The San Francisco call., 1910-09-18

preface for this publication IN which
he epitomizes his whole story and in
which occurs the best writing in the
book
4 speak OF Africa and golden joys;
the Joy OF wandering through lonely
lands; the JOY Of hunting the mighty
and terrible lords OF the wilderness.
the cunning, the wary and the grim"
Usually this authors style (many
critics would say absence OF it, is
crisp and direct. giving rather the i'm
preston that IN his strenuous life he
has had little time to give TO fine
writing, but occasionally in this book
s he allows himself 10 give few un-
-ecessary details. which add much to
the pleasure OF reading.
In these greatest Of the worlds
kTH7t hunting grounds, there are
mountain peaks whose SHOWS are daz-
zling under the equatorial sun; swamps
where the slime Oozes and bubbles and
testers in the steaming heat; lakes
like seas, skies that burn above deserts
where the iron desOlatiOn is shrouded
from view by the wavering mockery
Of the mirage; vast grassy plains
where palms and thorn trees fringe the
dwindling streams; mighty rivers rush
ing out Of the heart Of the continent
through the sadness Of endless
marshes; forests Of gorgeous beauty,
where death broods in the dark and
silent depths"
= Even in the brief space Of his fore
PrOrd we see pictures OF the land
through which he travelled with
clearness never impaired by Stanley,
who, though he accomplished grear
things, had no literary ability.
There are regions as healthy as
the northland; and other regions. radi-
ant with bright hued flowers. birds
and butterflies. odorous with sweetl
and heavy scents. but. treacherous in
their beauty and sinister TO human
life- On the land and IN the water
there are dread brutes that feed on
the flesh OF man; and among the lower
things. that crawl, and fly, and sting,
and bite, he finds swarming foes far
more evil and deadly than any beast
. or reptile; foes that kin his crops and
his cattle, foes before which he him.
self perishes in his hundreds Of thou
sands"
As has been noted, the foreword is a
perfect index to the book Reading 1t
one knows exactly what he will find
elaborated in the body OF the book, but
told with no artistry. The country
through which the party passed was
not new. Explorers had seen Il thor
oughly and sent scientific descriptions,
but they have all proved dreary read
ing. Let US read the last pages OF the
preface;
The dark skinned races that live in
the land vary widely Some are war
like, cattle owning nomads; some till
the soil and live IN thatched huts
shaped like bee hives; some are fisher
folk; some are apelike, naked savages.
who dwell IN the woods and prey on
creatures not much wilder or lower
than themselves.
The land teens with beasts Of the
daase, infinite IN number and incred-
lbfe in variety. 1t holds the feroest
beasts Of ravin and the deetest and
most timid OF those beings that live
IN undying fear OF talon and fang. 1t
holds the largest and the smallest OF
hoofed animals. It holds the mightiest
creatures that tread the earth or swim
Ia its rivers: II also holds distant kins-
folk OF these same creatures no bigger
than wOOdchucks, which dwell in cram
MES Of the rocks and IN the treetops.
There are antelope smaller than hares
and antelope larger than oxen. There
are creatures which are the embodi-
ment OF grace, and others whose huge
ungainliness Is ike that OF shape IN
nightmare. The plains are alive with
oroves OF strange and beautiful ami
mails whose like IS not known else
where, and with others even stranger
that show both in form and temper
something OF the fantastic and the gro
tesQue. II is a never ending pleasure
70 gaze at the great herds OF buck as
they move 70 and fro in their myriads;
as they stand for their noontide rest
IN the ouivering heat haze; as the long
files come down 70 drink at the water
ing places; as they feed and fight and
rest and make love"
That Roosevelt is first Of all hunt
er is shown in his appreciation Of the
wonderful animals found in the forests
and his enthusiastic descriptions Of
them:
The hunter who wanders through
these lands sees. sights which ever aft.
erWard remain liked in his mind He
sees the monstrous river horse snort
ing and plungtng beside the boat; the
gireue looking over the treetops at
. N nearing horseman; the ostrich fee
faN At speed that none may rival; the
Enarling leopard and coiled python,
with their lethal beauty: the zebras
barking IN the moonlight as the laden
caravan passes on its night march
through q thirsty land. In after years
there shall come to him memories Of
the lions charge; Of the gray bulk OF
the elephant close at hand IN the
Eomber woodland: of the buffalo his
sullen eyes lowering from under his
helmet Of horn; Of the rhiroceros,
truculent and stupid, standing in the
bright sunlight on the empty plain"
SO much for the author, but for a
nrief glimpse Of the man behind the
author with feeling and sentiment or
and bones:
These things can be told But there
are no words that can tell the hidden
spirit of the wilderness. that can re-
veal its mystery. its melancholy and
its charm There IS delight in the hardy
life OF the open. IN long rides, rife IN
hand. IN the thrill OF the fight with
dangerous game. Apart from this. yet
mingled with it. is the strong attrac-
tion Of the silent places. Of the large
tropic moons and the splendor Of the
new stars; where the wanderer sees
the awful glory OF sunrise ana sunset
IN the wide waste spaces Of the earth,
unworn OF man, and changed only by
the slow change Of the ages through
time everlasting"
The book IS divided into Is chapters.
which form as whole a brilliant rec
SD Of unique adventure. These chap
ters are followed by six appendices of
great value and interest They consist
OF personal Acknowledgements, list of
mammals. from Heeber's notes. I.oring's
notes, biological survey Of Mount Kenia.
protective coloration OF animals and the
plgskin library. AS to this last ap-