IN AFRICAN JUNGLES

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 25, 30 January 1932, Page 19

IN AFRICAN JUNGLES

ANIMAL PICTURES

A suitable, alternative title to "Africa Speaks" (the book of the-film of that name) '■ would ■be "Africa Poses." Paul L. Hoefler is the author of this of the First TransAfrican Journey by • Motor-truck from Mombasa on tho•lndian Oceaji to Lagos on the Atlantic throngh Central Equatorial Africa." Although much general information is supplied about Africa in the text, it is the comments on and the photographs, .themselves 'that make tho book- so. interestiug. ,'. It is 'refreshing, too, to find a booik of this kind which lookg upon : a live animal'as much more interesting thain. a: deadrXijie, *;. . % \ ;: The' photograph's -are'" technically of the high standard -'to be expected of a au'ccessful: ',"Ajneracan Bpeeialist. .■■'"; They reproduce "the texture, of surfaces—in one of .'giraffe's,', among trees in leaf to tho extent of making,it, doubtful if the cqlpuring of the giraffe' is a protection against' keen 'sight; Thiß photograph is one of several- showing ■'■ the nature of the country in which animals are found. In most of the others the subject/is; eithev animals in the wild, state or those human inhabitants 'of Africa.' who are least like citizens who,', frequent picture'palaces. Kis.photographs of natives testify; to. their appreciation of the -decorative,; and, incidentally, to his own. Their headdresses and' the patterns on their, shields are a delightto the eye. To judge from pose and expression, "Ngetuny Siiya, •yvhq speared the first: lion," and "Kori .Miiren'' have little to, learn, fronv Hollywood., .'_"■. . ' ■"; Several photographs of locusts; remarks ;a ': reviewer in th c London .''Times,;'.^ illustrate Mr. .Hoefler's contention that it is not the big creatures of Africa but the insects that man has most to fear. A swarm, of them is^so taken'■ as to suggest that" a - thick' cloud reaching.ft'o the, zisnifh is" descending on the whole breaitt of a limitless plain. Nature is, shown as hardly less: prolific in the photographs of the flamingos of Lake Hanhington,' which -in- its'seelrisipn.. and iv the food in which it abounds—the particular food being tiny Crustacea—affords birds the advantages of the nitrate coast of. South America. Mr."Hoefler ascribes'to these flamingos a collective -froar like that of a, distant Jwatc'rf all" or the -whistling of wind through a denseforest." But he gives,' as is, incuinb. ent on him, the first place to lions! ."His photographs exhibit, the; physical structure that makes the Hbn attractive to 'sculptors. ' One .of 'them is cbiiclusive evidence that, contrary; to popular belief, liois can climb trees.' In most of' them lib is 'taking his ease among lionesses—a majesticf figure. Still, for such of us as aTe still " proman, *' tho noblest thing in_the photographs of the lion country is tho 12----year-old Masai herder who when asked what he would do if lions attacked his [cattle replied that he, would shout to , scare them away; he admitted that if they failed to run, he would; but added that when he grew big enough to handle the "white sptar" he would rush at them and kilt them. The photographs give tho impression that the lion would not attack first; they confirm the view that he ncithcr,\"does evil nor suspects evil in the daytime. Uifdcr one photograph1 is written: "When tho party left this truck near the lion donga they returned several hours later to find sir lions grouped round it. It had become n familiar and friendly thing, to them, bringing them mea';, and so they gathered around wailing for a meal."