276 BIG GAME SHOOTING 
scruples, but on account of its causing a rash, a kind of herpes, 
of a most irritating nature to break out upon them. My 
head gun-bearer, Ramazan, and some of the porters once 
suffered for a fortnight after eating the meat of the first giraffe 
I shot, when there had been no other meat in camp for three 
or four days previously. He assured me that it is a well-known ~ 
fact that it affects some men and not others. 
The meat of the lesser kudu also affects certain constitutions 
only, but in a different way, as it acts as a salivant, and causes 
great pain in the mouth and gums. Several times my tent-boy, 
Sadala, was unable to eat anything but a little rice for some 
days after eating the meat of this beast. I mention these 
facts solely to induce sportstnen to avoid shooting these 
beautiful beasts (except as trophies) when meat is required 
for the men and other game is to be obtained. The marrow- 
bones of a giraffe, which are considered by some epicure 
sportsmen to be the greatest delicacy in Africa, not excepting 
elephant’s heart, I have always found ‘very inferior to those 
of the eland, or even the buffalo. 
Amongst the places where I have seen the giraffe in fair 
numbers are the caravan routes between Vanga and Teita, 
especially at Adda and Kisagao, and between Ndara in Teita, 
and Nzoi in Ukambani, particularly near Ndi, Mto Ndai, 
and Mto Chumvi. In 1887 the open bush and sparsely mi- 
mosa-wooded country just outside Taveta forest, on the road 
to Langora, was a sure find for these stately beasts. 
Unless giraffes are found in ground fairly well wooded with 
mimosa and other trees, with also a fair undergrowth of bush, 
there is little chance of approaching to within range of them ; 
but if found in such covert, and not too-much scattered, the 
stalker, by dodging from bush to bush and by being careful to 
keep the thickly foliaged crown of a mimosaor other tree between 
the beast and himself, ought with ordinary care to have little 
difficulty in getting a shot. If an Express rifle is used on these 
beasts, it must only be with solid bullets, as their hide is very 
thick and tough. Personally I prefer an 8-bore. 
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