274 AFRICA SPEAKS 



them make a sound, and inquiry among hunters and 

 the native boys also indicated the giraffe to be incapable 

 of any utterance. He is able to hve for great lengths of 

 time without water; in fact, can abstain from drinking 

 longer than a camel. He undoubtedly obtains a great 

 deal of moisture in the form of dew which collects on 

 the leaves on which he browses, but regardless of 

 whether or not he secures enough hquid in this way, 

 it is a well-known fact that in semiarid country where 

 lions are a menace at the infrequent water holes, he 

 will stay away for great periods of time, for when he 

 does go to drink, it is necessary for him to spread his 

 forelegs in order to bring his mouth to the water. 

 When standing in this awkward position, he is more 

 or less at the mercy of a lurking lion, which could 

 easily pounce upon him, breaking his neck before it 

 would be possible to regain his feet and seek safety 

 in flight. 



When out on the open plain, his keen eyes can spot 

 the approach of enemies from a great distance. It is 

 difficult to detect him when standing motionless among 

 the thorn trees, his spotted body blending into the 

 surroundings so perfectly that, unless he moves, you 

 are likely to pass him by. I found it was much easier 

 to locate giraffe by looking for their heads above the 

 tops of the trees, for although their bodies remained 

 stationary, their heads often moved and betrayed 

 their presence. 



To me they are the most interesting of the harmless 

 animals, and I cannot picture a scene of Africa without 

 including a few of these strange left-overs from the 

 dim past dotting the landscape or silhouetted against 

 the sky. 



