HUNING THE GIRAFFE. 436 



Dy this h iavy calamity, I remounted my jaded beast, and one more 

 effort brought me ahead of my wearied victim, which stood still and 

 allowed me to approach In vain did I now attempt to bind my frac- 

 tured rifle with a pocket-handkerchief, in order to admit of my ad- 

 ministering the coup de grace. The guard was so contracted that, 

 in the tantalizing phantasies of a night-mare, the hammer could not 

 be brought down upon the nipple. In vain I looked around for a 

 stone, and sought in every pocket for my knife, with which either to 

 strike the copper-cap and bring about ignition, or hamstring the co- 

 lossal but harmless animal, by whose towering side I appeared the 

 veriest pigmy in the creation. Alas ! I had lent it to the Hotten- 

 tots to cut off the head of the hartebeeste, and, after a hopeless search 

 in tho remotest corners, each hand was withdrawn empty. Vainly 

 did I then wait for the tardy and rebellious villians to come to my 

 assistance, making the welkin ring, and my throat tingle with reite 

 rated shouts. Not a soul appeared, and in a few minutes the giraffe, 

 having recovered his wind, and being only slightly wounded on the 

 hind-quarters, shuffled his long legs, twisted his bushy tail over his 

 back, walked a few steps, then broke into a gallop, and, diving into 

 the mazes of the forest, presently disappeared from my sight. Dis- 

 appointed and annoyed at my discomfiture, I returned toward the 

 wagons, now eight miles' distant, and on my way overtook the Hot- 

 tentots, who, pipe in mouth, were leisurely strolling home, with an 

 air of total indifference as to my proceedings, having come to the 

 conclusion that " Sir, could not fung de kameel" (catch the giraffe,) 

 for which reason they did not think it worth while to follow me, as 

 I had directed. Two days after this catastrophe, having advanced 

 to the Tolaan River, we again took the field, accompanied by the whole 

 of the male inhabitants of three large kraals, in addition to those that 

 had accompanied us from the last encampment. The country had 

 now become undulating, extensive mimosa groves occupying all the 

 valley as well as the banks of the Tolaan winding among them, on 

 its way to join Vbe Mariqua. Before we had proceeded many hun- 

 dred yards, our progress was opposed by a rhinocer )s, who looked in 

 defiance, hut quickly took the hint we gave him to get out of the 

 way. Two fat elands had been pointed out at the verge of the copw 



