A GIRAFFE CHASE. 231 



through forests in which their spoor was abundant, our 



eyes had not yet been gifted with a sight of " Tootla" 

 himself; it was therefore with indescribable pleasure 

 that, on the evening of the 11th, I beheld a troop of 

 these interesting animals. 



Our breakfast being finished, I resumed my journey 

 through an endless gray forest of cameel-dorn and other 

 trees, the country 'slightly undulating and grass abund- 

 ant. A little before the sun went down my driver re- 

 marked to me, " I was just going to say, sir, that that 

 old tree was a camelopard." On looking where he 

 pointed, I saw that the old tree was indeed a camelo- 

 pard, and, on casting my eyes a little to the right, I be- 

 held a troop of them standing looking at us, their heads 

 actually towering above the trees of the forest. It was 

 imprudent to commence a chase at such a late hour, 

 especially in a country of so level a character, where 

 the chances were against my being able to regain my 

 wagons that night. I, however, resolved to chance ev- 

 ery thing ; and directing my men to catch and saddle 

 Colesberg, I proceeded in haste to buckle on my shoot- 

 ing-belt and spurs, and in two minutes I was in the 

 saddle. The giraffes stood looking at the wagons un- 

 til I was within sixty yards of them, when, galloping* 

 round a thick bushy tree, under cover of which I had 

 ridden, I suddenly beheld a sight the most astounding 

 that a sportsman's eye can encounter. Before me stood 

 a troop of ten colossal giraffes, the majority of which 

 were from seventeen to eighteen feet high. On behold- 

 ing me they at once made off, twisting their long tails 

 over their backs, making a loud switching noise with ■ 

 them, and cantered along at an easy pace, which, how- 

 ever, obliged Colesberg to put his best foot foremost to 

 keep up with them, 



