2 THB GIRAFFE. 



were two of them at Rome), I imagine its drawing, and a 

 more certain knowledge of its reality, will not be disagree- 

 able to you. As the existence of this fine animal has been 

 doubted by many, if you think it may afford any pleasure to 

 the curious, you will make what use of it you please.'' He 

 goes on to say, that a party of men sent by the Governor of 

 the Cape of Good Hope on an inland discovery, found two 

 of these creatures ; but they caught only the young one, from 

 which the drawing was taken, and the skin of which was sent 

 to Holland "as a confirmation of the fact.*" 



Ten years after this announcement of the actual existence 

 of the giraffe, the skin of a fine male specimen was brought 

 to this country by Lieut. Paterson, by whom it had been 

 shot in the interior of Caffraria. This skin was presented to 

 the celebrated John Hunter, and still forms part of his col- 

 lection preserved at the Royal College of Surgeons f. It was 

 the first example of the remains of the camelopardalis ever 

 brought into England, and excited the greatest interest at 

 the time. Since that period, however, fresh specimens have 

 been rapidly added to the different European collections of 

 Natural History, the results of exploratory journeys in the 

 interior of Africa effected by modern zeal and enterprise ; 

 but it was only within a very few years that the habits and 

 gait of this extraordinary species could in modern Europe be 

 again contemplated in the living animal. 



The Pasha of Egypt having learnt that the Arabs of the 

 province of Sennaar in Nubia had succeeded in bringing up 

 two young giraffes with camel's milk, caused them to be 

 brought to Cairo ; and after resting for three months in his 

 gardens, to prepare them for a journey of greater difficulty 

 and hazard, they were embarked in boats and conveyed down 

 the Nile to Alexandria, where they were consigned to the 

 English and French consuls, as presents from the Pasha to 

 their respective sovereigns. 



These young giraffes were both females ; but as there was 

 some difference in their size, the consuls of each nation drew 

 lots for them, when the shortest and weakest fell to the lot of 

 England. The giraffe J destined for our sovereign was con- 

 veyed to Malta under the charge of two Arabs, and was from 

 thence forwarded to London in a merchant vessel, and arrived 

 on the 11th of August 1827- The animal was conveyed to 

 Windsor two days after in a spacious caravan, and was lodged 



* Phil. Trans, vol. lx. f Paterson's Travels in Africa, p. 12/. 



. X A minute and interesting account of the arrival and conveyance of 

 this giraffe may be found in the Literary Gazette, August 23rd, 1827- 



