ETIQUETTE IN THE JUNGLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 213, 17 December 1910, Page 10

ETIQUETTE IN THE JUNGLE.

SIR FREDERICK TREVES OX HOW TO MEET A LION. The etiquette to be adopted when a tourist meets a lion in the jungle is described humorously by Sir Frederick Treves, the famous surgeon, in his fifth book of general interest, which is entitled "Uganda for a Holiday." Sir Frederick explains in his preface •that he has visited this part of Africa with the outlook of an "unspecialised traveller —of the man who merely seeks somewhere to go." "The tourist coming to British East Africa is sure to enquire as to the line of conduct that should be observed when a lion is encountered by the way," writes Sir Frederick. "In answer to such enquiry I was told that the etiquette suitable for the occasion was the following: If the lion when met is walking in the opposite direction to the tourist the animal should be allowed to covinue his walk without comment. If, however, tihe 'ion stops and stares at the tourist, it is proper that the tourist should 'slush' the animal away as he would an obtrusive goose on a village green. Should the lion be unmoved by this expression of annoyance, the tourist is advised to throw lumps of earth at the obtuse creature. If after this the lion still fails to realise that he is 'de trop,"' the tourist is recommended to walk away from the spot with such dignity as the strained position demands." Sir Frederick Treves has several other observant things to say about the animals of the wild. "The rhinocerous is the embodiment of blind conservatism," he writes. "It's hide is impenetrable, its vision is weak, while its intellect is weaker. It has, ihowever, two marked qualities—combativeness and a sense of smell. It is aroused to its maximum energy by the presence of anything that is new. "This object need not be a thing that is aggressive or inconvenient. Its offensiveness depends upon the fact that it is unfamiliar. When a rhinocerous smells a man he will charge him with maniacal violence, although the man may be merely sitting on a stool re.ading Milton. The massive reast will dash at him like a 'ive torpedo or a runaway locomotive, simply because the smell of him is novel. Actuated by this insane hate of whatever savors of an innovation, the rhinocerous has charged an iron water tank on the outskirts of a camp, and has crumpled it up as a blacksmith would an empty meat tin. A conservative rhinocerous, with a senile dislike for anything new, once charged a train on the Uganda railway, but with no more serious result than the tearing away of the footboard of a carriage. As regards the rhinoceros in this case, it appeared surprised that a thing composed, as it had imagined, of flesh and bone, could be so hard. It went off: with an additional grievance, and an increased swelling of the head."