172 
AFRICAN HUNTING. 
the air as the horse’s back. I had lots of chances 
to dismount, but had no command of my nag, his 
mouth was dead ; but there was not a sign of flagging 
about him. I steered him close alongside on the 
near side, held out my gun in one hand, within .two 
yards of the giraffe’s shoulder, and fired. The gun 
shot over my head, and nearly broke my middle 
finger, and down came the giraffe, with a tremendous 
crash, with his shoulder smashed to atoms. I must 
have had a desperately heavy charge of powder in, 
as I loaded at random. 
Bryan was as still as a post instantly, and I lost not 
a moment in off-saddling him, ere I inspected my first 
