The Big Game of Africa (1910)

Richard Tjader (1869-1916) was a traveler and hunter of vast experience. He conducted several expeditions to Africa in search of big game, including for the American Museum of Natural History in New York. On one trip he brought back to this Museum over thirteen tons of valuable specimens, including the head of an elephant larger than Barnum's famous "Jumbo."

Roosevelt was a respected big game hunter among the true sportsmen and whenever one of this class came to the U.S., Roosevelt took time out from the affairs of state and snatched time to interview these hunters of beasts such as Tjader. Tjader told Roosevelt of his exciting tales of hunting rhinos, elephants, lions and buffalo. The exciting tales or hunting experiences in Africa told in the White House in 1907 by Mr. Tjader practically settled Mr. Roosevelt s ambition to go to the Dark Continent in search or big game.

This book is, in the main, a popular natural history of African big game, based upon careful personal observation. A chapter is devoted to each of the more important animals.

A distinguishing feature is a chapter of practical advice to prospective hunters in Africa as to outfits, guns, and ammunition, personal equipment, cameras, etc., with warnings and cautions.

To the lover of travel and adventure the book will afford unusual entertainment.
The author writes:
“This volume is not only a narrative of my own wanderings and experiences in that continent, but is also intended to be a guide book to those many who are interested in the life and habits of the African game animals as well as in the best way of stalking these with either camera or gun. For in the many good books on hunting in the Dark Continent, little or nothing has been said that may help the would-be African big game hunter in the selection of the proper outfit, guns, cameras, curing materials, etc., nor do they give him any definite information as to where, when and how to secure the game he wants, and none of them contains the most necessary introduction to the Ki-Swahili language, even a slight knowledge of which will prove of immense help to the sportsman when hunting in British East Africa, German East Africa and Uganda.

“This book is the result of my own experiences and observations during three different expeditions to British East Africa, and contains the most reliable information I was able to obtain from other sportsmen and professional hunters, as well as from the wild sons of that wonderful game country who, themselves, spend most of their lives roaming around among the Big Game of Africa.”

CONTENTS
I BRITISH EAST AFRICA
II THE CARAVAN OR "SAFARI"
III THE LION— KING OF BEASTS
IV THE ELEPHANT, THE GIANT OF THE FOREST
V THE HARMLESS GIRAFFE
VI THE HIPPOPOTAMUS, OR RIVER HOG
VII THE AFRICAN OR CAPE BUFFALO
VIII LEOPARDS AND CHEETAHS
IX THE AFRICAN RHINOCEROS
X THE LARGER EAST AFRICAN ANTELOPES
XI THE LARGER EAST AFRICAN ANTELOPES (Continued)
XII THE HARTEBEEST AND ZEBRA
XIII HYENAS, MONKEYS, AND PIGS
XIV AFRICAN REPTILES AND BIRDS
XV THE NATIVES OF BRITISH EAST AFRICA
XVI MISSIONARIES, SETTLERS, AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
XVII HINTS ON AFRICAN PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE PRESERVING OF TROPHIES
XVIII GENERAL OUTFIT AND ROUTE OF TRAVEL
XIX RETROSPECT AND CONCLUSION

This book originally published in 1910 has been reformatted for the Kindle and may contain an occasional defect from the original publication or from the reformatting.