428 
AFRICAN HUNTING. 
hunting, I at length sighted one giraffe-cow, going at 
a slapping gallop a long way ahead over a villanous 
country covered with scrub bush; but Ferus at 
length managed to get up to her. I was doing all I 
knew to head the giraffe from a thick forest of 
makolani trees, and she strained every nerve and 
sinew to gain her point. Ferus was going splendidly, 
and fifty yards more must have finished the business, 
as I was then not more than eighty yards off, when 
over and over he rolled in a hole, like a rabbit shot at 
full speed, and I, standing up in my stirrups leaning far 
forward, was shot a prodigious distance, clear out of 
all harm’s way. I was on my legs in a minute, but my 
gun barrels were so covered with dust and old dead 
roots of grass, which we had managed to tear up, 
that I could not see the sight. I rapidly gave my 
gun a brush with the cuff of my coat and shouldered 
her again. The giraffe was at least 200 yards off, and 
I struck her with both barrels, the first within an inch 
of the hip-bone, the second through the fleshy part of 
her off hind leg, but without doing her any injury. I 
fully calculated on a walk back, but, for a wonder, 
I managed to recapture my nag. I took up the 
spoor, and found the giraffe lying dead less than a 
mile off. 
11 th [Sunday).—Matibele [a Fountain). — Got 
here yesterday, after a journey of three days 
from Qualeba, smoking hot and dog-tired, and I 
vowed over and over again that nothing but sheer 
necessity should ever compel me to come again to 
