THE STORY OF THE GIRAFFE. 
One of the most curious sights I ever witnessed was a giraffe drinking. 
It was on the edge of Kalahari Desert in South Africa. I had gone into 
camp near a stream, and while my men were preparing the evening meal, I 
was reclining near a clump' of bushes, enjoying my pipe—a Boer fashion of 
smoking before meals, as well as after—when I heard a noise near the stream 
below me. Looking in that direction I saw a pair of full grown young 
giraffes that had stopped at the edge of the stream and were preparing to 
drink. 
Although they have such long necks they are not long enough to reach 
the ground when the giraffe is standing in an ordinary position. 
The male giraffe placed one forefoot slightly in front of the other and 
then began straddling his forelegs wide apart. Little by little with a jerky 
motion he spread his legs until they were far enough apart to enable him to 
reach the water, but he made three attempts before he was successful. He 
was such a comical sight that I burst out laughing. They heard me, looked 
up and saw me, and then took to their heels. 
My native men had told me that the giraffe never drinks, but I knew 
then that they were mistaken. It is certain, however, that the giraffes of 
the North Kalahari Desert will go from seven to eight months without 
water. 
The giraffe is the tallest, most gracefm and one of the most remarkable 
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