Frederick Courteney Selous

Frederick Courteney Selous, the most well-known of the 19th-century “great white hunters,” laid the groundwork for African conservation and contributed to the fashioning of safari. His life is examined by Melissa Shales.

Selous’s description of his early years of learning his trade as a professional ivory hunter, A Hunter’s Wanderings in Africa, is difficult to read. Apart from Livingstone, Frederick Courteney Selous was arguably the European who most captivated the public’s attention among the several Europeans who roamed Africa in the late 19th century.

He is the quintessential “great white hunter,” a charming gentleman explorer with piercing blue eyes and a distinctive grey slouch hat. He was most likely the model for Rider Haggard’s fictional Allan Quatermaine, as well as a number of other idealized heroes, including Indiana Jones.

A Man of His Era

The seemingly never-ending parade of blood and gore in his books, the joy with which he recounts the deaths of numerous elephants and rhinos, the mass slaughter of Africa’s giants for ivory and horn, and the frequent portrayal of the various African people as Kafirs may make us shudder today.

All of these are unacceptable to (the majority of) contemporary sensibilities. The massacre seems inextricably linked to a guy who has given one of Africa’s biggest game reserves its name. He was also one of the pioneers of conserving wildlife.

However, the bravery, the otherness, and of course, the ivory were all embraced by the Victorian people! He became a superstar as a result. Nevertheless, he should not be recognized for his shooting prowess or daring. The fact that he could slaughter animals was only one aspect of this complicated character. It is truly necessary to travel back in time and put Selous in a completely different world in order to comprehend him and the significant influence he had on Africa and safari history.

His Formative Years

Frederick Courteney Selous was born in London on December 31, 1851, to well-educated and affluent parents. His mother was a published poet, while his father served as chairman of the London Stock Exchange. However, Frederick was captivated by the exploits of explorers like David Livingstone from a young age and became obsessed with the prospect of traveling to Africa to pursue a career as a hunter.

He was there by 1872, seeking a concession to hunt elephants in front of Ndebele King Lobengula. The choice to allow Selous to freely explore his territory was disastrous, even though the king shouted with laughter at the stripling. The king was quickly shown to be mistaken. Selous quickly made a name for himself as one of the most successful and resilient European hunters to ever set foot in Africa.

He also gained a deep understanding of the Ndebele nation. Later, when Cecil Rhodes engaged him to head the pioneer column north, that information changed everything. It was 1890. to settle in what would eventually become Rhodesia. And that ultimately resulted in Lobengula’s death and the end of his rule.

A Practical Manual

Selous’ combination of intelligence, talent, and charisma served as his passport to success and wealth throughout his life. Europeans began migrating to Africa in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The continent went into a development frenzy. There was a shortage of qualified individuals who could plan excursions, serve as guides, and were conversant in the local languages and geography.

Selous threw in his lot with Cecil Rhodes, a fervent supporter of the colonial project. He was still used by Rhodes as a guide for engineering projects, researching potential routes for railroads and roads. Alongside Robert Baden-Powell, he served as a troop scout during the infamous Matabele Rebellions. as well as the notorious Jameson Raid.

He went on to become one of the first hunt guides to work professionally. Rich wannabes went on safari in East Africa with him in hopes of seeing an elephant or lion. He established the modern safari industry. Despite not planning Teddy Roosevelt’s 1908–1910 great safari, he accompanied the president on his hunting and travels. along with numerous other wealthy celebrities.

A Scientist’s Man

Selous wrote that “each year elephants were becoming scarcer and wilder south of the Zambezi, so that it had become impossible to make a living by hunting at all” in 1881 after noticing that there were fewer and fewer great tuskers available. Shortly after, he started discussing game conservation as a way to prevent the extinction of species.

His notebooks were detailed. Additionally, he documented new species, documenting his travels and discoveries and publicizing them in books, talks, and papers. He gave the British Museum’s Natural History department more than 5,000 plants and animals.

Since its opening in 1881, a bust of him has remained in the entrance of Kensington, London’s Natural History Museum. For his 20 years of surveying, he received the Founder’s Medal of the Royal Geographical Society in 1893. Additionally, he was chosen as an Associate Member of President Roosevelt’s conservation-focused Boone and Crockett Club in 1902.

An elderly soldier

At the age of 64, Selous reenlisted in the army at the start of World War I. He was promoted to Captain in the 25th (Frontiersmen) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, and the following year he received the DSO. A German sniper shot him in the head on January 4, 1917. This happened during a battle on the Rufiji River near Behobeho.

He passed away right away. A plain stone and brass plaque marks his grave, which is located beneath a tamarind tree close to the scene of his death. It begins with “CAPTAIN F.C. SELOUS D.S.O., 25TH ROYAL FUSILIERS, KILLED IN ACTION 4.1.17.” It is located in Tanzania’s Selous Nature Reserve, close to Kisaki.

Numerous Married

In England, Frederick Courteney Selous left behind three boys and a wife, Marie. The next year, one was slain in East Africa. However, in accordance with tribal tradition, he had also wed three African women. With them, he had at least three children, whom he educated in South Africa under false identities. This part of his will was ruled invalid even though he gave them a sizable estate in Rhodesia. as well as the property that the white colonial government had taken.

The Legacy of Selous

Streets, animals, such as the Selous mongoose (Paracynictis selousi) and a subspecies of the African Sitatunga antelope (Tragelaphus spekii selousi), and firearms have all been named after Frederick Courteney Selous. German gunmaker Blaser and Italian gunmaker Perugini Visini have both named hunting rifles after Selous. Prior to their dissolution in 1980, the Selous Scouts were the dreaded Rhodesian special forces, which are comparable to the SAS.

However, Tanzania’s expansive Selous Game Reserve, which is now Nyerere National Park, may be the most fitting legacy of all. virgin bush covering 54,600 km  (21,100 sq mi). is one of Africa’s most abundant wildlife reserves, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A large portion of it is still reserved for carefully managed hunting, while the remainder is used for picture safaris. This balance is likely to please the elderly gentleman.

Perhaps Roosevelt should have the last word, as he wrote after learning of Frederick Courteney Selous’s passing:

With the ideal balance of environment and society, he enjoyed an exceptionally exciting and adventurous existence. He contributed to the expansion of his people’s territory. He significantly increased human interest and knowledge. By giving his life in battle for his nation and serving her with courage and effectiveness, he ended his life exactly how such a life should be ended. Who wouldn’t want to leave a more honorable legacy for his family and his country, or hope for a better life or death?