should have been observed. I therefore determined
to make a great circuit of about five miles, and
thus to approach them from above, with the advantage
of the broken ground for stalking. It was
the perfection of uneven country: by clambering
broken cliffs, wading shoulder-deep through muddy
gullies, sliding down the steep ravines, and winding
through narrow bottoms of high grass and mimosas
for about two hours, during which we disturbed
many superb nellut (Ant. strepsiceros), and tetel
(Ant. Bubalis), we at length arrived at the point
of the high table-land, upon the verge of which I
had first noticed the giraffes with the telescope.'
Almost immediately I distinguished the tall neck of
one of these splendid -animals about half a mile distant
upon my left, a little below the table-land; it
was feeding on the bushes, and I quickly discovered
several others near the leader of the herd. I was
not far enough advanced in the circuit that I had
intended to bring me exactly above them, therefore I
turned sharp to my right, intending to make a short
half circle, and to arrive on the leeward side of the
herd, as I was now to windward : this I fortunately
completed, but I had marked a thick bush as my
point of cover, and upon arrival I found that the
herd had fed down wind, and that I was within
two hundred yards of the great bull sentinel that,
having moved from his former position, was now
standing directly before me. I laid down quietly behind
the bush with my two followers, and anxiously
watched the great leader, momentarily expecting
that it would get my wind. It was shortly joined
by two others, and I perceived the heads of several
giraffes lower down the incline, that were now feed-
ing. on their way to the higher ground. The seroot
fly was teasing them, and I remarked that several
birds were fluttering about their heads, sometimes
perching upon their noses and catching the fly that
attacked their nostrils, while the giraffes appeared
relieved by their attentions—these were a peculiar
species of bird that attacks the domestic animals,
and not only relieves them of vermin,, but eats into
the flesh, and establishes dangerous sores. A puff
of wind now gently fanned the back of my neck ;
it was cool and delightful, but no sooner did I feel
the refreshing breeze than I knew it would convey
our scent direct to the giraffes. A few seconds
afterwards, the: three, grand obelisks threw their
heads still higher in the air, and fixing their
great black eyes upon the spot from which the
danger came, they remained as motionless as though
carved from stone. From their great height they
could see over the bush behind which we were lying
at some, paces distant, and although I do not think
they. could distinguish us to be men, they could
see enough to convince them of hidden enemies.
“ The attitude of fixed attention and surprise of
the three giraffes was sufficient warning for the rest of
the herd, who immediately filed up from the lower
ground, and joined their comrades. All now halted,