CHAPTER III

1871-1875

The influence of literature--Books on Africa--Thomas Baines--Baldwin--Selous lands in Africa--Leaves Port Elizabeth--Sport on the road--Arrival at Kimberley--A short expedition into Griqualand--Starts for the north--His companions--The first giraffe hunt--Lost in the bush--An unenviable position--Loses his horse--Reaches safety--His first lions--Meeting with Lobengula--The Matabele king's humour--Cigar--Elephant hunters--Piet Jacobs--William Finaughty--His life as an elephant hunter--Selous kills his first elephants--Cigar's good qualities--Selous remains in Matabeleland--Joins Wood in an elephant hunt--A great day--A fatal accident--The Dett valley--Elephant hunting--Charged by a cow--A narrow escape--A doubly loaded elephant gun--Further adventures with elephants--Return to Bulawayo--Game in the Dett valley--Selous goes north to the Zambesi--Visit to the Chobe--Begins his collection of trophies--Adventures with buffaloes--Abundance of game--His first lion--A savage charge--Arrives at Tati 65