98 THROUGH GASA LAND. 



be remembered, the pursuer's mount is not a 

 thoroughbred horse. 



But it is time to follow the quarry. In a hundred 

 and fifty yards one of the giraffes was found across the 

 path dead. Both Dillon and self claimed the game, 

 but it was discovered that it had received two bullets, 

 each well placed, about fifteen inches behind the 

 shoulder and a third of the way up from the brisket 

 to the withers. Spooring the remainder of the 

 coterie was child's play for Umpiqua, as the 

 frightened beasts had still kept to the beaten game 

 path, and over it their slipper-resembling tread was 

 apparent. In a few moments more another victim 

 was descried which had left the herd, and seemed 

 to be objectlessly wandering about, while over a 

 neighbouring- swell in the veldt the remainder of the 

 drove disappeared ; all going strong and apparently 

 uninjured. The death of the poor creature that 

 was left behind was cruel work. It was apparently 

 dazed, so there was no difficulty in approaching it, 

 but for all this it took five shots before its towering 

 head was lowered to the earth. At length a 

 shudder and a heavy sigh told that life had departed ; 

 till that moment the victim had not even emitted 

 a groan. The mute appealing eyes that gazed so 

 steadfastly at its destroyers struck me with remorse ; 

 for several hours after its death I could not divest 

 myself of its reproachful look. How different in 

 this respect is the death of a buffalo, for, as long as 



