SEPT. 28 THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 621 
!itearjr Stistclktiji, 
SURPRISE OF A GIKAFFE BY A LION. 
In the hot, low countries of tropical Central 
Africa which are covered with the luxuriant 
growth of thorny Acacias, are found In small 
herds or families those peculiar ruminating ani¬ 
mals whose wonderful appearance astonished the 
ancients. 
Horace called them, not unjustly, a mixture of 
Africa, paid great attention to this beautiful and 
most peculiar animal, and learned to know Its 
gentleness and harmlessness. They named the 
animal “Pscbcraf ”the “loveable,” the “gentle,” 
and from this comes our Giraffe. 
The airaffo is essentially a forest animal, as In 
consequence of its hlght and Its peculiar form It 
Is not able to feed on grasses, but lives principal¬ 
ly on the leaves of trees, and especially those of 
the thorny Acacia. 
In the Cape countries one kind of Acacia Is 
called the Camel-thorn because the Giraffe, the 
Camel of the Boers, lores best to feed on it. 
In the unexplored portions of the Acaclan for- 
shoulders, seizes Its neck, and tries to pull It down. 
The poor giraffe collects Its whole power now 
and endeavors, with desperate springs, to release 
itself from the persecutor on its back, as shown 
in our illustration. The other giraffes of the herd 
fly In terror, and the victim of the lion, after 
fruitless jumping and heavy loss of blood, yields, 
and Is devoured by the lion and his whelps, who 
are as eager for the tine, delicate flesh of the 
giraffe as are the native tribes of Africa. 
The English hunters also kill them In great 
numbers for tbe simple gratification of tbelr love 
of sport, and the animal which used to he In herds 
of 40 or 50 Is now rapidly disappearing. 
military requirements which depended on the 
inbred qualities of the Russian soldier were brll 
Uantly carried out; hut where knowledge and 
preparation were demanded we were not equal 
to the task. It was probably for this reason that 
we felt so much hurt on reading of the boldness 
of Lord Beaconsftcld, wbo doubtless reckoned on 
the superior culture of Englishmen to that of 
Russians. 
“ All classos of Russian society are responsible 
for this; we do not estimate culture and knowl¬ 
edge at their true value. Mo3t of us say that 
mental work does not bring money, and that cul¬ 
ture Is a means of corruption. * * * In West- 
A GIRAFFE SUKFKISED BY A LYON. 
Camel and Leopard, whence tbe Romans have 
given thorn the uamcof Camelopardusor Camelo- 
pardalts. The animal appeared for the flrst time 
In Rome in the triumphal proepssion of victorious 
proconauls returning homo from Africa. Then It 
was placed In the menageries of the rich, and 
later It took pari In the bloody contests of tho 
arena, where the Romans took great delight In 
exposing him to the attacks or lions and other 
wild beasts. 
In regard to his habits of life the Romans con¬ 
cerned themselves hut little. On the other hand 
in) Arabs, the later ooaquerora aud settlers of 
ests the giraffe lives In herds of from s to 10 , and 
often more, and knows well bow to protect Itself 
agalust moat of Us foes, for It overlooks every¬ 
thing with Its high head, and guards a large cir¬ 
cle with Its acute senses of sight and smell. 
Ita only dreaded enemy is the lion, the klug of 
the forest who, when In his wanderings he dis¬ 
covers a herd of giraffes, calls Into action alt hts 
craft., cunning and perseverance, In order to make 
a prey of some of the herd. The Hon succeeds In 
this by aid Of the shelter afforded him by the 
thickets and from concealment, springs upon the 
doomed beast, strikes his powerful claws into Its 
RUSSIA AFTER THE TREATY. 
It Is felt that Russia has not attained her ob¬ 
ject, that she has been deceived by her friends, 
and that she has foolishly helped her enemies 
with her victories. * * ♦ What is the reason 
of our failure ? One-half per cent, of our popu¬ 
lation have perished In the war, hundreds of 
millions have been expended, and yet the East¬ 
ern question la not solved and tbe treaty of Ber¬ 
lin is merely a truce. The last war has clearly 
shown our national peculiarities as well as our 
moraijland material strength, • • *• All the 
ern Europe, on the other hand, people have ar¬ 
rived by hard experience at the conviction that 
intelligence, capacity, culture and energy bring 
men to the Trout, and give them peace at home 
and power abroad. It Is tbe knowledge of how 
to make the best possible use of their energy and 
abilities that, has enabled the English to derive 
| success from our victories and sacrifices. May 
this be a warning to us•r?a» Golan. 
The Moscow correspondent of the Cologne Ga¬ 
zette says that it is the general opinion In Rus¬ 
sia, that vndei present circumstances a reduction 
of tho army would not be desirable, as such.a 
