II FIRST GIRAFFES SEEN 19 



of hartebeests, and, wounding one, had a long chase 

 after it, but eventually lost it in the thick wood, which 

 was very awkward to ride through. After this we 

 took a course that we imagined to be parallel to the 

 waggon track, and rode steadily forward till about 

 two hours after mid-day, when, not having seen any 

 more game, we turned our horses' heads eastwards 

 and made for the road, which we hoped to reach in a 

 couple of hours or so. 



We had ridden in this direction for perhaps ten 

 minutes, when suddenly we descried in the distance, 

 their heads appearing amongst the tops of the trees, a 

 fine herd of giraffes, the first Dorehill and I had ever 

 seen in a wild state. We at once started in eager 

 pursuit, hoping to secure some fine fat steaks for 

 supper, as giraffes are splendid eating and usually in 

 good condition, and fat is a luxury that no one can 

 properly appreciate till he has lived for a time on 

 nothing but the dry meat of the smaller antelopes. 



The giraffes, about twenty in number, came up 

 wind, looking splendid, with their tails twisted up 

 over their backs like corkscrews, and we at once 

 galloped obliquely towards them, and managed to 

 make up a good deal of ground. They have a most 

 peculiar gait — a sort of gallop, their hind legs being 

 straddled out at each step and coming (one on each 

 side) in front of the fore legs. If you only look at 

 their bodies and necks from behind, they appear to be 

 sailing or gliding along without making any movement 

 at all. They get over the ground, however, at a great 

 rate, and it requires a good horse to run one down. 

 The great thing is to press them to their utmost speed 

 at first, when, if fat, they soon get blown and can be 

 ridden into, and, if the wind is favourable, driven for 

 miles right up to one's waggons just like an ox or an 



