22 
ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA 
CHAP. 
by her calf, the bull being some distance behind ; and when 
about one hundred yards from her I stood and examined her 
and her mate’s horns through my glass, but decided they were 
not worth coveting. When we got within about fifty yards, she 
started straight for us at a sharp trot. I waited until she had 
come on to within about half the distance, and then, as she 
still made dead for me, who was in front, I confess I did not 
care to await passively the further progress of the experiment, 
so gave her a bullet in the face, which turned her off at a 
gallop. I was really sorry to have to hurt her, but as the 
ground was perfectly open, with not a stick to dodge behind if 
she had run amuck among us, she might have got foul of 
some one (we were four) and done damage. I don’t know 
whether this was a bona-fide charge or not; if I had waited 
longer she might have turned off of her own accord when she 
was satisfied what we really were, but I disliked so close an 
inspection. 
Another day I came back to this plain to try to get a shot 
at the ostriches. I failed to get near them, but, while trying, 
a giraffe came towards me — apparently not seeing me or 
mistaking me for something harmless ; so I sat still till it had 
walked a little past, some 150 yards off, so that the solid bullet 
I sent into its ribs from my little Gibbs .450 might travel 
forward. It galloped violently for about 200 yards, and then, 
after staggering a little, plunged head first, its hind-quarters 
curiously standing up for a second or two after its neck was 
on the ground. It is not often one has the chance of seeing 
a giraffe fall plainly, as they are generally shot among bush. 
More often they, like most animals, fall backwards when 
mortally wounded. 
I left my men cutting up the giraffe, and carrying my two 
guns myself, like Robinson Crusoe (I can’t say I admire his 
plan), I directed my steps towards camp, old Papa with a load 
of meat for himself alone following me. But before arriving 
at the stream I saw a herd of oryx away to the right, grazing 
