54 FIND HIM. [chap. ii. 



86 bore), but loaded with steel-pointed bullets, I 

 was afraid of losing all chance of a shot if I wasted 

 time by returning to the cart and gettiag a larger gun, 

 and therefore I went on, as much for the pot as the 

 sport. After four hours' travel, during which I had 

 kept a couple of miles in front of the rest of the party, 

 so as to be well away from the sound of the whip and 

 of the men's talking, the tracks turned sharp to the 

 right, up a broad ascent, which there led out of the 

 river, and in the middle of this, among some bushes, 

 and under a camelthorn tree stood my first giraffe. 

 I took immediate advantage of a bush, and galloped 

 mider its cover as hard as I could pelt, and was within 

 one hundi-ed yards before the animal was fairly off. 

 I galloped on, but she was almost as fast as I, and the 

 bushes, which she trampled cleverly through, annoyed 

 my horse extremely ; I therefore reined up, and gave 

 her a bullet in her quarter, which handicapped her 

 heavily, and took some three miles an houi' out of her 

 speed. Again I galloped, loading as I went, but 

 excessively embarrassed by the bushes, and fired 

 again, whilst galloping, at thii-ty yards' distance, and 

 I believe missed the animal. The riding at that time 

 was really difficult, and my horse sliied very much. 

 Again I loaded, but my horse was becoming blown, 

 and I rode parallel to the beast, intending to overtake 

 and confront her. There was a watercourse in the 

 way, quite jumpable, but my poor beast made a mess 

 of it, and chested the opposite side ; yet I somehow 

 got him over, and then rode with all the skill I could. 

 At last I steadily gained on the giraffe, then beat her, 



