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 
11th, 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 indecd 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 go level a 
