GIRAFFES 



back a man with a message to my headman, telling 

 him to strike camp and make his way here without 

 loss of time. I had now been on the move since 

 five o'clock, and since it was too far and too hot to 

 go back with a messenger to camp, I decided to do 

 without lunch, as I had nothing with me, and rest 

 here. So, stretching out my saddle blankets in the 

 cool shade of one of the enormous trees that over- 

 hung the pool, I lay down and was soon asleep, and 

 did not wake ag-ain till two o'clock. 



After a pipe and a drink of water I set out once 

 more, although the heat was intense. Old elephant 

 tracks were numerous, and giraffes' spoor, fresh and 

 otherwise, crossed our path in every direction. The 

 country here is indeed beautiful ; in the rich pasture- 

 lands there are conifers and mimosas to afford pleasant 

 resting-places, while there is plenty of water and less 

 moisture in the atmosphere, probably because the 

 altitude is some 200 odd feet above sea-level. After 

 marchinor for a little over two hours I came across a 

 troop of twelve giraffes quietly feeding on the green 

 leaves of a mimosa tree. I got up quite close and 

 watched them for half an hour. As luck would have 

 it, I had finished the last plate in my camera, so I 

 again could not photograph them ; suddenly there 

 was a slight puff of wind from behind, a startled 

 movement among the giraffes, and they were off at 

 their curious undulating gallop, and w^ere soon 

 swallowed up in the bush. On my way back to 

 camp I shot a couple of francolin and a dik-dik, so I 

 was well off for food. On my return to the water- 

 hole I found the camels had just arrived ; within an 

 hour I had had a most refreshing bath, and sat down 

 with a ravenous appetite to an excellent dinner. 

 H 113 



