In Wildest Africa, Vol. 2 by C. G. Schillings

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In Wildest Africa, Vol. 2 by C. G. Schillings

(3 User reviews) 534

By Ella Huang Posted on Mar 30, 2026

In Category - Pioneer History

Authors: Schillings, C. G. (Carl Georg), 1865-1921 Published By : Schillings, C. G. (Carl Georg), 1865-1921

Book Language: English

Hey, have you ever wondered what it was really like to explore Africa before smartphones, before tourism, before anyone had really mapped it? Forget the dry history books. This is your ticket. 'In Wildest Africa, Vol. 2' isn't a novel—it's the real, unfiltered diary of a man named Carl Schillings, a German explorer and photographer who spent years there around 1900. The main conflict isn't a single villain; it's the daily, heart-pounding struggle between man and an untamed world. Think sweltering heat, charging elephants, and nights filled with the roars of unseen lions. He's not just hunting animals; he's hunting for the perfect photograph with these huge, clunky cameras, which is a wild adventure in itself. This book pulls you right into the dust and danger. You feel the tension of every close call and the awe of seeing landscapes no European had ever captured on film. It's raw, it's gritty, and it will make your own life feel incredibly safe and quiet by comparison.

File: In Wildest Africa, Vol. 2 by C. G. Schillings

Let's set the scene: it's the turn of the 20th century. The African continent is still largely a mystery to the Western world, a place of legend and fear. Carl Schillings isn't a soldier or a colonist looking to conquer; he's an explorer and one of the earliest wildlife photographers, armed with a rifle and a massive, fragile camera. 'In Wildest Africa, Vol. 2' is his firsthand account of what he saw and survived.

The Story

There isn't a traditional plot with a beginning, middle, and end. Instead, Schillings takes us on a series of expeditions. We follow him as he tracks herds of elephants across vast plains, navigates treacherous rivers swarming with hippos and crocodiles, and sets up camp in the deep bush. Each chapter is a new challenge: a tense standoff with a wounded buffalo, the logistical nightmare of developing glass plate photographs in the humid wilderness, or the simple, exhausting battle against disease and the elements. The 'characters' are the animals and the land itself—magnificent, unpredictable, and often deadly.

Why You Should Read It

This book is a time capsule. Reading it, you get a sense of adventure that's simply impossible to have today. Schillings's perspective is a product of his time, which means some of his attitudes will feel dated, and that's part of what makes it so fascinating. It's not a polished, modern nature documentary. It's messy, personal, and thrillingly immediate. You feel his frustration when a perfect shot is ruined, his genuine fear during an attack, and his profound respect for the animals he both hunted and sought to preserve on film. It’s this complicated mix of action and observation that hooked me.

Final Verdict

Perfect for anyone who loves true adventure stories, early travel writing, or the history of wildlife conservation and photography. If you enjoyed the spirit of books like 'The Lost City of Z' or just love imagining yourself in another, wilder time, you'll be glued to these pages. It's not a fast-paced thriller, but a steady, captivating immersion into a world that's gone forever. Just be prepared for some tense moments and a lot of dust in your imagination.