262 



GIRAFFE HUNTING. 



alter their habits from those they practised when in a 

 wild state. 



In no representative of the animal creation is this 

 better exemplified than in the ostrich ; confine it, 

 familiarize it with mankind, and the most timid of 

 all living creatures becomes the boldest and most 

 obtrusive. I may even use stronger terms, and say 

 the most dangerous. 



A trifle over 300 yards separated me from the 

 game. I intended riding under the most promising 

 circumstances, so I took an extra pull at the girths, 

 shortened the stirrup leathers a hole, threw my 

 cheroot away, and got well down in my saddle. 

 ''Ready, William.^" "Yes, baas." "I'll take the 

 largest cow, you anything else you like, but if you 

 value a whole skin, don't come nv ' me." " Yes, 

 baas.^' " Then ride, and the devil take the hindmost." 



By this time the game had seen us, and commenced 

 sailing off with that swinging, easy, yet far from 

 graceful gait peculiar to their race. The moment 

 the giraffes saw that we intended ^mischief — in fact, 

 recognized that we were in pursuit of them — they at 

 once increased their stride, and in a few minutes 

 after were going their very best. My mount was in 

 rare heart and fettle, even a pull upon his bit to 

 steady him and keep him within his stride was 

 violently resisted, while the going, although not equal 

 to that of an English racecourse, was galloping ground 

 not often to be found in South Africa. My double 

 lo-bore was the only impediment to my pleasure, 

 for its weight and awkward shape required both skill 

 and ability to keep it from bumping upon my saddle- 

 tree, and thereby bruising my knuckles. But in 

 the excitement you think little of these things, the 

 paramount feeling being to get alongside your game, 

 and that as rapidly as possible. There was but 

 sparse brush, and seldom any of it of such a height 

 as to switch your face, but when this did occur, gun 



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