238 
AFRICAN HUNTING. 
to my disgust, that he was not the least blown, and 
lie ate and rolled instantly, nothing in the world being 
amiss with him. 
To-day I mounted Broon, a big, powerful, sixteen 
hands’ horse, of a different stamp altogether, and 
bagged a fine cow giraffe, the first shot, after a chase 
of about 1,000 yards, the pace being tremendous. 
John, an excellent rider, and by no means badly 
mounted, could not live the pace, and was thrown 
very far out. Giraffe hunting is very fine sport, 
but they are shy and wild here, and it is seldom 
you can come within 500 or 600 yards of them 
before they are away, but they do not put on the 
steam until you get within about sixty, when they 
screw their tails and tear away at a tremendous pace. 
They are all neck and legs, having very short backs, 
but a fat cow is really delicious eating. 
I struck yesterday, twice in succession, with a 
single ball, a yokeskey, a bit of wood 12 inches long 
by If inches broad, which I had stuck into the 
ground 120 yards off. My Hottentots were in ecsta- 
cies, applauding me most highly, and prognosticating 
all manner of success to me. I was obliged to bring 
out the brandy, and they managed to get rather more 
than was good for them, but a Tottie, half-seas over, 
is the most amusing fellow in the world ; they are all 
first-rate mimics, and John, who was formerly in the 
Cape Corps, and servant to Sir Harry Smith, made me 
cry with laughing at his anecdotes of the Governor. 
The weather at this season of the year, and a little 
