Big Game Shooting, volume 1 (of 2)Phillipps-Wolley, Clive
General
Big Game Shooting, volume 1 (of 2)
Phillipps-Wolley, Clive
Game and game-birds; Hunting
The climate, taking it all round, is good. On the coast, where the
temperature in the shade ranges between 82° and 86° (Fahr.) throughout
the year, the climate is, on account of the moist atmosphere, rather
relaxing. In the vicinity of mangrove swamps it is malarious, more
especially if there are large expanses of reeking mud-flats exposed at
low tide, alive with thousands of small crabs, which bore into the mud
and let out the poisonous gases. When an elevation of 1,200 to 3,000
ft. is reached the climate is delightful, as between eight and nine
o’clock A.M., if not before, a cool breeze generally springs up, and
the heat is rarely excessive, excepting in such places as are sheltered
from the wind. The nights are cool and refreshing, often quite chilly,
when an ulster or warm dressing-gown is almost a necessity. Higher
up still, from 5,000 to 6,000 ft. (the altitudes of the Athi plains
and vicinity of Lake Naivasha), and up to 8,000 and 9,000 ft. (the
altitudes of Lykepia and Mau), it is quite cold at night. At Mianzini
in September 1889 the thermometer registered 6° of frost.
In the matter of health the amount of exercise that the sportsman
will have to take will do far more to keep him fit and well than
anything else. Care should, however, be taken to avoid chills, and any
unnecessary exposure to the sun, as fever contracted up country is more
often to be attributed to one of these causes than to malaria. The
complaints to which Europeans are most liable are fever, dysentery,
diarrhœa, sun headache (which often develops into fever), for which
Anti-pyrine is an excellent remedy, and ulcerated sores from scratches
and abrasions.
With regard to snakes and other noxious creatures, there are many of
them, and of many varieties. Most of the snakes are non-poisonous,
but there are several, including a species of green whip-snake, a
large black water-snake, a cobra, a small viper, and the puff-adder,
which are very poisonous. The last of these, and perhaps the most
deadly, is also the most common, and is often met with both when out
shooting and when the ground is being cleared for camping. These
little ‘disagreeables,’ however, are rarely, if ever, thought about,
otherwise life in East Africa would be intolerable. It is very rarely
that one hears of anyone being bitten, and I only know of three
instances, all the victims being porters, who are of course more liable
to such misfortunes owing to their going about bare-legged. In case
of an accident a bottle of ammonia should always be included in the
medicine-chest, and permanganate of potash used hypodermically is also
said to be an excellent remedy. A syringe and glass cylinder to hold
a solution of the latter, fitted into a handy little pocket-case, can
always be carried.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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