A F RICA. 263 
This commencement appeared to me no 
favourable omen. My people had fpoken of 
nothing but pleafure in hunting the giraffe. 
According to their account, it would be no more 
than play to me ; yet I found confiderable 
difficulty in it. This, however, was not the 
moft vexatious idea to me at the moment. 
Our chace had feparat^d us from each other, 
and from the camp. By my eftimaticn I 
could not be lefs than five long leagues from 
it; and, to alarm me the more, the giraffe 
having made various turnings and windings 
in his flight, 1 could not tell what courfe to 
fteer to regain it. It was noon. I began to 
feel the calls of hunger and thirfl: ; and I was 
alone on a parched foil, expofed to a fervid 
fun, without the leaft flielter againft its heat, 
or provifion to fatisfy my wants. 
My horfe, panting for breath, was fo jaded 
as to be of no fervice to me. I could do no- 
thing, therefore, but remain where I was, 
waiting till fome of my people, uneafy at my 
ab fence, fliould come in fearch of me. But 
at fuch a diftancej without means of knowing 
where I was, how could I hope that they 
woyld find me ? I fired off m.y fufee a few 
S 4 timcv^ 
