170 
HUNTING IN THE SOTIK [ch. viii 
ahead on the tranquil sorrel, heading for a point toward 
which the giraffe were walking. Stalking was an im¬ 
possibility, and I was prepared either to manoeuvre for 
a shot on foot or to ride them, as circumstances might 
determine. I carried the little Springfield, being desirous 
of testing the small, solid, sharp-pointed army bullet on 
the big beasts. As I rode, a wildebeest bull played 
around me within two hundred yards, prancing, flourish¬ 
ing his tail, tossing his head, and uttering his grunting 
bellow. It almost seemed as if he knew I would not 
shoot at him, or as if for the moment he had been 
infected with the absurd tameness which the giraffe 
showed. 
There were seven giraffes, a medium-sized bull, four 
cows, and two young ones; and, funnily enough, the 
young ones were by far the shyest and most suspicious. 
I did not want to kill a bull unless it was exceptionally 
large; whereas I did want two cows and a young one 
for the Museum. When quarter of a mile away I dis¬ 
mounted, threw the reins over Tranquillity’s head-— 
whereat the good placid old fellow at once began 
grazing—and walked diagonally toward the biggest 
cow, which was ahead of the others. The tall, hand¬ 
some, ungainly creatures were nothing like as shy as 
the smaller game had shown themselves that morning, 
and, of course, they offered such big targets that three 
hundred yards was a fair range for them. At two 
hundred and sixty yards I fired at the big cow as she 
stood almost facing me, twisting and curling her tail. 
The bullet struck fair, and she was off at a hurried, 
clumsy gallop. I gave her another bullet, but it was 
not necessary, and down she went. The second cow, a 
fine young heifer, was now cantering across my front, 
and with two more shots I got her, the sharp-pointed 
