MY FIRST GIRAFFES 



257 



the numerous deep water-channels, mostly with perpendicular 

 sides hollowed out of the laterite soil. He brought down, how- 

 ever, five Mpala antelopes and one gazelle Thomsoni. Whilst 

 cutting up some of his game Count Teleki told two of his men 

 to follow the course of one of these streams and try and find a 

 suitable crossing-place. They came back almost directly with 

 the news that they had come upon a lion tearing a zebra to 

 pieces. The Count hastened at once to the spot and found 

 the headless corpse of the zebra, but the lion was gone. His 

 footprints could be clearly seen, however, and were promptly 

 followed up. They led to a portion of one of the ravines over 

 which the lion had evidently sprung, dropping his booty how- 

 ever, for the zebra's head lay on this side. The stream where 

 the lion took his leap was nearly 11 yards broad by some 22 

 deep, and the sides were quite perpendicular. 



The second afternoon of our stay here I, too, went hunt- 

 ting, choosing the direction of the wood, as, whether I was 

 lucky as a sportsman or not, I was sure of plenty to interest 

 me. And for a long time I watched the various creatures, 

 coming close now to a mother antelope with her young, 

 now to a pair of antelopes, without any idea of spoiling the idyll 

 with a shot. I did not give hunting a thought till a great 

 yellowish-brown creature suddenly came in sight at a distance 

 of some eighty paces. 



It was a giraffe, but I was so taken by surprise at seeing 

 it so near to me, and so far from the steppes these shy 

 creatures generally haunt, that I could not at first believe my 

 eyes. I crept cautiously nearer so as to get a good view of the 

 body and choose the best point at which to aim. The giraffe, 

 a splendid full-grown male, did not budge, but went on feeding 

 on the tender topmost leaves of an acacia, without the slightest 

 suspicion of danger. Never had I had a chance before of any- 

 thing but a flying shot at one of these noble animals, and my 

 VOL. I. S 



