96 RHINO AND GIRAFFES [ch. it 



The giraffe was going straight away and it was a long 

 shot, at four or five hundred yards ; but by good luck 

 the bullet broke its back and down it came. The others 

 were now getting over the crest of the hill, but the big 

 one was evidently sick, and we called and beckoned to 

 the two saises to hurry up wdth the horses. The 

 moment they arrived we jumped on, and Captain Slatter 

 cantered up a neighbouring hill so as to mark the 

 direction in which the giraffes went if T lost sight of 

 them. Meanwhile I rode full speed after the giant 

 quarry. I was on the tranquil sorrel, the horse I much 

 preferred in riding down game of any kind, because he 

 had a fair turn of speed, and yet was good about letting 

 me get on and off. As soon as I reached the hill-crest 

 I saw the giraffes ahead of me, not as far off as I had 

 feared, and I raced toward them without regard to 

 rotten ground and wart-hog holes. The wounded one 

 lagged behind, but when I got near he put on a spurt, 

 and as I thought I was close enough I leaped off, throw- 

 ing the reins over the sorrel's head, and opened fire. 

 Down w^ent the big bull, and I thought my task was 

 done. But as I w^ent back to mount the sorrel he 

 struggled to his feet again and disappeared after his 

 companion among the trees, which M^ere thicker here, as 

 we had reached the bottom of the valley. So I tore 

 after him again, and in a minute came to a dry water- 

 course. Scrambling into and out of this, I saw the 

 giraffes ahead of me just beginning the ascent of the 

 opposite slope ; and touching the horse Math the spur, I 

 flew after the wounded bull. This time I made up my 

 mind I would get up close enough ; but Tranquillity 

 did not quite like the look of the thing ahead of him. 

 He did not refuse to come up to the giraffe, but he 

 evidently felt that, with such an object close by and 



