The Large Game and Natural History of South and South-East Africa

Published in 1875, this book is an account of the hunting experiences of W.H. Drummond during roughly five years between 1867-1872. He camped and lived among local tribal populations of South and Southeast Africa and out where the game animals inhabited, rarely visiting colonial settlements. Rather than a list of numbers and kinds of animals killed, Drummond wanted to engage the reader’s “mind’s eye” with vivid details through his stories and anecdotes. He includes some natural history and behavioral observations, noting even at that time the dwindling number of animal populations.