The Land of Footprints

Books of sporting, travel, and adventure in countries little known to the average readernaturally fall in two classes-neither, with a very few exceptions, of great value. One class isperhaps the logical result of the other. Of the first type is the book that is written to make the most of far travels, to extract fromadventure the last thrill, to impress the awestricken reader with a full sense of the dangerand hardship the writer has undergone. Thus, if the latter takes out quite an ordinaryroutine permit to go into certain districts, he makes the most of travelling in "closedterritory," implying that he has obtained an especial privilege, and has penetrated wherefew have gone before him. As a matter of fact, the permit is issued merely that theauthorities may keep track of who is where. Anybody can get one. This class of writer tellsof shooting beasts at customary ranges of four and five hundred yards. I remember one inespecial who airily and as a matter of fact killed all his antelope at such ranges. Most menhave shot occasional beasts at a quarter mile or so, but not airily nor as a matter of fact: rather with thanksgiving and a certain amount of surprise. The gentleman of whom I speakmentioned getting an eland at seven hundred and fifty yards. By chance I happened tomention this to a native Africander."Yes," said he, "I remember that; I was there."This interested me-and I said so."He made a long shot," said I."A GOOD long shot," replied the Africander."Did you pace the distance?"He laughed. "No," said he, "the old chap was immensely delighted. 'Eight hundred yards ifit was an inch!' he cried.""How far was it?""About three hundred and fifty. But it was a long shot, all right."And it was! Three hundred and fifty yards is a very long shot. It is over four city blocksNew York size. But if you talk often enough and glibly enough of "four and five hundredyards," it does not sound like much, does it?The same class of writer always gets all the thrills. He speaks of "blanched cheeks," of the"thrilling suspense," and so on down the gamut of the shilling shocker. His stuff makes goodreading; there is no doubt of that