This is the story of the immense herds of wild animals that roamed the plains of South Africa before civilisation reached our shores, and of what happened when the guns began their deadly work. Into his narrative the author has woven character sketches of some of the most famous early naturalists and hunters. Here are Burchell, Harris, Gordon Cumming, Petrus Jacobs, Selous and Pretorius with stories of their fantastic adventures in the wilds of Africa. The main hero is James Stevenson-Hamilton, the man who resigned from a crack cavalry regiment to live at Sabie for over 40 years and build the Kruger National Park. Hunting, Burchell, Orange River, sable, antelope, elephant, Selous, Steinacker, wardens.

First edition. 1959. Hardcover with dustcover. 222 pages. Good condition, tightly bound. Edge wear on cover. Front end-page removed.