OVERHAULING THE GIRAFFES.
a peculiarly heavy appearance to the. shoulders, much
heightened by a large and stiff black mane like that of
a hog-maned horse. I have a pair of horns in my
possession that I obtained through the assistance of a
lion, who killed the maharif while drinking near my
tent; unfortunately,; the skin was torn to pieces, and
the horns and skull were all that, remained. .
: Failing, as usual, in my . endeavours to obtain a shot,
I made a considerable circuit, and shortly observed the
tall heads of giraffes towering over the low mimosas.
There is no animal in nature .so picturesque in his
native; haunts as the giraffe. His. fpod consists of the
leaves of trees, some qualities forming special attractions,
especially the varieties of the mimosa, which,
being low, permit an extensive view to his telescopic
eyes. He has a great objection to high forests. The
immense height of the giraffe gives him a, peculiar
advantage, as he can command an extraordinary range
of vision, and thereby be warned against the approach
of his two great enemies, man and the lion. No animal
is more difficult to stalk than the giraffe, and the most
certain method of hunting is that pursued by the Hamran
Arabs, on the frontiers of Abyssinia, who ride him down
and hamstring him with the broadsword at full gallop.
A good h o r s e is required,; as, although the gait of a
giraffe' appears excessively awkward from the fact of