It Was Impossible To Obtain A
Favourable Wind, Without Exposing Ourselves Upon Flat Ground,
Where We Should Have Been Immediately Perceived; I Therefore
Arranged That My Men Should Make A Long Circuit And Drive The
Giraffe, While I Would Endeavour To Intercept It.
This plan
failed; but shortly after the attempt, I observed a herd of about
a hundred of these splendid creatures, browsing on the mimosas
about half a mile distant.
For upwards of three hours I employed
every artifice to obtain a shot, but to no purpose, as upon my
approach to within a quarter of a mile, they invariably chose
open ground, leaving a sentry posted behind the herd, while two
or three kept a look-out well in advance. No animal is so
difficult to approach as the giraffe; however, by great patience
and caution, I succeeded in reaching a long and deep ravine, by
which I hoped to arrive within a close shot, as many of the herd
were standing upon the level table-ground, from which this
natural trench suddenly descended. I believe I should have
arrived within fifty yards of the herd by this admirable
approach, had it not been for the unlucky chance that brought me
vis-a-vis with two tetel, that by galloping off attracted the
attention of the giraffes. To add to my misfortune, after a long
and tedious crawl on hands and knees up the narrow amid steep
extremity of the gully, just as I raised my head above the edge
of the table land, expecting to see the giraffes within fifty
paces, I found three gazelles feeding within ten yards of me,
while three magnificent giraffes were standing about a hundred
and fifty yards distant.
* This faithful black, a native of the White Nile regions,
subsequently became my servant, and, for four years
accompanied us honestly and courageously through all
our difficulties to the Albert N'yanza.
"Off bounded the gazelles the instant that we were perceived;
they of course gave the alarm immediately, and away went the
giraffes; but I took a quick shot at the great leader as he
turned to the right, and he staggered a few paces and fell
headlong into the bush. Hurrah for the Ceylon No. 10!--however,
neither the second barrel, nor a shot with the Manton 2-ounce,
produced any effect. It was a glorious sight to see the herd of
upwards of a hundred of these superb animals close up at the
alarm of the shots, and pelt away in a dense body through the
dark green mimosa bush that hardly reached to their shoulders;
but pursuit was useless. My giraffe was not quite dead, and, the
throat having been cut by the Arabs and Richarn, we attempted to
flay our game; this was simply impossible. The seroot fly was in
swarms about the carcase, thousands were buzzing about our ears
and biting like bull-dogs: the blood was streaming from our
necks, and, as I wore no sleeves, my naked arms suffered
terribly.
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