On Safari: East African Big Game Hunting on the Veldt, Mount

On Safari: East African Big Game Hunting on the Veldt, Mount Kenia, and Guaso Maru (1909)

In this book of big game hunting in East Africa, the interest in Mr. House's experiences is not confined to the sport itself, for he gives vivid pictures of the life and environment of the sportsman in the African countries visited.

This book on big-game hunting with many illustrations from photographs taken by the author and a companion, makes it clear in text and pictures that he has written his book with the quiet devotion of the genuine lover of the sport. "From the standpoint of the hunter, I have endeavored to furnish a plain and unvarnished description of some of the more successful hunts in which I have participated," is the way Mr. House puts it in his preface; and he adds, with a sly thrust at the man who "fakes" the sport, "After experience in hunting with a rifle, and with a camera to a lesser degree. I am frank to confess that I have found an element of excitement in the former totally lacking in the latter." Mr. House, who is an accustomed traveler in various parts of the world. As the sportsman travels far outside the regular tourist line, this wealth of material is fresh and exciting.

In relating an encounter with a poisonous snake he writes:

"Leaving the three Swahilis to skin, cut up and carry the meat of the zebra to camp, I continued the hunt, accompanied by three Samburu, who had insisted on starting with us in the morning. Several hours later I was leading the way along a narrow game trail, which wound through a strip of tropical jungle bordering a small stream, when I almost trod upon what I judged was a large poisonous puff-adder. This repulsive reptile, which was about to strike, was about four feet long, very thick, and of the color of an unhealthy toad. When I attempted to point it out to the savages they leaned on their spears, and grinned and laughed at the jokes they thought the white man was telling them in his foreign tongue. Suddenly the eyes of one of these warriors happened to fall upon the object of my excited discourse. He emitted a yell of terror, and, followed by his two companions, bolted for fifty yards. These natives were so upset by the sight of this snake that they refused to cross the stream until we reached the next path through the foliage, half a mile beyond."

In relating his hunting companion's close call with a rhino, he writes:

"As he looked over his shoulder he saw that the rhino was following him at a trot, and porters and donkeys were scattering in every direction. When he grasped the rifle and whirled about, the enraged beast was thundering down upon him at a full gallop, and the first barrel of the rifle, while it staggered the oncoming rhino, did not stop it. However, the second bullet shattered a shoulder and brought the rhino to the ground only a few yards distant."

Regarding a close call with charging elephants, he writes:

"At the report the elephant stumbled, but immediately recovered, whereupon I hurriedly fired the second barrel, causing the great beast to topple over in the grass. The two rapid discharges jammed the mechanism of the rifle. While I was working frantically to force the breech open, I heard a steadily increasing commotion in the grass which caused me to look up quickly. The remaining eight elephants, which had bunched at the two reports, were now advancing by long strides in a fan-shaped formation in my direction, their huge ears set forward like so many sails in a breeze."
Country USA
Author Edward John House
Binding Kindle Edition
Format Kindle eBook
IsAdultProduct
NumberOfPages 66
PublicationDate 2016-07-23
ReleaseDate 2016-07-23

Country	USA
Author	Edward John House
Binding	Kindle Edition
Format	Kindle eBook
IsAdultProduct
NumberOfPages	66
PublicationDate	2016-07-23
ReleaseDate	2016-07-23

On Safari: East African Big Game Hunting on the Veldt, Mount Kenia, and Guaso Maru (1909)

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