CRESTED PARROT GIRAFFE SHOT. 59 



a small clump of trees hard by, and, tumbling off the animal, 

 remained for some time in a state of almost total unconscious- 

 ness. When at last I recovered from this stupor, the heat 

 was less, and a gentle breeze having sprung up, I was able 

 slowly to proceed. My head, however, ached intolerably. 



The usual result of a coup de soleil is known to be either 

 almost instantaneous death, or an affection of the brain for 

 life. In my case I expected nothing short of the latter in- 

 fliction. Happily, however, after about several months daily 

 suffering I was thoroughly restored, and in time I could brave 

 heat and fatigue as well as any native. 



Having followed the course of the Swakop for some days, 

 we struck into one of its tributaries called Tjobis. At the 

 mouth of this stream we met, for the first time, with a vast 

 number of Guinea-fowls, which we afterward found very 

 common throughout the country. We also made acquaint- 

 ance with one or two species of toucans ; and I succeeded, at 

 last, in obtaining several specimens of the parrot-looking 

 birds of which mention has lately been made. They were 

 the chizoerhis concolor of Doctor Smith. 



After many hours of fatiguing travel we met Galton, who 

 had ridden on in advance. His face beamed with delight 

 while announcing to us that he had just killed a fine giraffe. 

 The news was most welcome to every one ; for, to say noth- 

 ing of the prospect of a feast, the heat of the sun and the 

 heavy nature of the ground made us all feel exceedingly 

 weaiy, and we were, therefore, extremely glad of a pretext 

 to take some repose. 



The mules were forthwith unharnessed, and all hands 

 were put in requisition to cut up our prize and to "jerk" the 

 meat ; but this proved lean and tough. 



The bones, however, of the giraffe contain a great deal of 

 marrow, which, when properly prepared, is eaten with gusto 

 by every one, and even when in a raw state is sometimes 

 greedily devoured by the natives. 



