Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
been completely treated.
“Of course, I did contact the Cleveland Clinic fly-out service so we are all set. I mean if I
come down with yellow fever or something like that I will call the service and get flown out.”
Yes, I did the same - I called Global Service. I think that was a pretty good value for money
in case something happens. They will also help in getting the right doctors in southern Africa if
we have any issues.
“That is a concern - things do happen.”
I packed a couple of basic instruments and needles and local anesthetic in case we have to
stitch each other up for minor cuts and injuries, and obviously in a place like Zimbabwe it is
very primitive and it can be difficult to find good help if something happens.
“That is a concern but, you know, lions don't live next to world class hospitals - so we just
have to be prepared.”
You mentioned earlier that you read topics as a child that made your interest grow in Africa.
Can you talk about some of the topics you have always found interesting - perhaps some you
re-read, some you read recently, your favorite authors?
“It really starts with Theodore Roosevelt - I think Theodore Roosevelt's “African Game
Trails.” There are people that say that was really the beginning of the safari industry and it
probably is true. Of course, his safari lasted for 9 months or something like that. It was
considerably different and Roosevelt, of course, is one of the best and most prolific authors
that there has ever been in American public life and he writes extremely well. Hemingway, of
course, also writes well about Africa in sort of a different way - I mean Hemingway is not
necessarily as descriptive as he is sort of examining kind of those parts of hunting that are
existential. His concern about hunting in Africa is Africa but also the people that are doing it -
what motivates them, what it is about them. Robert Ruark wrote in the 50s the classic topic on
what you might call a semi-modern safari, which is “Horn of the Hunter”. Realistically both
the experience of Ruark and Hemingway and certainly the experience of Roosevelt will never
ever be repeated and so that is certainly not what we are looking forward to. But I think that
since that time, during the last [few years] I have read a lot of things both from old and new
[topics]. Probably the most prolific writer about the sort of truly modern safari is Craig
Boddington and even all the things that Boddington experienced probably are not going to be
available in the future, but some of them are. That is one of the things that is appealing about
doing things now. Although the Safari industry seems to be much more stable today than it has
been in many, many years, you can never be sure how long it is going to last.”
Any thoughts about, for example, Selous or Capstick and their writings or what you have
found interesting or useful in their writings?
“Peter Capstick's use of the language certainly is different than Hemingway and Roosevelt
and people like that. He has an interesting way of describing things. He can make things very
vivid and that appears to have been a gift of his and it certainly makes things more exciting.
Search WWH ::
Custom Search