Zane Grey

Ken Ward in the Jungle Zane Grey

It was indeed a change for Ken Ward, young forester, pitcher of the varsity nine at school, andhunter of lions in the Arizona cañons. Here he was entering the jungle of the tropics. The rifles andthe camp outfit on the seat beside his brother Hal and himself spoke of coming adventures. Beforethem lay an unknown wilderness--the semi-tropical jungle. And the future was to show that themystery of the jungle was stranger even than their imaginings. It was not love of adventure alone or interest in the strange new forest growths that had drawnKen to the jungle. His uncle, the one who had gotten Ken letters from the Forestry Department atWashington, had been proud of Ken's Arizona achievements. This uncle was a member of theAmerican Geographical Society and a fellow of the New York Museum of Natural History. Hewanted Ken to try his hand at field work in the jungle of Mexico, and if that was successful, then toexplore the ruined cities of wild Yucatan. If Ken made good as an explorer his reward was to be atrip to Equatorial Africa after big game. And of course that trip meant opportunity to see Englandand France, and, what meant more to Ken, a chance to see the great forests of Germany, whereforestry had been carried on for three hundred years.