THE FIRST GIRAFFE HUNT. 563 



patterns, yet altogether so resembling the bark as to be 

 invisible to the passing observer. 



In like manner, among quadrupeds I have traced a corres- 

 ponding analogy; for, even in the case of the stupendous 

 elephant, the ashy color of his hide so corresponds with the 

 gray, thorny jungles which he frequents throughout the day, 

 that a person unaccustomed to hunting elephants, standing 

 on a commanding situation, might look down upon a herd 

 and fail to detect their presence. 



And further, in the case of the giraffe, which is invariably 

 met with among venerable forests, where innumerable blasted 

 and weather-beaten trunks and stems occur, I have repeatedly 

 been in doubt as to the presence of a troop of them until I 

 had recourse to my spy-glass ; and on referring the case to 

 my savage attendants, I have known even their optics to fail, 

 at one time even mistaking these dilapidated trunks for 

 camelopards, and again confounding real camelopards with 

 these aged veterans of the forest. 



Although we had now been travelling many days through 

 the country of the giraffe, and had marched through forests 

 in which their spoor was abundant, our eyes had not yet 

 been gifted with a sight of " Tootla" himself; it was there- 

 fore with indescribable pleasure that, on the evening of the 

 11 th, I beheld a troop of these interesting animals. 



Our breakfast being finished, I resumed my journey 

 through an endless gray forest of cameel-dorn and other 

 trees, the country slightly undulating, and grass abundant. 

 A little before the sun went down my driver remarked to 

 me, " I was just going to say, sir, that that old tree was a 

 camelopard." On looking where he pointed, I saw that the 

 old tree was indeed a camelopard; and, on casting my eyes 

 a little to the right, I beheld a troop of them standing 

 looking at us, their heads actually towering above the trees 

 of the forest. It was imprudent to commence a chase at 

 such a late hour, especially in a country of so level a 



