73 



CHAPTER XIV. 



GIRAFFES. 



As I had anticipated, my friends, who had gone in 

 search of their wounded game, returned unsuccess- 

 ful, so we sought the camp where we had passed 

 the previous adventurous night, and had a tolerably- 

 quiet time. 



After an early breakfast T started for home, 

 taking for several miles the dry bed of the river for 

 my route. If you desire to learn how well your pre- 

 serves are stocked in foreign wild lands, this is 

 always an excellent plan. Before proceeding far I 

 saw a pair of leopards, probably the same that I 

 came across yesterday. The beautiful creatures 

 were having a most wonderful game of romps, in 

 which, at times, they seemed to deal rather roughly 

 with each other. I would fain have shot one, but 

 they were far too clever to let me get within range. 

 Jim says they are man and wife ; I should imagine 

 sweethearts, or else the lady would scarcely be so 

 coy, or the swain so patient. Further on I found a 

 splendid pool, not more than forty feet square, very 

 deep and clear as crystal. I imagine, it is fed from 

 springs at the bottom. Whether or not, it abounded 

 with fish of a pound or two in weight, and which are 



