SIGNS OF THE GIRAFFE. 
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CHAPTER IX. 
Enter the Hamadah — Home of the Giraffe — Water of Chidugulah — 
Turtles — Cool Wind — Jerboahs — Centre of the Sahara — New- 
year's Eve — Cold Weather — Birds of Prey — Soudan Date — 
Burs — Animals on the Plateau — Young Ostrich — The Tholukh- 
tree — Severe Cold — Eleven Ostriches — Termination of the 
Desert — Inasamet — The Tagama — Purchases — People begin 
to improve — Fruit of the Lote-tree — Village roofed with Skins — 
Vast Plain — Horses — Approach Damerghou — Village of 
Gumrek — Rough Customers — Wars of the Kilgris and Kailouees 
— A small Lake — Guinea-hens — Vultures — Party of Huntsmen. 
Dec. 29th. — About five hours after we started, the 
route opened into a bond fide hamadah. All around 
us stretched a limitless plain. Our course lay 
always south, and we journeyed ten hours, with sand 
in the evening. 
Yesterday I had observed a few footmarks of the 
giraffe, but to-day they were everywhere visible. 
They were double, as this animal does not move its 
feet one after another, like the camel or the horse, 
but two of its feet together, or simultaneously. We 
saw the footprints of young as well as old ones. 
This plateau is the real home of the giraffe. No 
