MEMORIES OF A GAME RANGER

313pgs + index. Cloth hardcover with gilt vignettes and titles to front cover and spine. With 17 b/w plates and numerous line illustrations within the text. Maps printed on EPS.

A very good clean and tight copy.

A fascinating account of the author's 44 years as a game ranger at Kruger National Park in South Africa where he began his career in 1902.

First published in 1948 this memorable book on South African wildlife was reprinted in the each of the two following years, with the fourth edition in 1953, the 5th in 1955, the 6th in 1958 and this 7th edition in 1961. In it the author recalls his experiences and observations from 44 years,as a ranger in the famed Kruger National Park. When he retired from that position in 1946 he was persuaded to compile a record of his life and work over those years, these include interesting recollections from his earlier adventurous years about the time of the Boer War. His vast range of encounters with man and beast, his dealing with the native people and tourists are woven together here to present an complex pattern of events and incidents, natural history, anthropology, risks and rewards to name a few of many absorbing aspects in the life of this outstanding individual. Memorable are his observation of the animals, birds other wild life and vegetation of the African lansdscape. One early incident saw him killing a fully-grown male lion with a knife, after it seized him and was dragging him off. Although this ordeal resulted in permanent injuries, it did not impact on his activities as a ranger or his devotion to his task. C T Astley-Maberly, who edited the original manuscript at the author's request, was also a professional artist specialising in wildlive subjects. He provided 17 full page b/w art plates plus many chapter head and tale vignettes with intext cameos throughout, colour, e/paper maps, frontis photo of author.