THE GIRAFFE AND OKAPI 99 



speed, judgment of pace, riding capacity, and an 

 eye for country have to be employed. 



Giraffes in their quieter paces, striding quietly 

 about their native forests, or moving from one 

 feeding-ground to another, seem to progress at no 

 very great rate of speed. Even when they have 

 discovered the hunter's proximity, and begin to 

 shuffle off with those long, easy strides of theirs, 

 the newcomer into their country is inclined to 

 greatly misjudge their pace. Yet even at this 

 quiet, shuffling walk they are, with those long, 

 stilt -like legs of theirs, going far faster than 

 they appear to be, and the mounted man, setting 

 his horse to a canter, finds himself even then not 

 gaining upon them. Now he puts in spurs and 

 forces his pony to the gallop, and the giraffes in 

 their turn begin to put on steam ; quitting their 

 fast, striding walk, they break into a strange, cum- 

 brous, bounding gallop, in which the hind legs are 

 widely extended, the long neck swings up and down 

 like a pendulum ; the thick, black tail, twisted up 

 over the stern, switches rapidly round and round ; 

 and the tall form rocks and sways in a manner that 

 reminds one irresistibly of a ship labouring upon a 

 heavy sea. The spectacle is an extraordinary one, 

 even if only a small troop say six or eight is in 

 front of the rider. Big troops are not often met 

 with in these days ; but I remember once in the 

 Northern Kalahari having a herd of nineteen of 

 these great creatures flying thus in front of myself 

 and my native after-rider, and the sight was truly 



VOL. II H 



