positions by General +Smuts on January 2nd, but the enemy again escaped and +took up a fresh position in dense bush on the Beho-Beho +ridge. All January 2nd and 3rd General Smuts spent in +developing a new encircling movement of which the following +is the "Times" History account:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The troops, which had to march through most difficult +country, got in touch with the enemy again on the afternoon +of the 3rd, and at 10.30 a.m. on January 4th Sheppard's +Brigade caught up the chief enemy force as it was retiring +from Beho-Beho. A sharp engagement followed, but +though severely handled the enemy 'again slipped past,' +to use General Smuts' phrase. The brunt of the action +was borne by the 25th Royal Fusiliers (the Legion of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_344" id="Page_344">[344]</a></span> +Frontiersmen). During the fight Captain F. C. Selous fell +at the head of his company. He was buried under the +shadow of a tamarind tree, beside the graves of members +of his company who fell at the same time. Thus ended the +life of the most distinguished of the hunter-naturalists of +recent years, the man who had opened up thousands of +miles of South Central Africa. Throughout the campaign, +though well over sixty, he had set an example of endurance +and devotion to duty unexcelled by any member of the +force. As stated in Chapter CLXXXIII, he had already +been given the D.S.O. in recognition of his services. None +knew better than Selous the dangers and difficulties of the +campaign. Writing home from Tanga in November, 1916, +he set forth some of these difficulties, adding: 'I shall try +and hold out to the end, if possible, or, at any rate, as long +as my health and strength last. General Smuts is now +working ... for the next forward movement, and when he +is ready the remnants of my battalion will join him.'"</p></div> + +<p>General J. Smuts, who was in command of the British +Forces in German East Africa, has kindly given me the +following account of the fight at Beho-Beho, Sugar Mountain, +on January 4th, 1917, when Selous met his death. General +Smuts, with the aid of a large-scale map, personally explained +to me the feature of the operations on that day, +and though it was instrumental in driving the enemy from +their positions, causing them to retreat to the Rufigi river, +it did not result in the capture of the enemy's force, which +it was hoped would be the case.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Our force moved out from Kissaki early on the morning +of January 4th, 1917, with the object of attacking and +surrounding a considerable number of German troops which +was encamped along the low hills east of Beho-Beho (Sugar +Mountain) N.E. of the road that led from Kissaki S.E. to +the Rufigi river, distant some 13 miles from the enemy's +position. The low hills occupied by the Germans were +densely covered with thorn-bush and the visibility to the +west was not good. Nevertheless, they soon realized the +danger of their position when they detected a circling movement +on the part of the 25th Royal Fusiliers, which had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_345" id="Page_345">[345]</a></span> +been detailed to stop them on the road leading S.E., the +only road, in fact, by which they could retreat. They +must have retired early, for their forces came to this point +at the exact moment when the leading company of Fusiliers, +under Captain Selous, reached the same point. Heavy +firing on both sides then commenced, and Selous at once +deployed his company, attacked the Germans, which +greatly outnumbered him, and drove them back into the +bush. It was at this moment that Selous was struck dead +by a shot in the head. The Germans retreated in the dense +bush again, and the Fusiliers failed to come to close quarters, +or the enemy then made a circuit through the bush and +reached the road lower down, eventually crossing the +Rufigi."</p></div> + +<p>When he came to the road, Selous and his company met +the German advanced guard, which probably outnumbered +his force five to one. He had, however, received his orders +to prevent, if possible, the enemy from reaching the road +and retreating, so he immediately extended his company +and himself went forward to reconnoitre. It was whilst +using his glasses to ascertain the position of the enemy's +advance guard that Selous received a bullet in his head and +was killed instantly.<a name="FNanchor_82_82" id="FNanchor_82_82"></a><a href="#Footnote_82_82" class="fnanchor">[82]</a></p> + +<p>Thus died Frederick Selous of the Great Heart, a splendid +Englishman, who in spite of age and love of life, gave up all +pleasant things to follow the iron path of duty. To him +his country's needs were ever before his private interests. +Like the voyageurs of old he was ever looking for some +far-off country where his restless soul could sleep in peace. +Let us hope that he found his Valhalla on that day.</p> + +<p>He sleeps with other gallant comrades who fell beside +him in the heart of Africa, far from home and loved ones. +Yet it seems fitting that he should lie at last in the land +of his dreams, where he laboured so much, and where his +name will never be forgotten. No sculptured mausoleum +records his prowess, but only a simple wooden cross bearing +his name<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_346" id="Page_346">[346]</a></span> and that of his good comrades stands beneath the +shade of a tamarind tree in the woody forest, where the bush-cuckoo +heralds the dawn and the lion roars his requiem to +the night.</p> + +<div class="poem"> +"Under the wide and starry sky,<br /> +Dig the grave and let me lie.<br /> +Glad did I live and gladly die,<br /> +And I laid me down with a will.<br /> +This be the verse you grave for me;<br /> +<i>Here he lies where he longed to be.</i><br /> +Home is the sailor, home from the sea,<br /> +And the hunter home from the hill."<br /> +</div> + +<p>I am indebted to Captain R. M. Haines of the South +African Forces for the following account of Selous' life from +the time he landed at Mombasa till his death:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I did not actually bury Captain Selous, but I was present +at his funeral. I think I had better give you his doings +from about the end of August. He came out for the second +time about the end of August, 1916, and landed at Mombasa +(via the Cape) with a draft of about 400 new men for the +25th R. Fusiliers. He took these up the Uganda Railway +to a small detail camp called Korogwe, in the Usambara +Valley. After waiting there for a week or two, he brought +the draft to Tanga, when to his intense disgust he was +held up for nearly eight weeks. In the meantime the original +part of the regiment was trekking down the centre of the +country towards the German Central Railway. Whilst at +Tanga, he lived in a house with Captain MacMillan, whom +you probably know. It was here that he heard he had been +awarded the D.S.O. Whilst we were waiting here, he +frequently gave the men lectures on his early life in South +Africa, to their intense delight. Here I first met him. +He was literally adored by the men. From a boy he had +always been a hero of mine, and to my great joy I actually +met him. He wore a double Terai grey slouch hat, slightly +on the back of his head. Khaki knickerbockers, with no +puttees, bare legs, except for his socks, and shirt open at +the neck, with a knotted handkerchief round the neck to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347">[347]</a></span> +keep the sun off, with a long native stick in his hand. He +had a rooted objection to wearing a cork helmet. It is +impossible to forget the impression he made. He was as +straight as a guardsman, with a broad deep chest, with a +beautiful healthy look in his face.</p> + +<p>"We left Tanga, on board an armed merchantman, +at the end of November, and after calling in at Zanzibar +for a few hours, arrived at Dar-es-Salaam. At Zanzibar +I went ashore with him and had breakfast at the +English club. We were landed at Dar-es-Salaam at about +10.30 at night and went into the local detail camp. He +remained there about a week and was then sent up to take +up the draft he had brought out to Kissaki, which is about +100 miles south of the German Central Railway, where the +rest of the regiment was waiting.</p> + +<p>(Here I went down with fever, and so had to stay behind +for two weeks.)</p> + +<p>"He went by train to Mikessi, about 150 miles up the +Central Railway, and from there started with his draft of +400 men to reach the regiment. He reached Kissaki in a +fortnight. This is practically the last point where any life +exists, except game, in this part of the country. In many +ways it is terrible country; there are no names, save such +names as we gave it, no roads. It is covered with thick +elephant-grass, six to eight feet high, and very thick thorn-bush +and swamp. Although I was one of them, I honestly +think that the sufferings of the troops in this horrible trek +have hardly been exceeded by any in the war. There was +only filthy water, we marched on half-rations, with no +bread at all, only flour being issued and occasionally biscuit. +The whole country was poisonous with fever and 'blackwater'; +hardly any natives live here, as it is too poisonous. +Most of the men went sick and died like flies. It was just +south of Kissaki he caught the regiment up. He was just +as cheerful as a schoolboy.</p> + +<p>"The day he was killed, I passed him in the morning +with his company, I was driving an armoured machine-gun, +as the driver was ill. As I passed him, I shouted out, 'I +shall be back and have <i>tea</i> with you to-day, sir,' for we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_348" id="Page_348">[348]</a></span> +used to joke him about his habit of drinking tea with every +meal.</p> + +<p>"That was the last I saw of him. There was some +fighting in the bush during the day, and when I came back +in the afternoon I was greeted with the news of his death. +I was just in time to see him buried. He was sewn up in a +blanket, and buried with five other men of the R. Fusiliers. +I was told he was first wounded in the right arm, which was +broken, but was bandaged up, and he remained with his +company.<a name="FNanchor_83_83" id="FNanchor_83_83"></a><a href="#Footnote_83_83" class="fnanchor">[83]</a></p> + +<p>"A little later he was again hit in the mouth and was +killed instantaneously and apparently painlessly.</p> + +<p>"A little space was cleared in the bush and he was buried, +at one of the most impressive services I have ever attended, +the same day in the afternoon. I intended to photograph +the spot, but next day I went down with a bad attack of +blackwater fever, and the next few weeks are a complete +blank to me. My memory is still somewhat out of gear. +My diary and camera were missing when I came round, +and so all my exact records are going to some scamp. He +is buried about 60 miles south of Kissaki, in a nameless spot, +but if you will wait a month or two I may yet be able to +get you some photographs and further details.</p> + +<p>"As I said before, he was always my hero as a boy in +books, and he remains so now. He had all that simplicity +and modesty of great men. He was the easiest of all men +to cheat, but yet no one ever dared to do it. He was a +moral antiseptic in a country where men are not saints. +Anything mean or sordid literally shrivelled up in his +presence.</p> + +<p>"Although<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_349" id="Page_349">[349]</a></span> +I am a young man, my fate has led me to +travel in all our white colonies, and I can honestly say that +of all the men I have met, good or bad (and they have been +mostly good), no one has ever left me with the impression +of being a 'whiter' man, or who was a more perfect +English gentleman.</p> + +<div class="right">"R. M. <span class="smcap">HAINES</span>, S.A.F."<br /></div> + +</div> + +<p>Mr. P. H. Lamb, writing in "The Field," June 18th, +1918, gives some details of the actual position of Selous' +grave, of which he furnishes a photograph.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The geographical position of his grave is approximately +lat. 7 deg. S., long. 38 deg. E. It is not near any village +but lies only a few yards to the east of the main road leading +south from Mikesse, on the Central Railway to the Rufigi +river, from which it is about 10 miles distant. There is a +stream crossing the road at this point. It was here that the +gallant 25th Royal Fusiliers were camped on the day +(January 4, 1917) when Selous was killed. It was to this +spot that the fallen hero was carried.</p> + +<p>"The graveyard is situated close by the old camp, and +contained at the time of my visit seven simple wooden +crosses. Besides the one in memory of Captain Selous are +those of Sergeant Knight, Lance-Corporal Evans, and +Privates Taylor and Evans, all of the Royal Fusiliers, who +were killed on the same day. The other two graves are those +of privates of the British West Indies Regiment who died +at the same place months later. The precise spot where +Selous was fighting when he was first wounded was pointed +out to me. It was among some small knolls which lie about +a mile to the north, on which the present camp, known as +Chogawali, has since been built....</p> + +<p>"The stream running by the spot where Captain Selous' +remains are laid to rest is the last fresh water met with along +the road before reaching the Rufigi. It is for the most part +a wild inhospitable district—the haunt of a great variety +of big game, including elephants, giraffes, and rhinos. +Not more than four miles away is a warm salt spring running +down into a salt lake, where hippos, wild ducks, egrets, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_350" id="Page_350">[350]</a></span> +numerous other wild fowl abound. But despite these +alleviations it can hardly be called a fascinating part of the +country, and the object of most people who have seen it +will be to avoid it carefully in the future."</p></div> + +<p>The war in German East Africa dragged its slow length +along throughout 1917, in November of which year it may +be said to have terminated, when the remnant of the +German forces under Colonel von Lettow-Vorbeck were +driven right across the borders into Portuguese territory. +There, owing to the rainy season in the early part of 1918, +they split up into small parties and searched the country +for native supplies, being finally (September, 1918) forced +into the low-lying country between the north of the Zambesi +and the coast.</p> + +<p>Since then they have attacked various Portuguese +stations and encampments and taken fresh supplies of +provisions, medical necessaries and ammunition and are +still (September, 1918) causing much trouble to trace, +British forces relentlessly pursuing them. Colonel R. +Meinertzhagen, who is well acquainted with the local +conditions, writes:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The campaign is not over to-day (August 1st, 1918), +and it is by no means impossible that Von Lettow breaks +north again into his old colony.<a name="FNanchor_84_84" id="FNanchor_84_84"></a><a href="#Footnote_84_84" class="fnanchor">[84]</a> He is an exceptional man +of iron will and great personality. I met him in Tanga in +November, 1914, and he then declared that even though +we might drive him from his colony he would fight to the +last, and that he would never be taken alive."</p></div> + +<p>Commenting on the great difficulties of the campaign, +General Smuts, at a meeting of the Royal Geographical +Society (January 28th, 1918), designated the travels of +Livingstone and Selous as mere "joy rides" compared to +what had been done by Empire troops in East Africa.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The Germans," he remarked, "are not in search of +colonies after the English model. Not colonies, but military +power and strategic positions for a great Central African +Empire, comprising not only her colonies before the war, +but also all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_351" id="Page_351">[351]</a></span> the English, French, Belgian, and Portuguese +possessions south of the Sahara and Lake Chad, and north +of the Zambesi river in South Africa.</p> + +<p>"Towards this objective she was steadily marching even +before the war broke out, and she claims the return of her +lost African colonies at the end of the war as a starting-point +from which to resume the interrupted march. This +Central African block was intended in the first place to +supply the economic requirements and raw materials of +German industry, and in the second and far more important +place to become the recruiting ground of vast armies. The +natural harbours on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans were +to supply the naval and submarine bases from which both +ocean routes would be dominated and British and American +sea-power be brought to naught.</p> + +<p>"No fresh extension of Prussian militarism to other +continents and seas should be tolerated, and the conquered +German colonies can only be regarded as guarantees for the +security of the future peace of the world. The premature +or unwise restoration of German East Africa to its former +owners might have consequences reaching far beyond the +confines of the African continent. Perhaps I may be +allowed to express the fervent hope that a land where so +many of our heroes lost their lives may never be allowed +to become a menace to the future peaceful development +of the world."</p></div> + +<p>All of which is very true, for after the war, if German East +Africa is restored to Germany, as some of our socialists, +like Mr. Wells, seem to desire, it is a certainty that in time +we shall lose all our South African possessions as well as +those in the north.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_82_82" id="Footnote_82_82"></a><a href="#FNanchor_82_82"><span class="label">[82]</span></a> Colonel Driscoll, who commanded the 25th Royal Fusiliers, writes: +"Captain Selous, the great hunter, was one of the hardest men in the +battalion, in spite of his 65 years. He was shot dead while leading his +company through the bush against an enemy four times their strength. +Lieutenant Dutch, another very gallant man, took his place and received +a mortal wound immediately afterwards."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_83_83" id="Footnote_83_83"></a><a href="#FNanchor_83_83"><span class="label">[83]</span></a> Mr. Lamb also mentions that Selous was wounded before he was +killed, but this is contradicted by others who were present. Mr. Denis +Lyell, writing in the "Field," August 17th, 1918, says: "Details of his +death were given to Mr. W. Watmough by a friend in his regiment who was +present. He says: 'Capt. Selous was shot through the head and right +side. We were on a crest line at the time with the Germans in front and on +both flanks. We were subjected to very heavy enfilade fire, and could +not locate the enemy properly owing to the wooded nature of their positions. +At this stage Selous went forward down the slope about fifteen yards, +and was just raising his glasses in order to see (more particularly) where +certain snipers were when he received his first wound in the side. He was +half-turning towards us when he was shot through the side of the head. +He died immediately.'"</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_84_84" id="Footnote_84_84"></a><a href="#FNanchor_84_84"><span class="label">[84]</span></a> This view has proved to be correct.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_352" id="Page_352">[352]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XV</h2> +<h3>CHARACTER, APPEARANCE, ETC.—SOME STORIES OF HIM</h3> + + +<p>Perhaps Selous' chief success as a hunter lay in his +untiring energy and fearless intention to gain some +desired object. He brought the same force into +play in pursuit of a bull elephant as of a small butterfly, and +allowed nothing to stand in his way to achieve success. +Time, distance, difficulty, or danger were all things that +could be conquered by a man of strong will, and his bodily +strength was such that even to the end he almost achieved +the virility of perfect youth. He would come back from +the early morning hunt, the best time of all for pursuing +big game, and have some breakfast. Then, when others +were tired and glad of some hours' sleep in the camp or +waggon, he would call a native boy to carry his rifle and a +few cartridges—in case of an unexpected meeting with +some rare animal—take his butterfly-net and collecting-box, +to spend the hot hours of the day in search of Lepidoptera. +Few men, even young men in the prime of life, are capable +of pursuing insects under a tropical sun after the fatigue +of the early morning hunt, but Selous not only did this +almost to the day of his death, but also went out again in +search of big game in the hours between three o'clock and +sunset.</p> + +<p>It was his untiring love of Nature and the possible +capture of some victim new to science that always drove +him on and banished fatigue. His whipcord frame responded +readily to all the calls he made upon it, for from his youth +he had inured himself to strain and privation, and was +extremely moderate in any indulgence. He ate less than +most men, and never drank anything but tea, which he +enjoyed at every meal. Sometimes he drank champagne<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_353" id="Page_353">[353]</a></span> +at big dinners, but rich wines and high feeding had no +attractions for him.</p> + +<p>He always rated himself as a very moderate shot, and +doubtless, in the early days, when he was only armed with +clumsy and indifferent weapons, his success was not always +of a high order, but with the advent of rifles of greater precision +he was certainly a good shot, and he killed a large +proportion of the game he fired at. This was especially so +when he got what he described as his first first-class rifle, a +·450 single shot, made by Gibbs, of Bristol, and with this +he killed a large quantity of game. All of us who are big +game hunters, however, know how greatly the average of +hits has advanced since the introduction of the small-bore +high-velocity rifles. In 1895 came the British ·303, the +German ·275 Mauser, and the Roumanian ·256 Mannlicher, +and these weapons possess such accuracy and flatness of +trajectory that a poor shot becomes a moderate one, a good +shot a first-class one, and a first-class performer something +remarkable. Since 1900 some firms, notably John Rigby, +have utilized the best points of these smaller weapons +to make them successful on the largest and most dangerous +game in the hands of experienced men, and have invented +weapons of tremendous hitting power with magazine rapidity +of fire.</p> + +<p>London gunmakers were so anxious for Selous to use +every new weapon they put on the market that he was +bombarded with gifts of new weapons, in the hope that he +would use them and advertise their wares. In many cases +he did accept them, and between 1896 and 1915 he tried, on +his numerous trips, perhaps a dozen different rifles. In this +he admitted that he made a great mistake, for he would have +done much better it he had adhered to one rifle for small +game, such as the common ·256 Mannlicher, and one large +one, such as the ·450 Rigby for heavy or dangerous animals. +Many of these new rifles, though they nearly all shot well +<i>when they worked</i>, developed glaring faults in magazine construction +or defective bullets. What does well enough on +the target at home is often quite a failure in the wear and +tear of the African wilderness. A bullet that "mushrooms"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_354" id="Page_354">[354]</a></span> +nicely on the carcase of a horse may completely fail to stop +a tough African antelope, and so on. Thus Selous lost his +faith in specious promises, and often wished he had stuck +to his old ·450 single-shot Gibbs, which always gave good +results on all medium-sized game, and even on the few +occasions when he met elephants.</p> + +<p>As an example of Selous' practical nature with regard to +rifles, and the absolute necessity of testing them thoroughly +before field-use, he told me one day the following story:—</p> + +<p>At a leading London gunmaker's he had ordered a heavy +high-velocity rifle, which he intended to use on large game +in one of his more recent expeditions. As so often happens, +the gunmaker in question delayed the delivery of the +weapon till the very last moment, and one hour before he +was to depart for Africa, Selous found himself in possession +of a new weapon whose sighting and cartridges he had not +tested. Now, to a man of his experience, such a thing as +taking a rifle to Africa without first shooting it carefully +was unheard of. The cartridges might not fit, or the sights +might be set too high or too low. There was only one thing +to be done, he must test the rifle somehow, even though +located as he was in a house in Regent's Park. Calling +the servant he asked her to get a cab and put all his kit +therein and to place his hat and coat ready in the hall. +When the maid announced that this had been done, he +then opened his bedroom-window, and selecting a neighbouring +chimney-stack, at about 100 yards distance, he fired +five shots in quick succession.</p> + +<p>The effect in the densely populated neighbourhood may +be more easily imagined than described. Heads appeared +at every window and knots of people began to assemble in +the streets below. What on earth was happening? Had +someone suddenly gone mad? Was a murder being perpetrated, +or had the Germans landed? Selous quickly got +out his field-glasses, and noticed that the pattern on the +brick chimney was distinctly good. He then carefully +cleaned the rifle and put it in its case, donned his hat and +coat, and opened the front door. Here was assembled a +group of scared people, whilst a policeman was seen hastily<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_355" id="Page_355">[355]</a></span> +crossing the road. Someone asked him as he entered the +cab if he had heard the shots, and the old hunter replied +that he had, and that the sounds seemed to have come from +one of the rooms above. So Selous tried his rifle and went +on his way rejoicing.</p> + +<p>Speaking of him as a hunter, Sir Alfred Pease, himself one +of our best performers in the field, writes:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"It would be easier to write more fully of Selous, if he +had occasionally 'broken out' and 'bucked' a bit—his +very modesty and reserve and his care about what he said +and his delightful simple-heartedness concerning his own +achievements<a name="FNanchor_85_85" id="FNanchor_85_85"></a><a href="#Footnote_85_85" class="fnanchor">[85]</a> were something difficult to cope with—much +as they added to the charm and attractiveness of +the man and fortified one's confidence in him. To me that +he was absolutely true and the pure stuff was what made +him stand out. Personally I never saw him do anything +brilliant—I have seen many men shoot better, quicker, and +so on, but no man who got so much or at any rate any +more interest out of all that pertains to a hunter's and +naturalist's life. He was a rather deliberate than quick +observer, as far as I can judge, but when he had reached a +conclusion you might lay your money he was right. I remember +one day being rather inclined (being myself of an +eager, quick, and perhaps impatient nature) to think him +tiresome. He was with me at Kilanga (my B.E.A. farm), +and said, 'Now I want to get a good Kongoni' (Coke's +Hartebeest)—we were standing where there were always +hundreds, and often thousands, in sight. We regarded +Kongoni like the flocks on a hundred mountains. The old +bulls' heads were much alike; in early days I had measured +perhaps a dozen, and did not find that any one was much +more interesting than another. I said I didn't know that I +could help him, 'they were much of a muchness.' He asked +me questions about measurements and weights and so on, +most of which I could not answer. I told him there were +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_356" id="Page_356">[356]</a></span>plenty to choose from, and off he went and spent the whole +of a hot day trying to find a 'specimen' worth having. He +returned at night with a head and neck, and then the inquisition +began again after measuring and remeasuring, and +after a time (perhaps he was two hours messing about with +his Kongoni head in the evening, after a tiring day, when I +wanted him to come in and sit down) he came to the conclusion +that there was not much difference between his head +and the horns lying about of those we had shot for meat. +He went to Juja (MacMillan's), and a few days after showed +me two other heads he had got there, and no doubt had +given the same exertion and examination to get, and with +not much different result. It is well for science that there +are such men, and some of my neighbours were amazed at +this man, whose great reputation had reached them, and +had expected to see him galloping after lions and shooting +them from the saddle, etc., bothering himself over Kongoni +heads, but I must say I admired immensely this persistence +to get at a definite knowledge about a common beast."</p></div> + +<p>It is a little difficult to gauge the shooting quality of a +man by reading published works, because rifle-shooting +at big game in various countries involves such various conditions. +In Scotland, Norway, and the high grounds of +Europe, Asia, and America, a good shot would probably +kill ten beasts out of every fifteen or twenty cartridges +expended, or even less. Many men do not take "all +chances," moving or otherwise, whilst the best hunters do +take all targets offered at a good head and at all ranges up +to 350 yards, but in the plains and forests of Africa the +average of shots fired is far higher, because the conditions +are more difficult, and, broadly speaking, from three to +six shots<a name="FNanchor_86_86" id="FNanchor_86_86"></a><a href="#Footnote_86_86" class="fnanchor">[86]</a> are required in the course of a trip to every animal +brought to bag. In Africa visibility, except in the early +morning and late evening, is curtailed by refraction from +the earth of the sun's rays, and animals are much shyer; +on the plains and in the bush it is difficult to pick out the +best head or to see it clearly. Often too, especially in bush, +the shot is hurried, and has to be taken when the shooter +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_357" id="Page_357">[357]</a></span>is standing in a bad position. There is always too the +nervous tension on the part of the hunter when pursuing +dangerous game, a nervousness not necessarily fear, which +makes him ever on the alert for danger or alarm caused by +some other animal of the same herd. All these circumstances +create other conditions unfavourable to good shooting, +although they undoubtedly add to the charm of African +sport. In earlier days too in South Africa (and more +recently sometimes in East Africa) most of the game killed +was shot after riding down the animal or quickly galloping +after it and jumping off for the shot as soon as the beast +came to a standstill and was not greatly alarmed. At this +form of sport Selous was, when once well armed, a very +skilful performer. His excellent horsemanship, fearless +dash through "wait-a-bit" thorns, and keen eye enabled +him almost invariably to run to a standstill almost any +animal he had set out to chase, and though he admitted he +frequently used many cartridges before he achieved success, +I think he was a much better shot than he professed to be. +In later years, when he hunted the beasts of the plain, +forests, and mountains in Europe, Asia Minor, and North +America, his expenditure of cartridges (if we read his books +carefully) certainly proves him to have been a very good +performer with the rifle.</p> + +<p>After his marriage, in 1895, he spent much of his time in +England and took "seriously" to the shot-gun. I say +"seriously," because everything he did was adopted with +the same whole-heartedness that he brought to other +things. At first it must be admitted he was a very poor +performer, and did not kill any except the ordinary rising +bird; but, as time went on, he practised so assiduously +that he was soon able to kill a few driven grouse and partridges. +After twenty years he became quite a good shot, +certainly above the average, but was always depressed that +he could not master the slowness which is ever the lot of a +man who takes up the shot-gun after middle age. Such, however, +was his persistence and determination to excel that on +occasion he performed so well that his hosts thought he had +been shooting with the smooth-bore all his life, and complimented<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_358" id="Page_358">[358]</a></span> +him on his skill. I remember one day in particular +at Tatton Park, Lord Egerton's beautiful seat in +Cheshire, when Selous really shot brilliantly and quite as well +as any of the other guns, who were accounted first-class shots. +We killed over one thousand pheasants that day, and Selous +took down the high birds with a speed and accuracy that +I think even astonished himself. He was like a schoolboy +in his joy that day at shooting so well, and as usual said it +was a "fluke" and he could never do it again. Another +day at Swythamley, where, at the invitation of our old +friend, Sir Philip Brocklehurst, we drove the moor for grouse, +Selous killed for the first time twenty birds at one stand. +He was in the seventh heaven of delight, nearly walked us +off our legs, and told us "lion" stories till far into the +night. We had many happy days at Swythamley between +the years 1896-1914, and Selous was always at his best +there under the rain of "chaff" and practical jokes of our +host. Sir Philip's two sons, the present Sir Philip, who +accompanied Shackleton to the Antarctic, and Courtenay, +a captain in the 10th Hussars, and at present "flying" in +East Africa, were boys after Selous' own heart, and have +since become keen and successful big game hunters, whose +youthful imagination Selous did so much to fire. At +Swythamley we were all a happy party with congenial tastes +and full of fun, and I always look back on the many delightful +days we spent there as some of the best of life.</p> + +<p>He liked nearly all outdoor sports at different times. He +played an energetic game of tennis and was a really good +croquet-player. Most of all he loved cricket, and played +regularly for his local club at Worplesdon, taking part in +all their matches until 1915. When any great game was +fought at Lord's, such as England v. Australia, he was +generally there before the game began in the members' +enclosure, and, much as he detested crowds, he with his +wife would sit out the whole three days and watch every +ball that went down. On such occasions he seldom spoke, +but kept his eyes firmly fixed upon the players, noting the +skill displayed on both sides. At Worplesdon he put such +life into the local club that they were soon able to leave the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_359" id="Page_359">[359]</a></span> +rough common where former matches were played and take +and keep in order an excellent cricket-field. I played in +some of these matches, which were rather of the "Dingley-Dell" +type, and it was always a treat to see Fred standing +so close "in" at "point" that he looked as if he would catch +the batsman before he hit the ball. "Big Game Hunters +<i>v.</i> Worplesdon" was always a great and solemn occasion.</p> + +<p>In his later years he was a most indefatigable cyclist, and +thought nothing of riding over to see his friends thirty and +forty miles away and back, even when he was over sixty years +of age. When at home he never rode in a car if he could +avoid it, as his policy was ever to keep fit by physical +exercise.</p> + +<p>The following is an example of his energy as a cyclist +(September 5th, 1909):—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I got home yesterday evening, having bicycled all the +way from Gloucester—about 100 miles—in pouring rain +most of the way, and over heavy, muddy roads, in just +twelve hours, including stoppages for breakfast and lunch. +I am not at all tired to-day, and next year, if I can get a +fine day, I shall see if I cannot do 120 miles between daylight +and dusk." Not bad for fifty-seven years of age.</p></div> + +<p>With regard to the personal appearance and character of +the man, his hard, gruelling life had left him straight and +well-conditioned at the age of sixty. Few men interested +others so much. He stood for all that was best in romance +and high adventure. His life was of the hardest, for he loved +to pit his strength against the forces of Nature. From +childhood he only knew physical discipline as a virtue and +battle as a self-enforced necessity. In appearance he was +deep-chested, straight as an arrow, and with immensely +powerful muscles on his arms and legs. Latterly he was +inclined to stoutness, but this was kept in check by constant +exercise. If there was one striking feature in his +physiognomy it was his wonderful eyes, as clear and blue as +a summer sea. Nearly every one who came in contact with +him noticed his eyes. They were the eyes of the man who +looks into the beyond over vast spaces. Instinctively one +saw in them the hunter and the man of wide views. Their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_360" id="Page_360">[360]</a></span> +clarity of expression was so intense that any observer could +see at a glance the whole nature of the mind that lay behind.</p> + +<p>In social intercourse Selous had a presence that was apt +to make other people look insignificant. He was adored by +all his friends, and even perfect strangers seemed to come +under his magnetism at the first introduction. It was not +only the interesting things he had to tell, and the way he +told them, but the kindness of heart and modesty that +forced their way through any narrative, and which seemed +to grow upon him with the years. Often was he the most +sympathetic of listeners, but as a rule he was a great +talker and an unrivalled story-teller. His memory was +marvellous. Never halting for a word, his tales would flow +on for hours without a check, and he was so skilful in the +art of telling a tale that he seldom repeated stories with +which he knew his audience were familiar. Well as I knew +him for twenty years, I have rarely heard him repeat himself. +Great as he was in this character, as powerful as any +professional who holds his audience entranced in the court-yards +of the Eastern cities, it was not a sense of vanity that +inspired his volubility. It was always others who drew +him on to talk, and he was so good-natured that he hated +to leave his friends disappointed when he felt that stories +were expected from him. Life was to him an endless +adventure, and the freshness of his curiosity, the tireless +spring of youth and romance, and the eagerness with which +he attacked any subject, were such as to cause delight in +the minds of all men who love to hear of high adventure and +are yet debarred from playing their part. Nothing could +quench his ardour when once his mind was set upon a thing. +To hear him was to experience some fresh breeze blowing +off the shores of youth. He possessed charm in the highest +degree because he always seemed to like best the people he +was with. He led his audience along pleasant ways and +knew the secret of raising others to the plane of his own +intellectual level. Alternately he was romantic, brilliant, +fiery, brave, or kind, and thus ran through the gamut of +human emotions.</p> + +<p>Yet with all his high enthusiasm he always displayed a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_361" id="Page_361">[361]</a></span> +curious diffidence as regards his own exploits—a modesty +that perhaps endeared him best to those who loved him, for +he was like all big men—a man who had no illusions. In all +success he was ever alive to his own limitations, and none +was more severe than he upon himself when he felt he had +done some foolish thing or failed in some achievement from +want of knowledge or skill. Few people knew how hardly +he judged himself, or what anxieties he passed through +before attacking some new problem. But the mental drag +was there nevertheless, and though he may have laughed at +it afterwards, there was something curiously feminine and +introspective in his dual nature.</p> + +<p>In many of the letters written during his early life in +Africa, there is a certain strain of melancholy which seemed +to overwhelm him when he found that after all his efforts to +"make good," the results had not been a financial success. +But these times of sadness were for the most part only +temporary, and soon gave way under the influence of fresh +enterprise.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"It was curious," writes his sister, Mrs. A. Jones, "that +for all my brother's splendid health, great and varied +interests, and good spirits—though not of the wildly elated +kind—there was a strain of sadness in his nature, and he had +not the love of life that would have seemed so natural—though +there seemed to be so much in his life to live for. I +have often heard him say that he would not mind dying at +all, or would as soon die as live, or some expression to that +effect. He was very philanthropic, and accepted any +reverse of fortune or disappointment with calmness and +fortitude. He suffered much, I think, through his views on +the Boer War, but he was steadfast and true to his beliefs +and principles always, and in this he showed a fine and +noble spirit. This high sense of honour and integrity shone +out like a bright star from a very feebly lit world in this +respect. To me he was ever the most loving and tender +brother, and his loss I shall ever lament."</p></div> + +<p>All men and women have a real age which never leaves +them from the cradle to the grave. Some are always twenty, +and others drag through life with the soul of sixty. Fred<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_362" id="Page_362">[362]</a></span> +Selous was one of those happy creatures who die young, for +he never resigned his youthful ideals.</p> + +<p>He had a great sympathy with emotional people. Good +acting or the "French temperament" appealed to him. +Though slow to anger as a rule, it was not rare to see him +spring from his chair and jerk his head fiercely from side +to side at any story of injustice. The Norman blood in his +veins caused him to like the French and to appreciate their +"bonhomie" and excitability. With him too it was +always near the surface—ready to sympathize, swift to +resent—but over it all was the iron check of Scottish +caution.</p> + +<p>One night in Vienna, in 1910, Prince Henry Liechtenstein +gave a little dinner party at "Sacher's." Slatin Pasha was +there, and told us some interesting stories of his adventures +as a captive of the Mahdi. Then came what I thought to +be a somewhat garbled version of the Fashoda incident. +Finally he made certain remarks, in very bad taste, of the +leave-taking of Marchand with the French colony at the +Cairo railway station. To him it was exceedingly "funny" +that Marchand should burst into tears and kiss his friends. +I got angry at this, and we had a somewhat heated passage +of words. "Why," he sneered in conclusion, "what had +Marchand to complain of—he was only a miserable Captain +before, and was now made a Colonel." Such a gross misunderstanding +of a man's temperament and ideals and ambitions +seemed deplorable indeed. It was quite German in its +total failure to appreciate national psychology. In those +two years of trial, privation and danger which Marchand +had to face what must his thoughts have been. Twice on +the road his expedition met with disaster from sickness, +desertion and other causes. Yet he had re-formed it and +marched successfully across unknown Africa from West to +East with a handful of Senegalese sharpshooters, courting +almost certain death at the end at the hands of the Mahdists. +Only our expedition to Khartoum had saved him, by +destroying the power of the Khalifa at the eleventh hour. +What did such a man as he care for a trumpery military +advancement? He was out to do his duty for France, and he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_363" id="Page_363">[363]</a></span> +did it where nine hundred and ninety-nine men out of a +thousand would have failed. He achieved his end, but owing +to our policy—for once strong—his Government failed him. +Marchand was truly a great man. When I told this trifling +incident to Selous he seemed to be thrown into a frenzy of +rage, for I did not then know his views on Marchand. +"Why," he shouted, "Marchand did the biggest thing any +man has ever done in Africa, and of course no one knows it—I +should like to kiss him myself!"</p> + +<p>In speaking his voice possessed a singularly rich tone and +resonance, and with all it carried a sympathetic quality that +seemed to play directly on the heartstrings of his audience. +Such gestures as he used were purely natural and necessary, +and though possessing the volubility and excitable temperament +of the southern races, the northern strain kept in +check any excessive gesticulation. Although latterly his +hearing was poor, he possessed a wonderful discrimination +in shades of pronunciation when making use of native or +foreign languages. Ever alive to the picturesque or the +romantic, he clothed his stories in the language of which the +true story-teller has the key, whilst over all hung the indelible +stamp of truth and accuracy that characterized the +man himself. His thoughts ranged over a wide field of +emotions and ideas, in which chivalry perhaps played the +most important part. It was always present in all his +thoughts and acts. This with the intense energy or "fury +of play," backed by the vehemence of emotion, carried him +far in the higher flights both of act and imagination. "It +is easy to be an ass and to follow the multitude like a blind +besotted bull in a stampede," says Stevenson. Selous +followed no leader but himself. Success left him humble, +and the sharp ferule of calamity only crushed him for the +moment. As he hated conventionality, so he loathed +respectability—"that deadliest gag and wet blanket that +can be laid on men." It meant nothing to him but the +crystallized demeanour of spineless invertebrates. Thus +when he spoke either in public or private life, he spoke direct +from his heart and experience, and Men recognized the Man. +He had a few mannerisms, and all have that—but was never<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_364" id="Page_364">[364]</a></span> +the victim of stereotyped phrase or trite quotation. He +took infinite care in his composition, but seldom altered, +once the written thought was on paper. Unlike most +authors he did not prune the "flesh" off his "bones" +until the residue was satisfactory. Every line was complete +when once he had set it down, and his manuscripts are as +unaltered as at the moment they were written. In his +lectures, as in his writings, he seemed to complete his +thoughts before they were transferred to speech or writing. +Having made up his mind what to say he just delivered +himself over, as it were, to the absorbing interest or ruling +passion of the moment. All his written work cannot be +said to be of equal merit. Perhaps his best efforts are to +be found in "African Nature Notes and Reminiscences," +in which his command of English reaches a high level, yet +in all circumstances, especially when narrating his own +adventures in simple style such as in "A Hunter's Wanderings," +or his escape from the Mushukulumbwe, he enjoyed +"the happy privilege of making lovers among his readers." +He possessed a certain quiet gift of humour, which he seldom +indulged in except in such quaint instances as the remarks +he makes on the vicious horse he gave to Lobengula in the +hope that he would give it to one of his chiefs whom Selous +particularly detested.</p> + +<p>Pathos too, to the man who so frequently met with it, +was something too terrible for soul disintegration. He +often told me he simply could not speak of the circumstances +of poor French's death in the bush in 1879. It hurt him so +much. But romance, tragedy, the beautiful, the picturesque, +or the noble deeds of unpretentious men all fell into +their natural places in his scheme of colour and formed a +completed whole that was the outcome of perfect spontaneity +and natural utterance. Thus he saw life in a vision +as wide and untrammelled as the desolate plains he loved. +He seemed to divine from his own experience how other +men felt, and with the intensity of human sympathy knew +how to encourage and console others in times of difficulty. +To him no man was so poor that he was not ready to give +him a "lift" on his waggon or through his purse. Sternness<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_365" id="Page_365">[365]</a></span> +and tenderness were nearly matched in his conduct, the +former for himself and the latter for the failings of others. +In spite of his knowledge of the world he had no cynicism, +his motto being to make things easier to those who were less +fortunate than himself. He bore no grudge, nor did he feel +sore at ingratitude, and might truly have said, "There is +no man born with so little animosity as I."</p> + +<p>In later years Selous often confessed to an enduring +restlessness. There was always so much to be done and so +little time to do it. Even when at home, where he was +perfectly happy and always immersed in some form of +brain work or outdoor activity, this restlessness never left +him. He felt it ever in his blood, and it would act like some +violent force—most violent when the turmoil and pettiness +of human life or the futile presence of crowds jarred upon +him. Life in cities was to him so infinitely inferior to the +grandeur of nature and interest of the unknown. Having +tasted of the best it is hard after a life spent amid romance +and adventure to settle down comfortably amidst the tiny +affairs and tittle-tattle of everyday things at home. He +hated intensely lawyers, politicians, theorists and men who +daily live in the public eye without knowing anything of +the great world in its wide sense. This spirit of restlessness +seems to have been ever present in his later life. He confessed +that he found it difficult to stay in England for more +than six months at a time. There was always some new +country and the pursuit of some new animals which he +wished to add to his unique collection. Africa seemed to +draw him like a loadstone, as it had always done, and its +never-ceasing call was ever sounding in his ears. Even +when on service in 1916 he talked with William Judd in +Nairobi of a trip he wished to make with him, after the war +had ended, to the Amala to get a really good black-maned +lion. Yet when he was on board ship he confessed that he +was overcome with such home-sickness that he felt inclined +to "throw himself overboard and swim ashore." It must be +admitted that he suffered to some extent in his later days +from a disease which for want of a better word we must call +the Nostalgia of Travel—a disease which attacks many old<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_366" id="Page_366">[366]</a></span> +Big Game hunters—for often there comes a time when +weariness of actual travelling creates depression, but in his +subsequent letters from the actual hunting-grounds these +adverse conditions disappear and he is once more keen and +happy in the fascination of the chase and the clean conditions +of a hunter's life. If we read carefully the classics in +hunting and travel such as Baldwin, Neumann, Livingstone, +etc., we constantly come across records of depression +on the part of the writers. Were all the hardship, toil, +dangers and the eternal difficulties of keeping an outfit in +order and even temper good enough? Was not all the +money so hardly won to gain this trip not thrown away? +Would the elephants (it was generally elephants) or the rare +horns ever be sighted? Would the horses or oxen that were +left be sufficient to carry the expedition through after the +best had been killed or died of sickness? And yet there was +always an answer to these questions when the leaders were +men of grit. Clouds pass away, men recover their spirits, +and we find them writing, it may be a few weeks or even +days afterwards, as if "all was lovely in the garden."</p> + +<p>All his life he was a great reader, and rather preferred the +old "classics" of English literature to modern books, +except those on travel and big game hunting, of which he +had an extensive library. He would read again and again +and enjoy the works of Thackeray and Dickens, and amongst +poets Byron was his favourite. Of modern writers no one +appealed to him so much as Thomas Hardy, all of whose +works found great favour, and especially "Tess of the +D'Urbervilles," which he rightly esteemed as perhaps the +greatest modern novel in the English language. Of writers +on Big Game he esteemed highly Baldwin, Roosevelt, +Charles Sheldon, Stewart Edward White, and Arthur Neumann. +If he was bored in a crowd or had to wait at a railway +station, he generally had a book in his pocket, and +passed the hours happily in complete absorption of the +author's descriptions. His tastes were wide, as we should +expect, ranging from Tom Hood's humorous poems and +such modern imaginative adventures as "Raffles" and +"Stingaree", to Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_367" id="Page_367">[367]</a></span> +Empire." He considered "Robbery under Arms" the +most delightful modern romance, with a substratum of +fact, he had ever read, but it always held second place to +"Tess." He loved novels about imaginary people leading +heroic lives, suffering, loving, hating, adventuring and +fighting—all on some high level above the petty joys and +sorrows of a work-a-day world.</p> + +<p>Of his personal friends it is somewhat difficult to speak, +as he knew so many in so many different lands. His circle +of acquaintances was immense, though it was natural that +his intimates should be men of similar tastes. In England +we have a very excellent institution known as the "Shikari +Club," an association of Big Game hunters founded by +Captain C. E. Radclyffe, Captain P. B. Vanderbyl and +Selous himself under the presidency of the Earl of Lonsdale. +This club meets but once a year on the night of the Oaks, +and members dine together at the Savoy Hotel. Here all +matters relating to hunting throughout the world are +discussed, plans are made for the future, and it is, as it were, +a general meeting round the camp fire of brothers of the +rifle. The camaraderie is excellent, and we all know and +help each other with information as to future travels. +Admission to its ranks is somewhat severe, for no man, +unless he has proved himself to be a sportsman of the best +type, is ever elected. Amongst these men, who have +probably travelled and hunted more extensively than any +other community in the world, Selous counted many +close friends whose names are too numerous to mention, +and from them he got the latest information for some +projected trip just as he on his part helped many of them. +Another club which at one time he constantly visited to +hear discussions on the subject of birds was the British +Ornithologists', a dining branch of the British Ornithologists' +Union, where after dinner specimens of interest +were exhibited, and discussions took place. Most of the +principal members were his friends, as well as leading +Zoologists in the Zoological Society and the British Museum +(Natural History), whom it was always his pleasure to +serve and help with new specimens. In later years nearly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_368" id="Page_368">[368]</a></span> +all his old South African friends were dead or had retired, +so he saw little of them, but in England, after his return +from South Africa, he made many new friends whose homes +he constantly visited. From 1896 till the time of his death +he often stayed with Lord Egerton of Tatton, whose son, +the Hon. Maurice Egerton, whom he had first met in Alaska, +was a great friend of his; with Abel Chapman, with whom +he had been at school at Rugby, and who had many kindred +tastes; with Heatley Noble, to whom he was much attached; +with Sir Philip Brocklehurst and his family, for whom he +entertained a warm affection; and with Mr. MacMillan, in +Devonshire. These are only a few of the friends who were +in intimate sympathy with him, and to whom he constantly +wrote accounts of his more recent travels. I met him first +in 1897, and from then until his death he wrote to me constantly, +and never did either of us go on an expedition +without his coming to see me or my going to Worplesdon +to discuss the matter in the smallest detail. In those +twenty years we both hunted or wandered in other lands +every year, and I cannot adequately express what his warm +friendship and help was to me, for when Selous opened +his soul to anyone he did it with a whole-heartedness +and an abandonment of all reserve that are rare in these +days. In our lives there come only a few fellow-creatures +to whom we can say anything that comes into our minds +without being misinterpreted. Even in absence we think +about them as they about us, and we know how they will +rejoice at our successes and sympathize with our failures, +because they know and understand. When such a man as +Selous passes away, and we have enjoyed that intimacy, the +world indeed seems desolate, even though we have the poor +consolation that what has been was very good.</p> + +<p>In his own home Selous was hospitality itself, and loved +to entertain visitors from all parts of the world who came +to see him or his museum. Complete strangers were received +with the same courtesy as intimate friends, and +Selous would spend hours showing his trophies to anyone +who exhibited the smallest interest in the subject. Officers +from Aldershot or Naval men were always welcome, and I +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_369" id="Page_369">[369]</a></span> +should think that a large portion of the British Army and +Navy had at one time or another enjoyed the pleasure of +seeing his trophies under his personal supervision, and it +was this abandonment of self and personal interest in his +fellow-creatures that made him so popular.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a href="images/i413.jpg"><img src="images/i413-t.jpg" width="400" height="289" alt="THEY CANNOT BREAK HIS SLEEP." title="" /> +</a><br /><span class="caption">They cannot break his sleep.</span> +</div> + +<p>One day I found him in fits of laughter over one of his +visitors. A telegram had been received in the morning +stating that Lewanika, chief of the Barotsi, whom he had +known in old days, would visit him. His dusky majesty, +attended by a cicerone, arrived in a very perturbed state of +mind. It appeared that in the morning he had been received +by His Majesty the King at Buckingham Palace, and +when he left he was under the impression that he had not +behaved properly in the royal presence. These fears were +confirmed when the train which bore the party to Worplesdon +entered the long tunnel just before reaching Guildford. +The absence of lights, and the darkness of the surroundings, +seemed to have been the climax, for the dusky monarch +dived under the seat of the carriage, and was with difficulty +removed when the train reached Guildford. Never before +having experienced such a horrible thing as a tunnel, +Lewanika considered that the English King was taking this +new method to destroy him.<a name="FNanchor_87_87" id="FNanchor_87_87"></a><a href="#Footnote_87_87" class="fnanchor">[87]</a></p> + +<p>As a man of such breadth of mind his friendships were +cosmopolitan rather than insular. He had many friends in +Austria, such as the three Counts Hoyos; in America, such +as President Roosevelt, Charles Sheldon, and the members +of the Boone and Crockett Club; in Asia Minor and Transylvania, +such as Sir William Whittall and Consul Danford; +whilst in South Africa he knew everyone in all grades of +politics or outdoor life. To enumerate the men he knew well +would fill a volume.</p> + +<p>One of Fred's missionary friends in the pioneer days was +the Rev. Isaac Shimmin, a type of those hard-working, unassuming +men who go out into the wilderness to do good to +others.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_370" id="Page_370">[370]</a></span> He is kind enough to send me a few lines denoting +Selous' attitude towards the spread of religion in the new +country and his broad-minded tolerance of various creeds.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"It is now nearly thirty years since I first met my old +friend, Fred Selous. At that time I was living at Klerksdorp, +in the Transvaal, and among my friends were some +who in former years had lived in the interior; such as Mr. +Thomas Leask, Mr. Alec Brown, and several others. I was +therefore in the right atmosphere for hearing thrilling stories +of African adventure, in which men like Hartley the hunter +and Westbeech the trader had played a prominent part. +For this little town had for years been the refitting station +for men from the north, and because of this we always +seemed in close touch with the regions beyond. One day I +met Mr. H. C. Collison, and soon after I heard Mr. G. A. +Phillips ('Elephant Phil') describe realistically an encounter +with a lion. But there was one name around +which a halo of peculiar distinction had already gathered, +for I noticed that when these men spoke of Selous it was +always with a note of personal affection; they not only +admired him as a successful hunter, but they evidently +loved him as a well-tried friend. And when I actually met +him I soon recognized the charm of his simple and winning +personality. The friendship which was then begun quickly +ripened into an intimacy which lasted until the day of his +death. I was only a young Wesleyan minister, and he was +the famous hunter, and yet we had many things in common, +and what attracted me most was his unaffected manner and +genuine honesty of thought and conduct. How well I +remember his first visit to my little parsonage, his stories +of travel and adventure told with such quiet and characteristic +modesty, and our long talk on Spiritualism and +kindred subjects. He was one of the best conversationalists +I have ever met, he could listen as well as speak, he had +kept up his reading all through his wanderings, and his +lonely life in the African veldt had given him many opportunities +for keen and original reflection.</p> + +<p>"About the date to which I refer he was making preparations +for leading the pioneers of the Chartered Company +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_371" id="Page_371">[371]</a></span> +into Mashunaland, and he kindly invited me to accompany +him, offering me the use of one of his own waggons. To my +great regret I had to decline, but the following year (1891) +I was appointed to represent the Wesleyan Church in the +new Colony, and by the end of September I found myself +established in the small town of Salisbury. One of the first +to give me a welcome was Fred Selous, who was then +employed by the Government in making roads and helping +to open out and settle the country.</p> + +<p>"It is impossible in these few lines to say very much +about my friend, but by giving two or three simple incidents +I may help the reader to see Selous as I saw him. His +hatred of boasting and exaggeration was very marked. One +day he called on me in Salisbury and asked me to go to his +house, as he had something to show me. He had just returned +from Hartley Hills, and whilst there had shot his +largest lion. How modestly he told the story, and with +what interest I looked upon the skin of the huge beast +(now mounted at Worplesdon). His humility was always +as conspicuous as his bravery. Nor would he condone any +false pretensions in others. He was once having breakfast +in my waggon, and a gentleman who was outspanned near +by asked me to introduce him to the great hunter. I did +so, and immediately Selous began to ask him about certain +incidents in a book he had published some time before. +The replies, I could see, were not satisfactory and the +subject was dropped. What amused me later was the +surprise of the visitor that such a quiet and unassuming +man should be the famous personage whose name was +revered by every man who carried a gun. But such a +person could not possibly understand Selous, who, neither +in speech nor in print, would ever make a statement which +he could not verify. His veracity was unimpeachable, and +his 'Hunter's Wanderings' was the favourite text-book +of every amateur. His word could be taken for every +trivial detail; as I once heard an old hunter remark, 'Whatever +Fred Selous says is absolutely true.' This was not a +cheap testimony in a country where the imagination so +often colours the records of personal adventure.</p> + +<p>"He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_372" id="Page_372">[372]</a></span> was never afraid to express his opinions, however +unpopular they might be at the time. We were both in +Bulawayo when word came from the south that Dr. Jameson +had invaded the Transvaal with a few hundred men. An +open-air meeting was held in the town, and Selous was one +of the speakers. There was great excitement and we hardly +knew what to believe. In the afternoon I rode out with +him to his farm (Essexvale), about twenty miles from +Bulawayo, and spent a few pleasant days in his home, but +I remember how strongly he expressed his doubts as to +the genuineness of the message of distress from Johannesburg. +When I got back to town I heard of the capture of +Jameson by Cronje, and later events proved that the doubts +of my friend were amply justified.</p> + +<p>"Selous was thought by some to have been rather +critical as regards the work of the missionaries, but from +various conversations I had with him I am convinced that +his criticisms applied only to those whose methods were +more idealistic than practical. Among his warmest friends +were those devoted men who had toiled for years in Matabeleland, +and who had succeeded in raising the physical and +moral status of the natives. That he was always in sympathy +with all good work was evident. Soon after going to +Salisbury I was engaged in building a small church and the +other denominations were also doing their best for the new +community, all of us working together in the most friendly +spirit. One day Selous said to me, with a touch of hesitation, +'By the way, Shimmin, I wish you would do me a +favour. Would you give this small donation to Canon +Balfour, of the Church of England, and this to Major +Pascoe, of the Salvation Army, and keep the other for your +own building-fund. You are all doing good work, and I +want to help you.' And he handed me three five-pound +notes. It was a good proof of his broad and liberal outlook +and of his recognition of the practical benefits of the Christian +Church.</p> + +<p>"This sketch is necessarily very brief and imperfect, and, +as I write, my memory brings before me many scenes which +are associated with my old friend. I think of the fashionable +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_373" id="Page_373">[373]</a></span> +crowd in the Imperial Institute, with the Duke of Fife in +the chair, and Selous giving a lecture in his own inimitable +style. I was very proud of him, but that evening, as I sat +with Mrs. Selous and Miss Rhodes, I somehow felt that the +speaker was closer to me than to any of that admiring +audience, for he and I had been together in the African +wilds.</p> + +<p>"And now he sleeps in the land he loved so well. At an +age when most men would seek retirement and rest, he went +forth to fight for justice and righteousness, and in that +cause he made the supreme sacrifice of his life. Fred Selous +was one of God's true and valiant gentlemen.</p> + +<div class="poem"> +'One who never turned his back but marched breast forward,<br /> +Never doubted clouds would break,<br /> +Never dreamed, though right were worsted, wrong would triumph,<br /> +Held we fall to rise, are baffled to fight better,<br /> +Sleep to wake.'<br /> +</div> + +<p>"He lived the simple creed of sincerity and trust. Fearless +for the right and dauntless in the face of danger, he won the +hearts of men, and by the influence of his strong and genuine +character he gave to us all a higher and purer conception of +the inherent nobility of our common humanity.</p> + +<div class="right">"<span class="smcap">Isaac Shimmin</span>."<br /></div> + +</div> + +<p>Colonel Roosevelt, who knew Selous well and understood +his character, kindly sends me the following note:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"There was never a more welcome guest at the White +House than Selous. He spent several days there. One +afternoon we went walking and rock climbing alongside +the Potomac; I think we swam the Potomac, but I am +not sure. Another afternoon we rode, going over some of +the jumps in Rock Creek Park, as well as those rail-fences +that we were sure were not wired, in striking across country.</p> + +<p>"What made Selous so charming a companion was his +entire naturalness and lack of self-consciousness. There +are persons who pride themselves on a kind of ingrowing +modesty which forbids them to speak of anything they have +themselves done, or else causes them to speak of it in such +a bald fashion that they might as well keep silent. This +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_374" id="Page_374">[374]</a></span> +really represents extreme self-consciousness, and it is only +one degree less obnoxious than the self-consciousness which +shows itself in boasting and bragging. Yet, rather curiously, +the exhibition of this particular kind of morbid self-consciousness +is a source of intense pride to many otherwise +intelligent persons.</p> + +<p>"Selous was as free from this vice as from its opposite. +He never boasted. He was transparently truthful. But it +never occurred to him not to tell of his experiences, and he +related them very simply but very vividly, and with the +attention to minute details which marks the born observer +and narrator. When my children were little I had now and +then read to them aloud some of the more exciting extracts +from Selous' hunting adventures. At the time that he +visited me at the White House they were older, and I got +him to tell them two or three of the adventures himself. +He made us actually see everything that had happened. +He not only spoke simply and naturally, but he acted the +part, first of himself, and then of the game, until the whole +scene was vivid before our eyes. He would stand and bend +forward, and then he would instantly identify himself with +the lion or buffalo or elephant, and show what it did in its +turn.</p> + +<p>"It was on this visit that he promised me that he would +write out some of his observations on the life histories of +African big game. I felt that it would be a real misfortune +if this record were not preserved in permanent form; for +Selous had the eye of a faunal naturalist of the highest type.</p> + +<p>"But our conversation was far from being confined to +natural history and hunting. His reading had been done +rather late in life, and only along certain lines, but he had +the same unerring eye in history and literature that he had +in the hunting-field. Naturally he liked what was simple +and straightforward, and the old Scotch and English +ballads appealed very strongly to him. His people had +originally come from that last fragment of the old-time +Norman Duchy, the Channel Islands; and he was keenly +interested in the extraordinary deeds of the Normans.</p> + +<p>"It was through Selous and Edward North Buxton that +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_375" id="Page_375">[375]</a></span> +I made my arrangements for my African hunting-trip. +Much to my delight, Selous went on the ship with us from +Naples to Mombasa. He was, of course, a delightful +travelling companion. He was very much interested in +the way in which the naturalists who were with me did +their collecting, being much impressed by the scientific +efficiency they showed. Whenever possible I would get +him talking about some of his past experiences; and then +gradually other acquaintances would stroll up and sit in +an absorbed circle, while he not only told but acted the +story, his keen, simple, fearless blue eyes looking up at us +from time to time, while his hands moved with a vivacity +we are accustomed to think of as French rather than +English.</p> + +<p>"After landing in Africa I saw him but once or twice. +Of course my hunting was that of a tyro compared to his, +and he took a kind of elder brother's interest in what I did +and in my unimportant successes.</p> + +<p>"Later I spent a night with him at his house in Surrey, +going through his museum of hunting-trophies. What +interested me almost as much was being shown the various +birds' nests in his garden. He also went to the British +Museum with me to look into various matters, including +the question of protective coloration. I greatly valued his +friendship; I mourn his loss; and yet I feel that in death +as in life he was to be envied.</p> + +<p>"It is well for any country to produce men of such a type; +and if there are enough of them the nation need fear no +decadence. He led a singularly adventurous and fascinating +life, with just the right alternations between the wilderness +and civilization. He helped spread the borders of his +people's land. He added much to the sum of human knowledge +and interest. He closed his life exactly as such a life +ought to be closed, by dying in battle for his country while +rendering her valiant and effective service. Who could +wish a better life or a better death, or desire to leave a more +honourable heritage to his family and his nation?</p> + +<div class="right">"<span class="smcap">Theodore Roosevelt</span>."<br /></div> + +</div> + +<p>The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_376" id="Page_376">[376]</a></span> best work that Selous did and the qualities for which +the British Nation should be grateful to him are those +which he displayed as a Pioneer. Where Selous went any +Englishman could follow and hold up his head. Selous set +up a standard of conduct which people of our own, as well +as those of other nations, might be proud to follow. He, as +it were, stamped his personality on the wilderness, where +life is hard and man easily loses his grip. He never shot a +native except purely in self-defence, and established a +reputation for square dealing and indomitable courage that +made the pathway easy for all those who came after. He +never made a sixpence for himself when gains, if he had +been the least unscrupulous, would have been easy, but set +up wherever he went a certain ideal, especially in dealing +with natives, that made the road of colonization easy for +tens of thousands. After all, in the life of any man it is +character and example that count, and if Selous did nothing +else, and had, in fact, never killed a single wild animal in +his life, his name would still be one to conjure with in South +Africa or wherever he wandered.</p> + +<div class="poem"> +"Summers shall be forgotten with the rose,<br /> +Yea, winters fall from memory like quenched fire,<br /> +Loves shall depart unseen, and the voice of desire<br /> +Be hushed and stilled in the garden close,<br /> +Yet you they shall remember in the land."<br /> +</div> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_85_85" id="Footnote_85_85"></a><a href="#FNanchor_85_85"><span class="label">[85]</span></a> Writing to H. F. Wallace in 1911 Selons speaks of his own capacity +in characteristic style: "That quotation (in your article) from Roosevelt's +book as to my being 'the greatest of the world's big game hunters' is all +bunkum. Because I have hunted a lot, that is not to say I am a specially +good hunter."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_86_86" id="Footnote_86_86"></a><a href="#FNanchor_86_86"><span class="label">[86]</span></a> According to the quality of the shooter.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_87_87" id="Footnote_87_87"></a><a href="#FNanchor_87_87"><span class="label">[87]</span></a> Tunnels seem to have some terrifying effect on the mind of the +black man. I travelled to Africa in 1913 with the King of Uganda and +used to play at draughts with him nearly every day. He expressed great +pleasure at his recent visit to England and the hospitality he had received +there, but said he could not forget the horror of the tunnels on the railways.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_377" id="Page_377">[377]</a></span></p> +<h2>INDEX</h2> + +<p> +Adahm, Sergt., <a href="#Page_202">202</a><br /> +<br /> +Africa—early influences on F. C. Selous, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>, <a href="#Page_51">51</a>, <a href="#Page_55">55</a>, <a href="#Page_62">62</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">account of his first visit, <a href="#Page_67">67</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">second visit, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>-<a href="#Page_140">140</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">third visit, <a href="#Page_141">141</a>-<a href="#Page_95">95</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous depressed at financial situation (1884), <a href="#Page_152">152</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">fourth visit, <a href="#Page_208">208</a>-<a href="#Page_224">224</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;"><i>See also</i>: Boers, Boer War, Mashunaland, Matabeleland, and Transvaal</span><br /> +<br /> +Africa, East—game laws and destruction of game by settlers, <a href="#Page_140">140</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sir A. Pease on lion hunting in, <a href="#Page_192">192</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">F. C. Selous' hunting trips, <a href="#Page_248">248</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_272">272</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_279">279</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mr. T. Roosevelt's trip, <a href="#Page_267">267</a> <i>et seq.</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Campaign against the Germans, <a href="#Page_301">301</a>, <a href="#Page_305">305</a> et seq.;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Selous' experiences, <a href="#Page_305">305</a>, <a href="#Page_316">316</a>, <a href="#Page_328">328</a>, <a href="#Page_340">340</a>, <a href="#Page_342">342</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Mr. Roosevelt's views, <a href="#Page_325">325</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Capt. Haines' account, <a href="#Page_346">346</a></span><br /> +<br /> +"African Nature Notes and Reminiscences," <a href="#Page_91">91</a>, <a href="#Page_184">184</a>, <a href="#Page_193">193</a>, <a href="#Page_261">261</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">chapters on protective colouring, <a href="#Page_262">262</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">literary merit, <a href="#Page_364">364</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Ai-eetsee-upee, <a href="#Page_121">121</a><br /> +<br /> +Alpuina, Senhor Alfredo, <a href="#Page_172">172</a><br /> +<br /> +America, North—Selous' hunting trips, <a href="#Page_228">228</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_245">245</a>, <a href="#Page_251">251</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_257">257</a><br /> +<br /> +American Museum of Natural History—T. Roosevelt's collection, <a href="#Page_267">267</a><br /> +<br /> +Anderson, C. J., <a href="#Page_65">65</a>, <a href="#Page_66">66</a><br /> +<br /> +Andrada, Col. d', <a href="#Page_179">179</a><br /> +<br /> +Antelope, lechwe—movements and habits, <a href="#Page_95">95</a><br /> +<br /> +Antelope, pookoo, <a href="#Page_91">91</a><br /> +<br /> +Antelope, roan, <a href="#Page_148">148</a><br /> +<br /> +Antelope, sable, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>, <a href="#Page_91">91</a>, <a href="#Page_94">94</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">defensive powers, <a href="#Page_156">156</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Antelope, sitatunga, <a href="#Page_124">124</a><br /> +<br /> +Arctic and Antarctic expeditions—public support contrasted with support accorded to African and Asiatic expeditions, <a href="#Page_194">194</a><br /> +<br /> +Armstrong, Mr. W. L., <a href="#Page_180">180</a>, <a href="#Page_183">183</a><br /> +<br /> +Arnoldi, Major, <a href="#Page_320">320</a><br /> +<br /> +Arnot, Mr., <a href="#Page_141">141</a>, <a href="#Page_159">159</a><br /> +<br /> +Asia Minor—Selous' hunting trips, <a href="#Page_207">207</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">bird-nesting trips, <a href="#Page_227">227</a>, <a href="#Page_247">247</a>, <a href="#Page_259">259</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Babian, <a href="#Page_217">217</a><br /> +<br /> +"Badminton Library"—"The Lion in South Africa," <a href="#Page_184">184</a>, <a href="#Page_189">189</a><br /> +<br /> +Baillie, Mrs. Alexander, <a href="#Page_125">125</a><br /> +<br /> +Baines, Thomas, <a href="#Page_66">66</a><br /> +<br /> +Baker, Sir Samuel, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>, <a href="#Page_265">265</a><br /> +<br /> +Balamoya, a Kafir, <a href="#Page_85">85</a>, <a href="#Page_89">89</a><br /> +<br /> +Baldwin, William Charles, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>, <a href="#Page_67">67</a>, <a href="#Page_223">223</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"African Hunting from Natal to the Zambesi," <a href="#Page_65">65</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Banks, Mr. George, <a href="#Page_156">156</a>, <a href="#Page_200">200</a><br /> +<br /> +Barber, Mrs. Frederick, <a href="#Page_125">125</a><br /> +<br /> +Barotsi, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>;—Selous' troubles among during 1888, <a href="#Page_160">160</a>, <a href="#Page_166">166</a><br /> +<br /> +Barttelot, Major, <a href="#Page_134">134</a><br /> +<br /> +Batauwani, <a href="#Page_198">198</a><br /> +<br /> +Batongas, <a href="#Page_113">113</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous' troubles among, during expedition of 1888, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>, <a href="#Page_167">167</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Beal, Col., <a href="#Page_217">217</a><br /> +<br /> +Bechuanas, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>, <a href="#Page_198">198</a><br /> +<br /> +Becker, Ferdinand, <a href="#Page_241">241</a><br /> +<br /> +Beho-Beho ridge, engagement on the, <a href="#Page_343">343</a><br /> +<br /> +"Beigh, Lowden": <i>see</i> Leigh, Mr. Boughton<br /> +<br /> +Belton—F. C. Selous' school days at, <a href="#Page_25">25</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Bentley and Son, Richard, <a href="#Page_138">138</a><br /> +<br /> +Bettencourt, Capt., <a href="#Page_182">182</a><br /> +<br /> +Bezedenhuits, the, <a href="#Page_200">200</a><br /> +<br /> +Biles, H., <a href="#Page_75">75</a><br /> +<br /> +Birds—F. C. Selous' early bird-nesting exploits, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>, <a href="#Page_26">26</a>, <a href="#Page_34">34</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>, <a href="#Page_53">53</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his contributions to Rugby Natural History Society, <a href="#Page_54">54</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his later bird-nesting activities, <a href="#Page_227">227</a>, <a href="#Page_245">245</a>, <a href="#Page_247">247</a>, <a href="#Page_249">249</a>, <a href="#Page_257">257</a>, <a href="#Page_259">259</a>, <a href="#Page_286">286</a>, <a href="#Page_288">288</a>, <a href="#Page_299">299</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">trip to Iceland, <a href="#Page_288">288</a> <i>et seq.</i></span><br /> +<br /> +Bisset, Capt., <a href="#Page_214">214</a><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_378" id="Page_378">[378]</a></span><br /> +Blackstone, Mr., <a href="#Page_35">35</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Boers, <a href="#Page_74">74</a>, <a href="#Page_126">126</a>, <a href="#Page_130">130</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">aggression against Zulus, <a href="#Page_126">126</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Transvaal War (1881), <a href="#Page_136">136</a> <i>et seq.</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Transvaal War (1899-1901), <a href="#Page_233">233</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">F. C. Selous' attitude, <a href="#Page_233">233</a> <i>et seq.</i></span><br /> +<br /> +Boer officer's tribute to Mr. Selous, <a href="#Page_179">179</a><br /> +<br /> +Bosnia, <a href="#Page_257">257</a><br /> +<br /> +Botletlie river, <a href="#Page_121">121</a><br /> +<br /> +Bottomly, Sergt.-Major, <a href="#Page_312">312</a><br /> +<br /> +Bournabat, <a href="#Page_207">207</a><br /> +<br /> +Braddon, Miss, <a href="#Page_12">12</a><br /> +<br /> +Bramwell, Baron, <a href="#Page_6">6</a><br /> +<br /> +Brand, Capt., <a href="#Page_213">213</a><br /> +<br /> +British South Africa Company—occupation of Mashunaland, <a href="#Page_174">174</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous' services with, <a href="#Page_176">176</a>, <a href="#Page_186">186</a>, <a href="#Page_196">196</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">mismanagement of cattle question, <a href="#Page_198">198</a>, <a href="#Page_208">208</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">first Matabele rising, <a href="#Page_198">198</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">second rising, <a href="#Page_209">209</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mr. Millais' criticisms, <a href="#Page_219">219</a></span><br /> +<br /> +British Ornithologists' Club, <a href="#Page_367">367</a><br /> +<br /> +British Ornithologists' Union, <a href="#Page_227">227</a>, <a href="#Page_367">367</a><br /> +<br /> +Brocklehurst, Sir Philip, <a href="#Page_247">247</a>, <a href="#Page_248">248</a>, <a href="#Page_250">250</a>, <a href="#Page_279">279</a>, <a href="#Page_358">358</a>, <a href="#Page_368">368</a><br /> +<br /> +Brocklehurst, Capt. Courtenay, <a href="#Page_358">358</a><br /> +<br /> +Brown, Alec, <a href="#Page_370">370</a><br /> +<br /> +Bruce, the Abyssinian explorer, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>, <a href="#Page_10">10</a><br /> +<br /> +Bruces of Clackmannan, the, <a href="#Page_3">3</a><br /> +<br /> +Bruce School, Tottenham, <a href="#Page_12">12</a>, <a href="#Page_13">13</a><br /> +<br /> +Bryden, Mr. H. A., <a href="#Page_189">189</a><br /> +<br /> +Buffaloes—dangers of hunting, <a href="#Page_77">77</a>, <a href="#Page_102">102</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous' experiences, <a href="#Page_92">92</a>, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>, <a href="#Page_105">105</a>, <a href="#Page_284">284</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">McLeod's escape on the Nata, <a href="#Page_110">110</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">instances of tenacity of life and viciousness, <a href="#Page_110">110</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">speed, <a href="#Page_112">112</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Bukoba, British attack on, <a href="#Page_305">305</a>, <a href="#Page_327">327</a><br /> +<br /> +Bulawayo, <a href="#Page_135">135</a>, <a href="#Page_209">209</a>, <a href="#Page_212">212</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">defence during second Matabele rising, <a href="#Page_212">212</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Burlace, Mr., <a href="#Page_258">258</a>-<a href="#Page_259">9</a>, <a href="#Page_221">221</a><br /> +<br /> +Burchell, <a href="#Page_65">65</a><br /> +<br /> +Barnett, Mr., <a href="#Page_172">172</a><br /> +<br /> +Bushbuck, Angas's, <a href="#Page_222">222</a><br /> +<br /> +Butler, Mr., <a href="#Page_276">276</a><br /> +<br /> +Butler, Sir William, <a href="#Page_234">234</a><br /> +<br /> +Butterflies, <a href="#Page_59">59</a>, <a href="#Page_142">142</a><br /> +<br /> +Buxton, Edward North, <a href="#Page_265">265</a>, <a href="#Page_269">269</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_374">374</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Campbell, Lieut., <a href="#Page_181">181</a><br /> +<br /> +Canyemba, chief of Shakundas, <a href="#Page_113">113</a><br /> +<br /> +Canada—F. C. Selous' hunting trips, <a href="#Page_245">245</a>, <a href="#Page_251">251</a>, <a href="#Page_257">257</a><br /> +<br /> +Cardinal, Louis, <a href="#Page_252">252</a><br /> +<br /> +Caribou, <a href="#Page_228">228</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_245">245</a>, <a href="#Page_251">251</a>, <a href="#Page_255">255</a>, <a href="#Page_257">257</a><br /> +<br /> +Carrington, Gen. Sir Frederick, <a href="#Page_212">212</a>, <a href="#Page_217">217</a><br /> +<br /> +Cetawayo, <a href="#Page_126">126</a>, <a href="#Page_131">131</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Zulu war (of 1878), <a href="#Page_126">126</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Gen. Sir E. Hutton's account of his capture, <a href="#Page_127">127</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">F. C. Selous' reminiscences, <a href="#Page_128">128</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Chameluga, <a href="#Page_199">199</a><br /> +<br /> +Chamois hunting in the Tyrol, <a href="#Page_60">60</a><br /> +<br /> +Chanler, Willie, <a href="#Page_226">226</a><br /> +<br /> +Channel Islands, <a href="#Page_286">286</a><br /> +<br /> +Chapman, Mr. Abel, <a href="#Page_249">249</a>, <a href="#Page_279">279</a>, <a href="#Page_285">285</a>, <a href="#Page_295">295</a>, <a href="#Page_297">297</a>, <a href="#Page_300">300</a>, <a href="#Page_340">340</a>, <a href="#Page_368">368</a><br /> +<br /> +Charley (native interpreter), <a href="#Page_159">159</a>, <a href="#Page_161">161</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_168">168</a><br /> +<br /> +Chartered Coy.: see British South Africa Coy.<br /> +<br /> +Chawner, Sergeant, <a href="#Page_156">156</a>, <a href="#Page_200">200</a><br /> +<br /> +Chelmsford, Lord, <a href="#Page_127">127</a><br /> +<br /> +Cheetahs, <a href="#Page_265">265</a><br /> +<br /> +Chobe river, <a href="#Page_92">92</a>, <a href="#Page_105">105</a>, <a href="#Page_107">107</a><br /> +<br /> +Churchill, Lord Randolph, <a href="#Page_185">185</a><br /> +<br /> +Cigar, the Hottentot, <a href="#Page_74">74</a>, <a href="#Page_78">78</a><br /> +<br /> +Civilization—T. Roosevelt's views on softening influences of urban developments, <a href="#Page_243">243</a><br /> +<br /> +Clarkson, Mr., <a href="#Page_115">115</a>, <a href="#Page_118">118</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">F. C. Selous' tribute, <a href="#Page_123">123</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Clary, Comte Justinien, <a href="#Page_273">273</a><br /> +<br /> +Coghlan, Charles, <a href="#Page_257">257</a><br /> +<br /> +Coillard, Mr. and Mrs., <a href="#Page_170">170</a><br /> +<br /> +Colchester family, the, <a href="#Page_57">57</a><br /> +<br /> +Colchester, Miss—reminiscences of F. C. Selous' life at Wiesbaden, <a href="#Page_57">57</a><br /> +<br /> +Colchester, Mr. Charles, <a href="#Page_58">58</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Colchester, Edward, <a href="#Page_153">153</a><br /> +<br /> +Colenbrander, Col. Johan—biographical note, <a href="#Page_212">212</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">organises native regiment for defence of Bulawayo, <a href="#Page_212">212</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Colenso, Miss—"History of the Zulu War," <a href="#Page_126">126</a><br /> +<br /> +Collison, H. C., <a href="#Page_123">123</a>, <a href="#Page_133">133</a>, <a href="#Page_155">155</a>, <a href="#Page_370">370</a><br /> +<br /> +Colonists and pioneers—Roosevelt's views, <a href="#Page_243">243</a><br /> +<br /> +Coloration, protective, <a href="#Page_261">261</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Colquhoun, Mr. A. R., <a href="#Page_178">178</a>, <a href="#Page_180">180</a><br /> +<br /> +Congress of Field Sports (Vienna), Second, <a href="#Page_273">273</a><br /> +<br /> +Coombe Abbey—F. C. Selous raids heronry at, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>, <a href="#Page_53">53</a><br /> +<br /> +Cooper, Mr. Frank, <a href="#Page_157">157</a><br /> +<br /> +Cormack, <a href="#Page_255">255</a><br /> +<br /> +Coryndon, Mr., <a href="#Page_155">155</a><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_379" id="Page_379">[379]</a></span><br /> +Courtney, Mr, W. L., <a href="#Page_237">237</a><br /> +<br /> +Craven, Lord, <a href="#Page_53">53</a><br /> +<br /> +Crawford, George, <a href="#Page_245">245</a><br /> +<br /> +Cricket—F. C. Selous' love of, <a href="#Page_358">358</a><br /> +<br /> +Crocodiles, <a href="#Page_143">143</a><br /> +<br /> +Crook, Dr., <a href="#Page_133">133</a><br /> +<br /> +Cross, Mr., <a href="#Page_115">115</a>, <a href="#Page_118">118</a><br /> +<br /> +Cumming, Roualeyn Gordon, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>, <a href="#Page_67">67</a><br /> +<br /> +Cuninghame, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>, <a href="#Page_267">267</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Cunliffe, Gen., <a href="#Page_342">342</a><br /> +<br /> +Curtis, Col., <a href="#Page_190">190</a><br /> +<br /> +Cycling—F. C. Selous' energy, <a href="#Page_359">359</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Danford, Consul, <a href="#Page_205">205</a>, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>, <a href="#Page_369">369</a><br /> +<br /> +Daniel (Hottentot waggon driver), <a href="#Page_159">159</a><br /> +<br /> +Darnell, Rev. Charles, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>, <a href="#Page_25">25</a>, <a href="#Page_29">29</a><br /> +<br /> +Dartnell, Lieut., <a href="#Page_320">320</a><br /> +<br /> +Dawson, Mr. James, <a href="#Page_155">155</a><br /> +<br /> +Deer—Selous' hunting trips to North America, <a href="#Page_228">228</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_245">245</a>, <a href="#Page_251">251</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_257">257</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(see also Antelopes, Reindeer, etc.)</span><br /> +<br /> +Delagoa Bay—Selous' trip in 1896, <a href="#Page_223">223</a><br /> +<br /> +Delamere, Lord, <a href="#Page_192">192</a><br /> +<br /> +Delmar, Monsieur, <a href="#Page_18">18</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Dett valley, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>, <a href="#Page_90">90</a><br /> +<br /> +Donovan, Capt., <a href="#Page_200">200</a><br /> +<br /> +Dorehill, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>, <a href="#Page_96">96</a>-<a href="#Page_97">7</a>, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>, <a href="#Page_146">146</a><br /> +<br /> +Driscoll, Col., <a href="#Page_300">300</a> et seq.;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on East African campaign, <a href="#Page_338">338</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on F. C. Selous, <a href="#Page_345">345</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Drummond, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>, <a href="#Page_223">223</a>, <a href="#Page_226">226</a><br /> +<br /> +Dunn, John, <a href="#Page_127">127</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Durnford, Col.—"History of the Zulu War," <a href="#Page_126">126</a><br /> +<br /> +Durand, Ethel, <a href="#Page_133">133</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Eagleson, Mr., <a href="#Page_211">211</a><br /> +<br /> +Edgelow, Dr., <a href="#Page_186">186</a><br /> +<br /> +Egerton of Tatton, Lord, <a href="#Page_368">368</a><br /> +<br /> +Egerton, Hon. Maurice, <a href="#Page_368">368</a><br /> +<br /> +Elani, a Somali, <a href="#Page_284">284</a><br /> +<br /> +Elands, <a href="#Page_147">147</a><br /> +<br /> +Elands, Giant, <a href="#Page_275">275</a><br /> +<br /> +Elephants—F. C. Selous asks Lobengula's permission to hunt in Matabele country, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Finaughty's experiences, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous' early experiences, <a href="#Page_78">78</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_94">94</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his observations on hunting in hot weather, <a href="#Page_95">95</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">dangers of hunting discussed, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous' trips to Zambesi:</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">disappointed at their disappearance, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>, <a href="#Page_113">113</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">native drives, <a href="#Page_107">107</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Quabeet (Mr. Wood's servant) killed by, <a href="#Page_116">116</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous' successful hunting on the Hanyane river, <a href="#Page_115">115</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his narrow escape from a cow elephant, <a href="#Page_117">117</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">narrow escapes in 1884, <a href="#Page_155">155</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous kills his last, <a href="#Page_186">186</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his finest, <a href="#Page_186">186</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Elstob, Mr., <a href="#Page_73">73</a><br /> +<br /> +Emin Pasha relief expedition, <a href="#Page_133">133</a><br /> +<br /> +Essexvale, <a href="#Page_208">208</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Evans, Lance-Corpl., <a href="#Page_349">349</a><br /> +<br /> +Evans, Pte., <a href="#Page_349">349</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Fairlie, W., <a href="#Page_107">107</a><br /> +<br /> +Fashoda incident, <a href="#Page_362">362</a><br /> +<br /> +Ferreira, <a href="#Page_181">181</a><br /> +<br /> +Fife, Duke of, <a href="#Page_373">373</a><br /> +<br /> +Finaughty, William, <a href="#Page_75">75</a>, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mr. Harrison's recollections, <a href="#Page_76">76</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Flight, Dr. Walter, <a href="#Page_53">53</a><br /> +<br /> +Football at Rugby, <a href="#Page_31">31</a><br /> +<br /> +Forbes, Major, <a href="#Page_179">179</a><br /> +<br /> +Forman, Antony, <a href="#Page_142">142</a><br /> +<br /> +Foster, Mr., <a href="#Page_211">211</a><br /> +<br /> +Fountaine, Mr. A. C., <a href="#Page_157">157</a><br /> +<br /> +Franco-German War (1870)—F. C. Selous on German barbarities, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>, <a href="#Page_62">62</a><br /> +<br /> +Francis, Mr. C. K., <a href="#Page_53">53</a><br /> +<br /> +French, Mr., <a href="#Page_122">122</a>; death of, <a href="#Page_124">124</a>, <a href="#Page_364">364</a><br /> +<br /> +Frere, Sir Bartle, <a href="#Page_138">138</a><br /> +<br /> +Freyer, Mr., <a href="#Page_279">279</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Galton, Sir Francis, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>, <a href="#Page_66">66</a><br /> +<br /> +Gambo (Lobengula's son-in-law), <a href="#Page_202">202</a><br /> +<br /> +Garden, Lieut., <a href="#Page_91">91</a><br /> +<br /> +Geange, Joseph, <a href="#Page_255">255</a><br /> +<br /> +Gemsbuck, <a href="#Page_120">120</a>, <a href="#Page_121">121</a><br /> +<br /> +Gerard, Jules, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>, <a href="#Page_189">189</a><br /> +<br /> +Germany—T. Roosevelt's letters to Selous on the war, <a href="#Page_324">324</a>, <a href="#Page_327">327</a><br /> +<br /> +Giffard, J., <a href="#Page_75">75</a><br /> +<br /> +Gifford, Col. the Hon. Maurice, <a href="#Page_213">213</a><br /> +<br /> +Giraffes, <a href="#Page_69">69</a>, <a href="#Page_91">91</a>, <a href="#Page_121">121</a><br /> +<br /> +Goats, wild, <a href="#Page_207">207</a><br /> +<br /> +Gonyi, falls of, <a href="#Page_170">170</a><br /> +<br /> +Goold-Adams, Col., <a href="#Page_201">201</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Goulden, Mr., <a href="#Page_115">115</a>, <a href="#Page_118">118</a><br /> +<br /> +Graham, Bob, <a href="#Page_229">229</a>, <a href="#Page_232">232</a><br /> +<br /> +Grant, Mr., <a href="#Page_148">148</a><br /> +<br /> +Grandy, Lieut. (R.N.), <a href="#Page_99">99</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Greenhill-Gardyne, Col., <a href="#Page_237">237</a><br /> +<br /> +Grey, Capt., <a href="#Page_213">213</a><br /> +<br /> +Grey, Sir Edward, <a href="#Page_273">273</a>, <a href="#Page_276">276</a><br /> +<br /> +Grey, George, <a href="#Page_280">280</a><br /> +<br /> +Grimsey, Island of, <a href="#Page_292">292</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_380" id="Page_380">[380]</a></span>Griqualand—F. C Selous' first trading trip, <a href="#Page_68">68</a><br /> +<br /> +Grootboom, John, <a href="#Page_216">216</a><br /> +<br /> +Guest, Major, <a href="#Page_303">303</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Guns and rifles, <a href="#Page_67">67</a>, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>, <a href="#Page_87">87</a>, <a href="#Page_354">354</a><br /> +<br /> +Gwai river, <a href="#Page_79">79</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Haines, Capt. R. M.—account of Selous' life in East African campaign, <a href="#Page_346">346</a><br /> +<br /> +Hanyane river—successful elephant hunting trip (1878), <a href="#Page_116">116</a><br /> +<br /> +Hargraves, Lieut., <a href="#Page_309">309</a><br /> +<br /> +Harris, Capt. Cornwallis, <a href="#Page_65">65</a><br /> +<br /> +Harrison, Mr. G. L.—recollections of Mr. Finaughty, <a href="#Page_76">76</a><br /> +<br /> +Hartebeest, Liechtenstein's, <a href="#Page_113">113</a>, <a href="#Page_147">147</a>, <a href="#Page_155">155</a><br /> +<br /> +Hartley, the elephant hunter, <a href="#Page_75">75</a><br /> +<br /> +Heany, Mr. Maurice, <a href="#Page_208">208</a><br /> +<br /> +Helm, Mr., <a href="#Page_208">208</a><br /> +<br /> +Heyman, Capt., <a href="#Page_181">181</a><br /> +<br /> +Highland sport, <a href="#Page_206">206</a><br /> +<br /> +Hill, Mr. Berkeley, <a href="#Page_12">12</a>, <a href="#Page_29">29</a><br /> +<br /> +Hill, Clifford, <a href="#Page_190">190</a>, <a href="#Page_191">191</a><br /> +<br /> +Hill, Harold D., <a href="#Page_190">190</a>, <a href="#Page_191">191</a><br /> +<br /> +Hippopotami, <a href="#Page_136">136</a>; Lobengula's dispute with Selous over killing of, <a href="#Page_151">151</a><br /> +<br /> +Hodges, Mrs. (Florence Selous; "Locky"), <a href="#Page_12">12</a>, <a href="#Page_56">56</a><br /> +<br /> +Hofmeyr, Jan, <a href="#Page_235">235</a><br /> +<br /> +Höhnel, Von, <a href="#Page_226">226</a><br /> +<br /> +Holgate, Mr. William, <a href="#Page_10">10</a><br /> +<br /> +Holgate of York, Archbp., <a href="#Page_11">11</a><br /> +<br /> +Honey-buzzards, <a href="#Page_58">58</a><br /> +<br /> +Horner, Mr., <a href="#Page_99">99</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_107">107</a><br /> +<br /> +Hoskins, Major-Gen. A. R., <a href="#Page_342">342</a><br /> +<br /> +Hounds, wild, <a href="#Page_265">265</a><br /> +<br /> +Howley, Mr., <a href="#Page_255">255</a><br /> +<br /> +Hoyos, the three Counts, <a href="#Page_369">369</a><br /> +<br /> +"Hunter's Wanderings in Africa, A"—extracts, <a href="#Page_69">69</a>, +<a href="#Page_79">79</a>, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>, <a href="#Page_92">92</a>, +<a href="#Page_95">95</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>, <a href="#Page_105">105</a>, +<a href="#Page_108">108</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_117">117</a>, <a href="#Page_122">122</a>; publication, <a href="#Page_139">139</a><br /> +<br /> +Hutton, Gen. Sir Edward—account of capture of Cetawayo, <a href="#Page_127">127</a><br /> +<br /> +Hyenas—F. C. Selous on their cries, <a href="#Page_71">71</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Iceland—F. C. Selous' bird-nesting trip, <a href="#Page_288">288</a><br /> +<br /> +Impali river, <a href="#Page_148">148</a><br /> +<br /> +Indian troops—conduct in East African campaign, <a href="#Page_321">321</a><br /> +<br /> +Inxnozan, <a href="#Page_213">213</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Jacobs, Petrus, <a href="#Page_75">75</a>, <a href="#Page_190">190</a><br /> +<br /> +Jackson, Sir Frederick, <a href="#Page_103">103</a><br /> +<br /> +Jackson, Mr., <a href="#Page_210">210</a>, <a href="#Page_213">213</a><br /> +<br /> +Jameson, Mr. J. A., <a href="#Page_133">133</a>, <a href="#Page_157">157</a><br /> +<br /> +Jameson, Mr. James Sligo, <a href="#Page_133">133</a>, <a href="#Page_136">136</a>, <a href="#Page_153">153</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical sketch, <a href="#Page_133">133</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Jameson, Dr. L. S., <a href="#Page_176">176</a>, <a href="#Page_201">201</a>-<a href="#Page_201">2</a><br /> +<br /> +Jameson Raid, <a href="#Page_210">210</a>, <a href="#Page_372">372</a><br /> +<br /> +Jenner, Corpl., <a href="#Page_308">308</a><br /> +<br /> +Jennings family, <a href="#Page_75">75</a><br /> +<br /> +Jersey, Selous' visit to, <a href="#Page_286">286</a><br /> +<br /> +Johnson, Mr. Frank, <a href="#Page_172">172</a><br /> +<br /> +Jollie, Mrs. Ethel Colquhoun—on settlers' prospects in Rhodesia, <a href="#Page_221">221</a><br /> +<br /> +Jones, Mrs. C. A. (Sybil Selous; "Dei"), <a href="#Page_12">12</a><br /> +<br /> +Jones, Mrs. R. F. (Ann Selous), <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_12">12</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">notes on early life of Selous family, <a href="#Page_5">5</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">illustrates "A Hunter's Wanderings in Africa," <a href="#Page_138">138</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on F. C. Selous' character, <a href="#Page_361">361</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Juckes, Mrs. Frank—incident of F. C. Selous' school days, <a href="#Page_13">13</a><br /> +<br /> +Judd, William, <a href="#Page_77">77</a>, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>, <a href="#Page_190">190</a>, <a href="#Page_267">267</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_282">282</a>, <a href="#Page_324">324</a>, <a href="#Page_365">365</a><br /> +<br /> +Kennedy, J., <a href="#Page_14">14</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_31">31</a><br /> +<br /> +Keppel, a forester, <a href="#Page_58">58</a><br /> +<br /> +Kerr, Walter Montague, <a href="#Page_152">152</a><br /> +<br /> +Khama, chief, <a href="#Page_120">120</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>, <a href="#Page_198">198</a><br /> +<br /> +Kilimanjaro, operations round, <a href="#Page_331">331</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Kingsley, Mr., <a href="#Page_107">107</a><br /> +<br /> +Kirk, the explorer, <a href="#Page_160">160</a><br /> +<br /> +Kitchener, Col., <a href="#Page_309">309</a><br /> +<br /> +Kitchener, Lord, <a href="#Page_301">301</a><br /> +<br /> +Kitchener, Mr., <a href="#Page_39">39</a>, <a href="#Page_53">53</a><br /> +<br /> +Knight, Sergt., <a href="#Page_349">349</a><br /> +<br /> +Knoch, Herr, <a href="#Page_57">57</a><br /> +<br /> +Koodoos, <a href="#Page_177">177</a><br /> +<br /> +Konze: see Hartebeest (Liechtenstein's), <a href="#Page_113">113</a><br /> +<br /> +Kraut, Major, <a href="#Page_341">341</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Labouchere, Mr., <a href="#Page_185">185</a>, <a href="#Page_218">218</a>, <a href="#Page_221">221</a><br /> +<br /> +Laer, <a href="#Page_141">141</a>, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>, <a href="#Page_148">148</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Lagden, Sir Godfrey, <a href="#Page_132">132</a><br /> +<br /> +Lamb, Mr. P. H., <a href="#Page_348">348</a>-<a href="#Page_349">9</a><br /> +<br /> +Lang, Mr. Arthur, <a href="#Page_67">67</a><br /> +<br /> +Lanyon, Sir Owen, <a href="#Page_132">132</a>, <a href="#Page_138">138</a><br /> +<br /> +Lange, Friedrich de, <a href="#Page_142">142</a><br /> +<br /> +Leask, Mr. Thomas, <a href="#Page_75">75</a>, <a href="#Page_143">143</a>, <a href="#Page_153">153</a>, <a href="#Page_370">370</a><br /> +<br /> +Legge, Capt. the Hon. Gerald, <a href="#Page_324">324</a><br /> +<br /> +Legion of Frontiersmen, <a href="#Page_300">300</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Leigh, Mr. Boughton ("Lowden Beigh")—F. C. Selous poaches on his estate, <a href="#Page_41">41</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Leitch, Major, <a href="#Page_314">314</a><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_381" id="Page_381">[381]</a></span><br /> +Leopards, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>, <a href="#Page_147">147</a>, <a href="#Page_208">208</a><br /> +<br /> +"Leroux, John"—F. C. Selous' account of early adventures contributed to boys' magazine under pseudonym of, <a href="#Page_13">13</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_30">30</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Lettow-Vorbeck, Col. von, <a href="#Page_340">340</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_350">350</a><br /> +<br /> +Leveson ("The Old Shikari"), <a href="#Page_226">226</a><br /> +<br /> +Lewanika, <a href="#Page_158">158</a>, <a href="#Page_169">169</a>, <a href="#Page_170">170</a>, <a href="#Page_369">369</a><br /> +<br /> +Liechtenstein, Prince Henry, <a href="#Page_362">362</a><br /> +<br /> +Lions—F. C. Selous' first encounter with, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Piet Jacobs and, <a href="#Page_75">75</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Finaughty's view of dangers of hunting, <a href="#Page_77">77</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous shoots his first lion, <a href="#Page_96">96</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous' encounter on Ramokwebani river with an old male lion, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">adventure at Pelatse, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">dangers of hunting discussed, <a href="#Page_102">102</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous kills a lioness near Gwenia, <a href="#Page_119">119</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">exploits during Kalahari trip (1879), <a href="#Page_121">121</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">encounter on the Notwani river, <a href="#Page_143">143</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">in Mashunaland, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Laer's exploit, <a href="#Page_149">149</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous kills his third largest specimen, <a href="#Page_149">149</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">adventure on return from Umliwan's kraal, <a href="#Page_183">183</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">number shot by Selous, <a href="#Page_184">184</a>; kills his last, <a href="#Page_186">186</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous' position as a lion hunter, <a href="#Page_189">189</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">leading hunters, <a href="#Page_190">190</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">custom of awarding lion to one drawing first blood, <a href="#Page_192">192</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous greatest authority on, <a href="#Page_193">193</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">T. Roosevelt's success in East Africa, <a href="#Page_268">268</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous' experiences in East Africa, <a href="#Page_273">273</a>, <a href="#Page_282">282</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Judd's account of adventure in Gwas N'yiro bush, <a href="#Page_282">282</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Livingstone, David, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>, <a href="#Page_51">51</a>, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>, <a href="#Page_66">66</a>, <a href="#Page_75">75</a>, <a href="#Page_150">150</a>, <a href="#Page_160">160</a>, <a href="#Page_195">195</a><br /> +<br /> +Lobengula, King of the Matabele, <a href="#Page_55">55</a>, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>, <a href="#Page_79">79</a>, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>, <a href="#Page_132">132</a>, <a href="#Page_154">154</a>, <a href="#Page_172">172</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">incidents with Selous, <a href="#Page_55">55</a>, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>, <a href="#Page_79">79</a>, <a href="#Page_151">151</a>, <a href="#Page_175">175</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">and opening up of Mashunaland, <a href="#Page_175">175</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Matabele rising and flight, <a href="#Page_197">197</a>-<a href="#Page_204">204</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">and "Umlimo," <a href="#Page_211">211</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Loch, Sir Henry, <a href="#Page_175">175</a>, <a href="#Page_180">180</a><br /> +<br /> +Loch Buie, <a href="#Page_206">206</a><br /> +<br /> +"Locky": see Hodges, Mrs.<br /> +<br /> +"Lowden Beigh": see Leigh, Mr. Boughton<br /> +<br /> +Lyell, Mr. Denis, <a href="#Page_348">348</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +MacColl, Scotch keeper, <a href="#Page_206">206</a><br /> +<br /> +Macfarlane, Capt., <a href="#Page_214">214</a><br /> +<br /> +Maclaine of Lochbuie, the, <a href="#Page_206">206</a><br /> +<br /> +MacMillan, Mr. W. N., <a href="#Page_271">271</a>, <a href="#Page_279">279</a>, <a href="#Page_326">326</a>, <a href="#Page_346">346</a>, <a href="#Page_368">368</a><br /> +<br /> +MacMillan river—F. C. Selous' hunting trips on, <a href="#Page_251">251</a> et seq., <a href="#Page_257">257</a><br /> +<br /> +Maddy, Miss Gladys: see Selous, Mrs. Frederick Courtenay<br /> +<br /> +Mainwaring, Capt., <a href="#Page_217">217</a><br /> +<br /> +Makori-kori, <a href="#Page_173">173</a><br /> +<br /> +Ma-kwayki, <a href="#Page_151">151</a><br /> +<br /> +Mamele, chief of the Barotsi, <a href="#Page_124">124</a><br /> +<br /> +Manica—fighting between British and Portuguese, <a href="#Page_180">180</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Mandy, Frank, <a href="#Page_69">69</a>, <a href="#Page_141">141</a><br /> +<br /> +Manyami region, <a href="#Page_147">147</a>, <a href="#Page_157">157</a><br /> +<br /> +Mapondera, chief of Makori-kori, <a href="#Page_173">173</a><br /> +<br /> +Marchand, Col., <a href="#Page_362">362</a><br /> +<br /> +Marancinyan, a Barotsi chief, <a href="#Page_166">166</a><br /> +<br /> +Marter, Major, <a href="#Page_127">127</a><br /> +<br /> +Mashukulumbwe—Selous attracted by country of, <a href="#Page_120">120</a>, <a href="#Page_131">131</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">experiences in 1888;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">details of attack on his camp and his escape, <a href="#Page_160">160</a> <i>et seq.</i></span><br /> +<br /> +Mashunaland—Selous' hunting expedition in 1882-<a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous obtains mineral concessions from Mapondera and statement disowning Portuguese rule, <a href="#Page_173">173</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">British occupation, <a href="#Page_173">173</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">construction of the road, <a href="#Page_176">176</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous arranges treaties with native chiefs, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">progress in opening up, <a href="#Page_184">184</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Matabele rising (1893), <a href="#Page_197">197</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">second rising, <a href="#Page_209">209</a>-<a href="#Page_218">18</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous' views as to future of the country, <a href="#Page_218">218</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">extract from report of Mashunaland Agency (1917), <a href="#Page_219">219</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Mashuna tribe—almost destroyed by Matabele, <a href="#Page_199">199</a><br /> +<br /> +Massi-Kessi, <a href="#Page_181">181</a><br /> +<br /> +Matabeleland—elephant hunting, <a href="#Page_73">73</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>, <a href="#Page_157">157</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">concessions to British South Africa Coy., <a href="#Page_175">175</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">rising of 1893, <a href="#Page_197">197</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous returns to manage land and gold company at Essexvale, <a href="#Page_208">208</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">second rising, <a href="#Page_209">209</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous' views as to future, <a href="#Page_218">218</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Mashunaland, occupation of: see Mashunaland<br /> +<br /> +Matzchie, <a href="#Page_262">262</a><br /> +<br /> +Maxwell, Mrs., <a href="#Page_12">12</a><br /> +<br /> +Maziwa, chief, <a href="#Page_172">172</a><br /> +<br /> +Mazoe river—gold-prospecting expedition, <a href="#Page_172">172</a><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_382" id="Page_382">[382]</a></span><br /> +McKinley, President, <a href="#Page_241">241</a><br /> +<br /> +McLeod of McLeod, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">account of Sepopo's elephant drives, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">escape from a buffalo on the Nata, <a href="#Page_110">110</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on native common sense, <a href="#Page_129">129</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Meinertzhagen, Col. R.—notes on East African campaign, <a href="#Page_304">304</a>, <a href="#Page_306">306</a>, <a href="#Page_309">309</a>, <a href="#Page_325">325</a>, <a href="#Page_350">350</a><br /> +<br /> +Mellis, Capt., <a href="#Page_190">190</a><br /> +<br /> +Mendonca, chief of Shakundas, <a href="#Page_113">113</a><br /> +<br /> +Mendose, a Kafir, <a href="#Page_83">83</a><br /> +<br /> +Miles, Lieut., <a href="#Page_312">312</a><br /> +<br /> +Millais, Capt. G. de C., <a href="#Page_323">323</a><br /> +<br /> +Miller, Mr., <a href="#Page_107">107</a>, <a href="#Page_120">120</a>, <a href="#Page_124">124</a>, <a href="#Page_125">125</a>, <a href="#Page_136">136</a><br /> +<br /> +Minenga, a Batonga chief, <a href="#Page_161">161</a><br /> +<br /> +Minyama, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>, <a href="#Page_111">111</a><br /> +<br /> +Missionaries—F. C. Selous and, <a href="#Page_372">372</a><br /> +<br /> +Mitchell, Mr., <a href="#Page_200">200</a><br /> +<br /> +Moncrieff, W., <a href="#Page_229">229</a><br /> +<br /> +Monzi, a Batonga chief, <a href="#Page_160">160</a>, <a href="#Page_166">166</a><br /> +<br /> +Moose, <a href="#Page_228">228</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_245">245</a>, <a href="#Page_252">252</a>, <a href="#Page_255">255</a>, <a href="#Page_257">257</a>-<a href="#Page_258">8</a><br /> +<br /> +Morley, Mr. John, <a href="#Page_239">239</a><br /> +<br /> +Morier, Lieut., <a href="#Page_181">181</a><br /> +<br /> +Morkel, Mr. A. R.—tribute to Selous, <a href="#Page_196">196</a><br /> +<br /> +Morris, <a href="#Page_141">141</a><br /> +<br /> +Motoko, chief, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>, <a href="#Page_180">180</a><br /> +<br /> +Mouflon, <a href="#Page_207">207</a>, <a href="#Page_248">248</a><br /> +<br /> +Mount Darwin, <a href="#Page_173">173</a><br /> +<br /> +Mucklow, Private, <a href="#Page_314">314</a><br /> +<br /> +Mule-deer, <a href="#Page_229">229</a>, <a href="#Page_232">232</a><br /> +<br /> +Mull, Isle of—seal and otter hunting, <a href="#Page_206">206</a><br /> +<br /> +Mundy, Corpl., <a href="#Page_202">202</a><br /> +<br /> +Mwemba, chief of the Batongas, <a href="#Page_113">113</a>, <a href="#Page_159">159</a><br /> +<br /> +Mzilikatse, <a href="#Page_76">76</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Napier, Col., <a href="#Page_217">217</a><br /> +<br /> +Natives—Selous on arm-chair critics of colonists, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">reasoning powers and common sense, <a href="#Page_129">129</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">obeisance before Lewanika in front of strangers, <a href="#Page_170">170</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">and tunnels, <a href="#Page_369">369</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Nelson, Lord, <a href="#Page_7">7</a><br /> +<br /> +Neros, the, <a href="#Page_115">115</a><br /> +<br /> +Neuchâtel—the Institution Roulet, <a href="#Page_55">55</a><br /> +<br /> +Neumann, Mr. Arthur, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical note, <a href="#Page_260">260</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous on, <a href="#Page_259">259</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Newfoundland—F. C. Selous' hunting trips, <a href="#Page_245">245</a>, <a href="#Page_255">255</a><br /> +<br /> +Niekerk, Capt. van, <a href="#Page_213">213</a>, <a href="#Page_214">214</a><br /> +<br /> +Niemand, Berns, <a href="#Page_143">143</a><br /> +<br /> +Noble, Mr. Heatley, <a href="#Page_289">289</a>, <a href="#Page_316">316</a>, <a href="#Page_368">368</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">notes of trip to Iceland with F. C. Selous, <a href="#Page_289">289</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Normandy—F. C. Selous' visit; correspondence with T. Roosevelt, <a href="#Page_286">286</a><br /> +<br /> +Northey, Gen., <a href="#Page_341">341</a><br /> +<br /> +Norway—hunting in, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">F. C. Selous' trip, <a href="#Page_260">260</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Nottman, Scotch keeper, <a href="#Page_206">206</a><br /> +<br /> +Nuta, a Kafir, <a href="#Page_85">85</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Nyala, <a href="#Page_222">222</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Nyemyezi, <a href="#Page_202">202</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Oberlander, Phil, <a href="#Page_276">276</a><br /> +<br /> +Osgood, Prof., <a href="#Page_251">251</a>, <a href="#Page_253">253</a><br /> +<br /> +Oswell, William Cotton, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>, <a href="#Page_66">66</a><br /> +<br /> +Otter hunting, <a href="#Page_206">206</a><br /> +<br /> +Owen, Mr., <a href="#Page_112">112</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Page, Gertrude, <a href="#Page_220">220</a><br /> +<br /> +Paget, Col., <a href="#Page_190">190</a><br /> +<br /> +Paul (a Zulu), <a href="#Page_159">159</a>, <a href="#Page_161">161</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_168">168</a><br /> +<br /> +Pease, Sir Alfred, <a href="#Page_191">191</a>, <a href="#Page_193">193</a>, <a href="#Page_268">268</a> <i>et seq.</i>; +<a href="#Page_355">355</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">notes on hunting and hunters, <a href="#Page_191">191</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">and President Roosevelt's trip to E. Africa, <a href="#Page_268">268</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on Selous, <a href="#Page_355">355</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Pennefather, Col., <a href="#Page_178">178</a><br /> +<br /> +Percival, Mr. A. B., <a href="#Page_190">190</a><br /> +<br /> +Phillips, Mr. G. A., <a href="#Page_370">370</a><br /> +<br /> +Pike, Mr. Warburton, <a href="#Page_274">274</a><br /> +<br /> +Pilton Range manor house—bird-nesting at, <a href="#Page_34">34</a><br /> +<br /> +Plumer, Sir Herbert, <a href="#Page_217">217</a><br /> +<br /> +Pond, Major, <a href="#Page_197">197</a><br /> +<br /> +Portuguese—claims to Mashunaland, <a href="#Page_173">173</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">fighting in Manica, <a href="#Page_180">180</a>-<a href="#Page_183">3</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Poulton, Prof., <a href="#Page_262">262</a>, <a href="#Page_264">264</a><br /> +<br /> +Protective coloration, <a href="#Page_261">261</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Quabeet (Mr. Wood's Kafir servant)—killed by an elephant, <a href="#Page_116">116</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Radclyffe, Capt. C. E., <a href="#Page_367">367</a><br /> +<br /> +Rainey, Paul, <a href="#Page_192">192</a><br /> +<br /> +Ramaqueban river, <a href="#Page_73">73</a><br /> +<br /> +Red deer, long-faced, <a href="#Page_207">207</a><br /> +<br /> +Reed-rat, <a href="#Page_170">170</a><br /> +<br /> +Regent's Park ice disaster (1867), <a href="#Page_45">45</a><br /> +<br /> +Reindeer—hunting trip in Norway, <a href="#Page_260">260</a><br /> +<br /> +Rhine—F. C. Selous swims river to retrieve wild duck, <a href="#Page_57">57</a><br /> +<br /> +Rhinoceroses, <a href="#Page_103">103</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_383" id="Page_383">[383]</a></span>Rhinoceroses, white, <a href="#Page_154">154</a><br /> +<br /> +Rhodes, Cecil, <a href="#Page_174">174</a>-<a href="#Page_175">5</a>, <a href="#Page_195">195</a>, <a href="#Page_217">217</a>, <a href="#Page_241">241</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">and the occupation of Mashunaland, <a href="#Page_174">174</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous' tribute, <a href="#Page_174">174</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lobengula and, <a href="#Page_175">175</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his exploitation of Selous, <a href="#Page_195">195</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">T. Roosevelt and, <a href="#Page_241">241</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Rhodesia—Rhodes' tribute to Selous, <a href="#Page_196">196</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>See also</i>: Mashunaland;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Selous' views on its future, <a href="#Page_218">218</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Author on colonists' difficulties, <a href="#Page_219">219</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Rider Haggard, Mr. H., <a href="#Page_236">236</a><br /> +<br /> +Rinderpest, <a href="#Page_183">183</a>, <a href="#Page_209">209</a>, <a href="#Page_213">213</a><br /> +<br /> +Rochhart, Herr, <a href="#Page_59">59</a><br /> +<br /> +Rooyen, Cornelis van, <a href="#Page_156">156</a><br /> +<br /> +Roosevelt, Theodore—correspondence with Selous: on family ties and the wandering instinct, <a href="#Page_225">225</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on Selous' hunting trip in America, <a href="#Page_230">230</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">ranching, <a href="#Page_231">231</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on America and Hungary as deer-hunting countries, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on the Boer War, <a href="#Page_240">240</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on Selous' "African Nature Notes and Reminiscences," <a href="#Page_261">261</a>, <a href="#Page_264">264</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">reply to Selous on the attempt on his (Roosevelt's) life, <a href="#Page_265">265</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on his own hunting trip to East Africa, <a href="#Page_267">267</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on Selous' misgivings as to his age and African hunting, <a href="#Page_279">279</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on Normandy and Normans, <a href="#Page_286">286</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on Germany and the war, <a href="#Page_324">324</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">tribute to Selous, <a href="#Page_373">373</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">East African hunting tour, <a href="#Page_267">267</a></span><br /> +<i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Roosevelt, Kermit, <a href="#Page_267">267</a>, <a href="#Page_280">280</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_325">325</a>, <a href="#Page_327">327</a><br /> +<br /> +Rothschild, Lord, <a href="#Page_275">275</a><br /> +<br /> +Royal Fusiliers, <a href="#Page_25">25</a>th, <a href="#Page_304">304</a>, <a href="#Page_306">306</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_342">342</a>-<a href="#Page_343">3</a><br /> +<br /> +Royal Geographical Society, <a href="#Page_158">158</a>, <a href="#Page_173">173</a>, <a href="#Page_194">194</a><br /> +<br /> +Rugby School—F. C. Selous' career at, <a href="#Page_29">29</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">football at, <a href="#Page_31">31</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"house-washing," <a href="#Page_32">32</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his poaching and bird-nesting exploits, <a href="#Page_34">34</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Canon Wilson's reminiscences, <a href="#Page_50">50</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">F. C. Selous lectures at, <a href="#Page_297">297</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Rungius, Carl, <a href="#Page_251">251</a>, <a href="#Page_253">253</a><br /> +<br /> +Ruthven (Mr. Jameson's servant), <a href="#Page_136">136</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Sadlier, Mr., <a href="#Page_68">68</a>, <a href="#Page_74">74</a><br /> +<br /> +St. Hubert, Society of, <a href="#Page_9">9</a><br /> +<br /> +Salisbury, Lord, <a href="#Page_173">173</a><br /> +<br /> +Salzburg, <a href="#Page_59">59</a><br /> +<br /> +Sardinia—F. C. Selous' trip after mouflon, <a href="#Page_248">248</a><br /> +<br /> +Saunders, Robert, <a href="#Page_245">245</a><br /> +<br /> +Saunderson, Capt. and Mrs., <a href="#Page_270">270</a><br /> +<br /> +Schwarz, Piet, <a href="#Page_75">75</a><br /> +<br /> +Science—British official neglect of, <a href="#Page_194">194</a><br /> +<br /> +Seal hunting, <a href="#Page_206">206</a><br /> +<br /> +Secheli, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>-<a href="#Page_69">9</a><br /> +<br /> +Sell, a colonist, <a href="#Page_121">121</a>, <a href="#Page_125">125</a><br /> +<br /> +Selous family—origins, <a href="#Page_2">2</a><br /> +<br /> +Selous, Mr. Angiolo, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>, <a href="#Page_11">11</a><br /> +<br /> +Selous, Ann: see Jones, Mrs. R. F.<br /> +<br /> +Selous, Mr. Edmund, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_12">12</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">notes on parents and uncles, <a href="#Page_3">3</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Selous, Florence: see Hodges, Mrs.<br /> +<br /> +Selous, Frederick Courtenay—origins of family, <a href="#Page_1">1</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">birth, <a href="#Page_12">12</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">education and school days, <a href="#Page_12">12</a>-<a href="#Page_55">55</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">experiences at Bruce School, Tottenham, <a href="#Page_12">12</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">at Rev. C. Darnell's School, Belton, <a href="#Page_25">25</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">at Rugby, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>-<a href="#Page_55">55</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">incident with labourer at Pilton Range manor house, <a href="#Page_35">35</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">raids heronry at Coombe Abbey, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>, <a href="#Page_53">53</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">incident with Mr. Boughton Leigh's keeper, <a href="#Page_41">41</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">experience in Regent's Park ice disaster (1867), <a href="#Page_45">45</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Canon Wilson's reminiscences of him at Rugby, <a href="#Page_50">50</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">studies medicine on the Continent, <a href="#Page_55">55</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">at Institution Roulet, Neuchâtel, <a href="#Page_55">55</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">at Wiesbaden, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">swims Rhine to retrieve wild duck, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">rescues Miss Colchester in ice accident, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">incident with German forest keeper, <a href="#Page_58">58</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">visits Salzburg in Austria, <a href="#Page_59">59</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">visit to Vienna, <a href="#Page_63">63</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">attends medical classes at University College Hospital (London), <a href="#Page_64">64</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">influence of literature of big-game hunting, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">first visit to Africa, <a href="#Page_67">67</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">visits Diamond Fields and Griqualand, <a href="#Page_67">67</a>-<a href="#Page_68">8</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">meets Mr. William Williams, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">visits Secheli's kraals, <a href="#Page_69">69</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">gunpowder mishap, <a href="#Page_69">69</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">lost in the bush for four days and three nights, <a href="#Page_69">69</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">first encounter with lions, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">incident with Lobengula over request to hunt elephants, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">first elephant-hunting experiences, <a href="#Page_78">78</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_94">94</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">second incident with Lobengula, <a href="#Page_79">79</a>;</span><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_384" id="Page_384">[384]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">narrow escape from an elephant, <a href="#Page_84">84</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">return to Bulawayo, <a href="#Page_90">90</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">expedition to Zambesi and Chobe rivers, <a href="#Page_91">91</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">encounter with fierce buffalo cow, <a href="#Page_92">92</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">shoots his first lion, <a href="#Page_96">96</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">decides to return home, <a href="#Page_98">98</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">returns to South Africa (1876), <a href="#Page_99">99</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">hunting trips on Tati, Shashi, and Ramokwebani rivers, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">encounter with old male lion, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">meets George Westbeech, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">adventure with lions at Pelatse, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">views of relative danger of hunting different kinds of big game, <a href="#Page_102">102</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">escapes from buffaloes, <a href="#Page_105">105</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_108">108</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">trip to Zambesi (1877), <a href="#Page_107">107</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">disappointment with his prospects, <a href="#Page_112">112</a>, <a href="#Page_114">114</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">trip down the Zambesi with Mr. Owen, <a href="#Page_112">112</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">ill-health, <a href="#Page_114">114</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">hunting trip in Mashuna country, <a href="#Page_115">115</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">meets Jan Viljoen, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">successful elephant hunting on Hanyane river, <a href="#Page_116">116</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">narrow escape from cow elephant, <a href="#Page_117">117</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">kills a lioness near Gwenia, <a href="#Page_119">119</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">trip through the Kalahari (1879), <a href="#Page_120">120</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">attacked by low fever at Diamond Fields, <a href="#Page_125">125</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">reminiscences of Cetawayo, <a href="#Page_128">128</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">and the Zulu War, <a href="#Page_130">130</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">hunting trip in Mashuna country, <a href="#Page_133">133</a>, <a href="#Page_135">135</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">and the Transvaal War (1881), <a href="#Page_136">136</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">returns to England, <a href="#Page_137">137</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">arrives in South Africa, <a href="#Page_141">141</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">treks northward, <a href="#Page_141">141</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">encounter with lioness, <a href="#Page_143">143</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">trip to Mashunaland and Matabeleland, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">encounters with lions, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>, <a href="#Page_149">149</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">dispute with Lobengula over killing of hippopotami, <a href="#Page_151">151</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">depressed at state of finances, <a href="#Page_152">152</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">successful elephant hunting, <a href="#Page_155">155</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">trip to Mashunaland with J. A. Jameson, Fountaine, and Cooper, <a href="#Page_157">157</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">accidents, <a href="#Page_157">157</a>-<a href="#Page_158">8</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">trip beyond Zambesi, <a href="#Page_158">158</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">trouble with Barongas, Barotsi, and Mashukulumbwe, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>-<a href="#Page_169">69</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">visit to Lewanika, <a href="#Page_169">169</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">guides gold expedition to Mazoe river, <a href="#Page_172">172</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">secures concessions from Mapondera, <a href="#Page_173">173</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">stormy interview with Portuguese governor at Tete, <a href="#Page_173">173</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">and the occupation of Mashunaland, <a href="#Page_173">173</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous' road through Mashunaland, <a href="#Page_174">174</a>-<a href="#Page_181">81</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">guides pioneer expedition, <a href="#Page_175">175</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">visits Lobengula, <a href="#Page_175">175</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">negotiates treaties with Mashuna chiefs, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">conducts stores to British garrison at Manica during trouble with Portuguese, <a href="#Page_181">181</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">encounter with lions near Umliwan's kraal, <a href="#Page_183">183</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">terminates engagement with British South Africa Coy., <a href="#Page_186">186</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">kills his finest lion, <a href="#Page_186">186</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his place as a lion hunter discussed, <a href="#Page_189">189</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his exploitation by Cecil Rhodes, <a href="#Page_195">195</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">engagement to Miss Gladys Maddy, <a href="#Page_197">197</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">part in the first Matabele rising, <a href="#Page_197">197</a>-<a href="#Page_204">204</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">wounded, <a href="#Page_202">202</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">returns to England, <a href="#Page_204">204</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">marriage and honeymoon, <a href="#Page_205">205</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">purchases house at Worplesdon, <a href="#Page_205">205</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">visit to Scotland, <a href="#Page_206">206</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">visit to Asia Minor, <a href="#Page_207">207</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">goes to Essexvale, Matabeleland, to manage estate, <a href="#Page_208">208</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">work during second Matabele rising, <a href="#Page_209">209</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">escape from Matabele after horse had bolted, <a href="#Page_214">214</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">criticised by Truth in connexion with Bulawayo Field Force, <a href="#Page_221">221</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">trip to Delagoa Bay, <a href="#Page_222">222</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">return to England, <a href="#Page_224">224</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">visit to Asia Minor, <a href="#Page_227">227</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">visit to Wyoming, <a href="#Page_229">229</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">visits Wiesbaden and Hungary, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">attitude towards Boer War, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>-<a href="#Page_245">245</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">bird-nesting trip to Hungary, <a href="#Page_245">245</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">trips to Canada and Newfoundland, <a href="#Page_245">245</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">trip to Asia Minor, <a href="#Page_247">247</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">to Sardinia, <a href="#Page_248">248</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">first trip to British East Africa, <a href="#Page_248">248</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">trip to the Yukon, <a href="#Page_251">251</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">third trip to Newfoundland, <a href="#Page_255">255</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">visit to Bosnia, <a href="#Page_257">257</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">second trip to Yukon territory, <a href="#Page_257">257</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">bird-nesting trip to Asia Minor, <a href="#Page_259">259</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">reindeer hunting in Norway, <a href="#Page_260">260</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">advice to Mr. Roosevelt as to East African hunting trip, <a href="#Page_267">267</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">trip to East Africa with W. N. MacMillan, <a href="#Page_272">272</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">represents England at Congress of Field Sports, Vienna, <a href="#Page_273">273</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">trip to Sudan after Giant Eland, <a href="#Page_275">275</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">ill-health and operation, <a href="#Page_279">279</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">second trip to East Africa with MacMillan, <a href="#Page_279">279</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">incident with lion in Gwas N'yiro bush, <a href="#Page_282">282</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">kills his last buffalo, <a href="#Page_284">284</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">trip to Jersey and Normandy, <a href="#Page_286">286</a>;</span><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_385" id="Page_385">[385]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">visit to Iceland with Heatley Noble, <a href="#Page_289">289</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">lectures at Rugby, <a href="#Page_297">297</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">anxiety to serve during the Great War, <a href="#Page_299">299</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">serves as special constable at Pirbright, <a href="#Page_301">301</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">service in East Africa, <a href="#Page_304">304</a>-<a href="#Page_350">50</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">experiences during attack on Bukoba, <a href="#Page_305">305</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">invalided, undergoes operation in England, and returns to East Africa, <a href="#Page_338">338</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">killed in action at Beho-Beho, <a href="#Page_344">344</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Capt. R. M. Haines' account of his life in East Africa, <a href="#Page_346">346</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">grave, <a href="#Page_349">349</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Letters</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">—to his mother:</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">while at Rugby, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">on his medical studies at Neuchâtel, <a href="#Page_55">55</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">on butterfly catching at Salzburg, <a href="#Page_59">59</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">on Franco-German War and German barbarities, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">expressing disappointment with prospects, <a href="#Page_112">112</a>-<a href="#Page_115">15</a>, <a href="#Page_152">152</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">death of Mr. Wood's servant Quabeet, <a href="#Page_116">116</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Zulu War, <a href="#Page_130">130</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">occupation of Mashunaland, <a href="#Page_174">174</a>, <a href="#Page_177">177</a>, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">engagement with Portuguese at Massi-Kessi, <a href="#Page_181">181</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">development of Mashunaland, <a href="#Page_184">184</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">—to his sister "Locky":</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">on his future career, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">—to his wife:</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">on first Matabele rising, <a href="#Page_201">201</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">East African campaign, <a href="#Page_342">342</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">—to Abel Chapman, <a href="#Page_249">249</a>, <a href="#Page_285">285</a>, <a href="#Page_295">295</a>, <a href="#Page_296">296</a>, <a href="#Page_300">300</a>, <a href="#Page_340">340</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">—to W. L. Courtney on Boer War, <a href="#Page_237">237</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">—to J. G. Millais:</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">on American hunting trip, <a href="#Page_232">232</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Boer War, <a href="#Page_235">235</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Newfoundland hunting trips, <a href="#Page_247">247</a>, <a href="#Page_255">255</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">bird-nesting trips, <a href="#Page_249">249</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Yukon trips, <a href="#Page_253">253</a>, <a href="#Page_258">258</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">A. Neumann, <a href="#Page_259">259</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">East African trips, <a href="#Page_272">272</a>, <a href="#Page_383">383</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Vienna exhibition, <a href="#Page_274">274</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Sudanese trip, <a href="#Page_275">275</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">East African campaign, <a href="#Page_319">319</a>, <a href="#Page_328">328</a>, <a href="#Page_331">331</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">—to Mrs. Millais:</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">on his prospects of acceptance for war service, <a href="#Page_303">303</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">—to Heatley Noble on East African campaign, <a href="#Page_316">316</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">—to Sir A. Pease on Roosevelt's trip, <a href="#Page_269">269</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">—to The Speaker on Boer War, <a href="#Page_239">239</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">—to The Times:</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">on the occupation of Mashunaland, <a href="#Page_175">175</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">on the Boer War 234, <a href="#Page_237">237</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Appearance, <a href="#Page_359">359</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Bird-nesting activities: see Birds</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Character, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_352">352</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Elephant hunting: see Elephants</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Family and home life, <a href="#Page_224">224</a> et <i>seq</i>.; +<a href="#Page_368">368</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lion hunting: see Lions</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Literary preferences, <a href="#Page_366">366</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Modesty, <a href="#Page_361">361</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Observation, accuracy of, <a href="#Page_52">52</a>, <a href="#Page_264">264</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Poaching adventures, <a href="#Page_26">26</a>, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>, <a href="#Page_41">41</a>, <a href="#Page_58">58</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Restlessness, spirit of, <a href="#Page_365">365</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Senses, acuteness of, <a href="#Page_51">51</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Shooting powers, <a href="#Page_353">353</a>, <a href="#Page_356">356</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Telling stories, capacity for, <a href="#Page_360">360</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tributes, <a href="#Page_196">196</a>, <a href="#Page_344">344</a>-<a href="#Page_345">5</a>, <a href="#Page_348">348</a>, <a href="#Page_355">355</a>, <a href="#Page_373">373</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Selous, Mrs. Frederick Courtenay (née Miss [Gladys] Maddy), <a href="#Page_197">197</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">accompanies Selous to Essexvale, Matabeleland, <a href="#Page_208">208</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Y.M.C.A. work at Havre, <a href="#Page_304">304</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Selous, Mr. Frederick Lokes (father to F. C. Selous), <a href="#Page_3">3</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">note by Mr. Edmund Selous, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">note by Mrs. R. F. Jones (daughter), <a href="#Page_5">5</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">reminiscences, <a href="#Page_7">7</a> <i>et seq.</i></span><br /> +<br /> +Selous, Mrs. Frederick Lokes (mother to F. C. Selous), <a href="#Page_3">3</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">note by Mr. Edmund Selous, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">note by Mrs. Jones (daughter), <a href="#Page_10">10</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">death, <a href="#Page_285">285</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Selous, Captain Fred (son), <a href="#Page_297">297</a>, <a href="#Page_323">323</a>, <a href="#Page_331">331</a>, <a href="#Page_336">336</a><br /> +<br /> +Selous, Gideon, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_12">12</a><br /> +<br /> +Selous, H. C. (uncle to F. C. Selous), <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_12">12</a><br /> +<br /> +Selous, Harold (son), <a href="#Page_298">298</a><br /> +<br /> +Selous, Sybil: see Jones, Mrs. C. A.<br /> +<br /> +Selous Road, <a href="#Page_174">174</a>-<a href="#Page_179">9</a><br /> +<br /> +"Selous Syndicate," <a href="#Page_174">174</a><br /> +<br /> +Sepopo, chief of Barotsi, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>, <a href="#Page_130">130</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">elephant drives, <a href="#Page_107">107</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Shakundas, <a href="#Page_113">113</a><br /> +<br /> +Shamedza, <a href="#Page_160">160</a><br /> +<br /> +Shampondo, Batonga chief, <a href="#Page_159">159</a><br /> +<br /> +Shangans, <a href="#Page_199">199</a><br /> +<br /> +Sheldon, Mr. Charles, <a href="#Page_252">252</a>, <a href="#Page_254">254</a>, <a href="#Page_263">263</a><br /> +<br /> +Sheppard, Gen., <a href="#Page_330">330</a>, <a href="#Page_334">334</a><br /> +<br /> +Shepstone, Sir T., <a href="#Page_137">137</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Sherborn, Ann: see Selous, Mrs. Frederick Lokes<br /> +<br /> +Shimmin, Rev. Isaac—note on F. C. Selous, <a href="#Page_369">369</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_386" id="Page_386">[386]</a></span>Shikari Club, <a href="#Page_367">367</a><br /> +<br /> +Shiras, <a href="#Page_263">263</a><br /> +<br /> +Shoma, a Batonga chief, <a href="#Page_167">167</a><br /> +<br /> +Sikabenga, a Barotsi chief, <a href="#Page_160">160</a>, <a href="#Page_166">166</a>, <a href="#Page_169">169</a>, <a href="#Page_199">199</a><br /> +<br /> +Sinoia, caves of, <a href="#Page_157">157</a><br /> +<br /> +Situngweesa, <a href="#Page_199">199</a><br /> +<br /> +Sitanda, chief of Manicas, <a href="#Page_113">113</a><br /> +<br /> +Skinner, Peter, <a href="#Page_69">69</a><br /> +<br /> +Slatin Pasha, <a href="#Page_362">362</a><br /> +<br /> +Smart, Samuel, <a href="#Page_255">255</a><br /> +<br /> +Smuts, Gen. J., <a href="#Page_328">328</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_342">342</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">account of fighting at Beho-Beho, <a href="#Page_344">344</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on difficulties of E. African campaign, <a href="#Page_350">350</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Smyrna, <a href="#Page_227">227</a>, <a href="#Page_247">247</a><br /> +<br /> +"Snake-stone," <a href="#Page_142">142</a><br /> +<br /> +Somaliland—lion hunting, <a href="#Page_192">192</a><br /> +<br /> +South African Conciliation Committee—F. C. Selous' letter to, <a href="#Page_237">237</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +<i>Speaker, The</i>—F. C. Selous' letter on the Boer War, <a href="#Page_239">239</a><br /> +<br /> +Spiritualism, <a href="#Page_153">153</a>, <a href="#Page_370">370</a><br /> +<br /> +Spreckley, Col., <a href="#Page_218">218</a><br /> +<br /> +Staden, Roelef van, <a href="#Page_200">200</a>, <a href="#Page_237">237</a><br /> +<br /> +Stanier, Sir Beville, <a href="#Page_247">247</a><br /> +<br /> +Stanley, H. M., <a href="#Page_133">133</a><br /> +<br /> +Steele, General Sir Thomas, <a href="#Page_66">66</a><br /> +<br /> +"Stempel, Dr.", <a href="#Page_34">34</a>, <a href="#Page_43">43</a><br /> +<br /> +Stewart, Gen., <a href="#Page_309">309</a>, <a href="#Page_334">334</a><br /> +<br /> +Stigand, Capt., <a href="#Page_103">103</a>, <a href="#Page_263">263</a>-<a href="#Page_264">4</a><br /> +<br /> +Stirling, Major, <a href="#Page_249">249</a><br /> +<br /> +Stockley, Cynthia, <a href="#Page_220">220</a><br /> +<br /> +Stonham, Col., <a href="#Page_239">239</a><br /> +<br /> +Stroud, a guide, <a href="#Page_245">245</a><br /> +<br /> +Sudan—F. C. Selous' trip after giant elands, <a href="#Page_275">275</a><br /> +<br /> +"Sunshine and Storm in Rhodesia," <a href="#Page_217">217</a>, <a href="#Page_221">221</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_224">224</a><br /> +<br /> +Suni, Livingstone's, <a href="#Page_223">223</a><br /> +<br /> +Swartz, Martinus, <a href="#Page_122">122</a><br /> +<br /> +Swartz, Paul, <a href="#Page_192">192</a><br /> +<br /> +Swazis—boundary dispute with Zulus, <a href="#Page_126">126</a><br /> +<br /> +Swythamley, <a href="#Page_247">247</a>, <a href="#Page_248">248</a>, <a href="#Page_279">279</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Tarlton, Mr., <a href="#Page_103">103</a>, <a href="#Page_325">325</a><br /> +<br /> +Taveta, engagement near, <a href="#Page_330">330</a><br /> +<br /> +Taylor, Pte., <a href="#Page_349">349</a><br /> +<br /> +Tchangani river—Lobengula's forces defeated (1893), <a href="#Page_202">202</a><br /> +<br /> +Tea—F. C. Selous' preference for, <a href="#Page_294">294</a>, <a href="#Page_347">347</a>, <a href="#Page_352">352</a><br /> +<br /> +Tennant, H. J., <a href="#Page_301">301</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Texel Island, <a href="#Page_299">299</a><br /> +<br /> +Thayer, <a href="#Page_264">264</a><br /> +<br /> +Thomas, Mr., a miner, <a href="#Page_172">172</a><br /> +<br /> +Thomas, David, <a href="#Page_160">160</a><br /> +<br /> +Thomas, Reuben, <a href="#Page_67">67</a><br /> +<br /> +Thomas, Roderick, <a href="#Page_257">257</a><br /> +<br /> +Thornton, Lieut. Edward—account of death of Captain Fred Selous, <a href="#Page_297">297</a><br /> +<br /> +Tighe, Gen., <a href="#Page_304">304</a><br /> +<br /> +<i>Times, The</i>—Selous' letters to:<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on the occupation of Mashunaland, <a href="#Page_175">175</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on the Boer War (1899-1901), <a href="#Page_234">234</a>, <a href="#Page_237">237</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">History of the War quoted, <a href="#Page_342">342</a> <i>et seq.</i></span><br /> +<br /> +Tippu-Tib, <a href="#Page_134">134</a><br /> +<br /> +"Tombe Abbey "—F. C. Selous raids heronry at, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>, <a href="#Page_53">53</a><br /> +<br /> +Transvaal—Boer agression against Zulus, <a href="#Page_126">126</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Boer War (1881), <a href="#Page_136">136</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Boer War (1899-1901), <a href="#Page_234">234</a> <i>et seq.</i></span><br /> +<br /> +"Travel and Adventure in South-East Africa," <a href="#Page_146">146</a>, <a href="#Page_150">150</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_164">164</a>, <a href="#Page_166">166</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_183">183</a>, <a href="#Page_222">222</a><br /> +<br /> +Trimen, Mr., <a href="#Page_142">142</a><br /> +<br /> +Tritton, Mr. Claude, <a href="#Page_271">271</a><br /> +<br /> +<i>Truth</i>—attacks on the Chartered Company, <a href="#Page_221">221</a><br /> +<br /> +Tweedie, Capt., <a href="#Page_278">278</a><br /> +<br /> +Tyrrel, Mr., <a href="#Page_253">253</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Ubandini, the Swazi king, <a href="#Page_129">129</a><br /> +<br /> +Umbilini, a Swazi chieftain, <a href="#Page_127">127</a><br /> +<br /> +"Umlimo," or god of the Makalakas, <a href="#Page_210">210</a><br /> +<br /> +Umlugula, a Matabele chief, <a href="#Page_210">210</a><br /> +<br /> +Umsheti, <a href="#Page_217">217</a><br /> +<br /> +Umtasa, chief of Manica, <a href="#Page_178">178</a><br /> +<br /> +United States—official support of science, <a href="#Page_194">194</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Selous' lecturing tour cancelled, <a href="#Page_197">197</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">hunting trips, <a href="#Page_228">228</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">campaigns against Mexico compared to Boer War by T. Roosevelt, <a href="#Page_242">242</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">and the Great War, <a href="#Page_325">325</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ranching—T. Roosevelt's letter to F. C. Selous, <a href="#Page_231">231</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Usher, Mr., <a href="#Page_210">210</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Vanderbyl, Capt., P. B., <a href="#Page_260">260</a>, <a href="#Page_367">367</a><br /> +<br /> +Van Deventer, Gen., <a href="#Page_332">332</a>, <a href="#Page_334">334</a>, <a href="#Page_336">336</a><br /> +<br /> +Vardon, the hunter, <a href="#Page_66">66</a><br /> +<br /> +Vienna, <a href="#Page_63">63</a>; second international congress of field sports, <a href="#Page_273">273</a><br /> +<br /> +Viljoen, Jan, <a href="#Page_74">74</a>, <a href="#Page_75">75</a>, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>, <a href="#Page_118">118</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Wahle, Gen., <a href="#Page_341">341</a><br /> +<br /> +Wallace, Mr. H. F., <a href="#Page_262">262</a>, <a href="#Page_355">355</a><br /> +<br /> +Wankie, <a href="#Page_96">96</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_387" id="Page_387">[387]</a></span>Wapiti, <a href="#Page_228">228</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_232">232</a><br /> +<br /> +War, the Great, <a href="#Page_299">299</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">T. Roosevelt's views, <a href="#Page_324">324</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Ward, Herbert, <a href="#Page_135">135</a><br /> +<br /> +Ward, Mr. Rowland, <a href="#Page_222">222</a><br /> +<br /> +Wart-hogs, <a href="#Page_147">147</a><br /> +<br /> +Watmough, Mr. W., <a href="#Page_348">348</a><br /> +<br /> +Webb, Major, <a href="#Page_309">309</a>, <a href="#Page_312">312</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Wells, John, <a href="#Page_246">246</a><br /> +<br /> +Westbeech, George, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>, <a href="#Page_166">166</a><br /> +<br /> +Weyand, Karl, <a href="#Page_148">148</a><br /> +<br /> +White, Capt., <a href="#Page_312">312</a><br /> +<br /> +White, Mr. Montague, <a href="#Page_241">241</a><br /> +<br /> +Whittall, Sir William, <a href="#Page_205">205</a>, <a href="#Page_369">369</a><br /> +<br /> +Wiesbaden, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>, <a href="#Page_233">233</a><br /> +<br /> +Wilson, Major, <a href="#Page_203">203</a><br /> +<br /> +Wilson, Mr. J. M. (afterwards Canon Wilson), <a href="#Page_29">29</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">reminiscences of F. C. Selous at Rugby, <a href="#Page_50">50</a> <i>et seq.</i></span><br /> +<br /> +Williams, Mr., <a href="#Page_273">273</a><br /> +<br /> +Williams, Capt., <a href="#Page_321">321</a><br /> +<br /> +Williams, Bryan, <a href="#Page_277">277</a><br /> +<br /> +Williams, Mr. William, <a href="#Page_68">68</a><br /> +<br /> +Williams, Sir Ralph—tribute to F. C. Selous, <a href="#Page_55">55</a><br /> +<br /> +Windley, Capt., <a href="#Page_214">214</a><br /> +<br /> +Wingate, Sir F., <a href="#Page_276">276</a><br /> +<br /> +Wissels, Mr., <a href="#Page_223">223</a><br /> +<br /> +Wolf, the Artist, <a href="#Page_66">66</a><br /> +<br /> +Wolseley, Sir Garnet, <a href="#Page_127">127</a>, <a href="#Page_129">129</a>, <a href="#Page_138">138</a><br /> +<br /> +Wolverton, Lord, <a href="#Page_190">190</a><br /> +<br /> +Wolves, <a href="#Page_258">258</a><br /> +<br /> +Wood, George, <a href="#Page_75">75</a>, <a href="#Page_79">79</a>, <a href="#Page_90">90</a> <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#Page_110">110</a>, <a href="#Page_112">112</a>, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>, <a href="#Page_118">118</a><br /> +<br /> +Worplesdon, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>, <a href="#Page_205">205</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +X, Col., <a href="#Page_226">226</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Yellowstone Park—P. Oberlander and the game wardens, <a href="#Page_277">277</a><br /> +<br /> +Yukon territory—F. C. Selous' hunting trips, <a href="#Page_251">251</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Zambesi river—Selous' hunting trips, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>, <a href="#Page_169">169</a>, <a href="#Page_183">183</a><br /> +<br /> +Zambesi, falls of, <a href="#Page_91">91</a><br /> +<br /> +Zulu War, <a href="#Page_125">125</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> +<br /> +Zumbo, <a href="#Page_146">146</a><br /> +<br /> +Zwecker, <a href="#Page_67">67</a><br /> +</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="center"> +PRINTED BY<br /> +WILLIAM BRENDON AND SON, LTD.<br /> +PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="tnote"> + +<div class="center">Transcriber's Notes</div> + +<p>Obvious punctuation errors repaired and missing letters restored +from the context.</p> + +<p>Click on the images to display high-resolution images.</p> + +<p>Hyphen added: "ant[-]hill" (p. 150), "Goold[-]Adams" (pp. 201, 203), +"home[-]sick" (p. 13), "re[-]read" (p. 282), "re[-]visit" (p. 185), +"school[-]days" (p. 17), "up[-]stream" (p. 246).</p> + +<p>Hypen removed: "breech[-]loading" (p. 114), "farm[-]house" (p. 293).</p> + +<p>The following alternate spellings are used and have not been changed: +"Sode Gara" / "Sode-Garra" (pp. 121, 154), "Se-quoi-quoi" / +"Se-whoi-whoi" (pp. 118, 154).</p> + +<p>P. 31: "skins" changed to "shins" (kicking the shins).</p> + +<p>P. 142: "Voortrekhers" changed to "Voortrekkers".</p> + +<p>P. 154: duplicate word "time" deleted (but at the same time).</p> + +<p>P. 177: "waggon" changed to "waggons" (simply abandon our waggons).</p> + +<p>P. 226: "rhinocereses" changed to "rhinoceroses" (charged by black rhinoceroses).</p> + +<p>P. 229: "tractless" changed to "trackless" (vast +plains and trackless forests).</p> + +<p>P. 253: "missfire" changed to "misfire" (owing to a misfire).</p> + +<p>P. 262: "ex" changed to "Ex" (Ex-President Roosevelt).</p> + +<p>P. 283: "Greyv's zebra" changed to "Grévy's zebra".</p> + +<p>P. 323: "possiby" changed to "possibly" (Germans cannot now possibly win the war).</p> + +<p>Footnote 76 (p. 323): Capt. Selous was killed on 4th January and not on +6th January according to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.</p> + +<p>P. 343: "December" changed to "January" (An attack was made on the +German positions by General Smuts on January 2nd) based upon the +surrounding text.</p> + +<p>P. 372: "criticsms" changed to "criticisms" (his criticisms applied only to those).</p> + +<p>P. 381: Index entry "Mamia" changed to "Manica".</p> + +<p>P. 386: Index entries "Stonham" and "Shoma" moved to correct place in alphabetical order.</p> +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Life of Frederick Courtenay Selous, +D.S.O., by J.G. 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