"-r- 



236 



GIRAFFE HUNTING, 



It was a grand sight to see this collection of the 

 most beautiful specimens of animal life wheel round us 

 to get the wind, and then start in one long, unbroken 

 line for new pastures. The bounds that the spring- 

 bok make, and from which it no doubt derives its 

 name, are assuredly marvellous, how high they go 

 is difficult to say — possibly eight or nine feet — but 

 their bounds are always full of grace, and that is set 

 off to additional advantage by its beautiful fawn- 

 coloured coat, abundantly interspersed with the 

 purest milk-white markings. The oribi is also a 

 famous jumper, but its favourite haunts are more 

 towards the ocean-girt margin of this rich and grand 

 continent. 



While I was admiring this seldom witnessed sight, 

 one of the Griquas disturbed my reverie by exclaim- 

 ing that he had seen a lion down in the low land 

 which the game had just deserted, far from an unlikely 

 circumstance, for the two necessaries of his majesty's 

 life were near at hand, viz., food and water, both to 

 be obtained without exertion. So we had a helter- 

 skelter gallop to where the big cat had last been 

 observed, but our search was unavailing, although I 

 have no doubt the brute was in our immediate 

 vicinity, from the great caution and evident alarm 

 that our horses displayed when pushed into the brush 

 from the open country. 



These freebooters have an extraordinary gift of 

 secreting themselves, even in situations where such 

 would be deemed impossible. However, if I had had 

 my dogs with me, we should have made it warm for 

 the gentleman. An instance was told me by a 

 countryman, who had gone up into Zoutspansberg 

 with the express desire of shooting a lion, as these 

 animals re reported numerous in that province of 

 the Transvaal. He found all kinds of game abun- 

 dant except the species he sought for, so he informed 

 his Boer host, after a residence of some weeks, that 



