If I could have given him his life back I
think I should have done so. I thought it a great pity that such
splendid animals, so well adapted for the service of man in Africa,
could not be converted to some other use than that of food.
Horses, mules, and donkeys died in these sickly regions; but what
a blessing for Africa would it be if we could tame the giraffes and
zebras for the use of explorers and traders! Mounted on a zebra,
a man would be enabled to reach Ujiji in one month from Bagamoyo;
whereas it took me over seven months to travel that distance!
The dead giraffe measured 16 feet 9 inches from his right fore-hoof
to the top of his head, and was one of the largest size, though
some have been found to measure over 17 feet. He was spotted all
over with large black, nearly round, patches.
I left Khamisi in charge of the dead beast, while I returned to
camp to send off men to cut it up, and convey the meat to our
village. But Khamisi climbed a tree for fear of the lions, and the
vultures settled on it, so that when the men arrived on the spot,
the eyes, the tongue, and a great part of the posteriors were eaten
up.
