io 4 BIG GAME SHOOTING 



upon the back and shoulders. The flesh of a youngish, 

 well-grown cow, fat and in good condition, is first- 

 rate eating, tasting like good veal with a distinctly 

 game-like flavour. The bulls become very strong 

 with age, and the flesh is quite uneatable by 

 Europeans. All these animals have a strong musk- 

 like scent, and a horse unused to them is often so 

 scared as to bolt clean away from the pursuit. 



The enormous marrow bones of a giraffe are the 

 luxury of South African hunters, and, roasted over a 

 fire of embers, and sawn in half, form a bonne bouche 

 fit to be set before princes. The skin of this animal 

 is in great demand all over Africa. Natives use it 

 largely for making sandals, and in South Africa, even 

 far up country, ^4 or ^5 is readily obtainable for a 

 good hide, which cuts up into scores of sjamboks and 

 the thongs of waggon whips. It is an unfortunate 

 fact that hundreds of giraffes are annually slaughtered 

 for these base purposes. 



I have touched upon the methods of hunting 

 these animals, but it ought always to be remembered 

 by every true sportsman that these rare and beautiful 

 creatures are becoming year by year more scarce in 

 Africa, and in due process of time must, it is to be 

 feared, become extinct. It may be necessary to pro- 

 cure specimens now and again, or to obtain a supply 

 of absolutely necessary meat for the camp ; beyond 

 these requirements giraffe ought to be shot in very 

 sparing fashion. After the keen excitement of the 

 first few days' sport with these animals and I am 

 bound to say that a giraffe hunt on horseback is one 



