94 RHINO AND GIRAFFES [ch. iv 



— the giraffe is a browsing and not a grazing animal. 

 The leaves, buds, and twigs of the mimosas or thorn- 

 trees form its customary food. Its extraordinary height 

 enables it to bring into play to the best possible ad- 

 vantage its noteworthy powers of vision, and no animal 

 is harder to approach unseen. Again and again I have 

 made it out a mile off, or rather have seen it a mile off 

 when it was pointed out to me, and looking at it 

 through my glasses, would see that it was gazing 

 steadily at us. It is a striking-looking animal and 

 handsome in its way, but its length of leg and neck and 

 sloping back make it appear awkward even at rest. 

 When alarmed it may go off at a long swinging pace or 

 walk, but if really frightened it strikes into a peculiar 

 gallop or canter. The tail is cocked and twisted, and 

 the huge hind-legs are thrown forward well to the out- 

 side of the fore-legs. The movements seem deliberate, 

 and the giraffe does not appear to be going at a fast 

 pace, but if it has any start a horse must gallop hard to 

 overtake it. When it starts on this gait, the neck may 

 be dropped forward at a sharp angle with the straight 

 line of the deep chest, and the big head be thrust in 

 advance. They are defenceless things, and, though they 

 may kick at a man who incautiously comes within 

 reach, they are in no way dangerous. 



The following day I again rode out with Captain 

 Slatter. During the morning we saw nothing except 

 the ordinary game, and we lunched on a hill-top, ten 

 miles distant from camp, under a huge fig-tree with 

 spreading branches and thick, deep -green foliage. 

 Throughout the time we were taking lunch a herd of 

 zebras watched us from near by, standing motionless 

 with their ears pricked forward, their beautifully striped 

 bodies showing finely in the sunlight. We scanned the 



