Chapter XI: Notes on the Giraffe

Appearance of the giraffe--Not a vanishing species--Immense
range--Habitat--Native mounted hunters--Destruction of giraffes
and other game by Europeans--Necessity of restraining native
hunters--Discussion as to the possibility of the giraffe existing
for long periods without drinking--Water-conserving tubers--Wild
water-melons--Habits of elephants after much persecution--Possible
explanation of the belief that giraffes can dispense with
water--Giraffes seen in the act of drinking--Giraffes absolutely
voiceless--Partial to open, park-like country--Difficult
to approach on foot--Giraffes very keen-scented--Hunting
giraffes with Bushmen trackers--Exhilarating sport--Pace of
the giraffe--The easiest way to kill giraffes--Driving wounded
giraffes to camp--Two curious experiences with giraffes--"Stink
bulls"--Excellence of the meat of a fat giraffe cow--Height of
giraffes--Giraffes only occasionally killed by lions--Young
giraffe attacked by leopards Pages 205-221

CHAPTER XII

A JOURNEY TO AMATONGALAND IN SEARCH OF INYALA

The inyala, a rare and beautiful animal--Seldom shot by
Englishmen--Account of, by Mr. Baldwin--Further observations
of, by the Hon. W. H. Drummond--Inyala-shooting and fever
almost synonymous--Distribution of the inyala--Curious antelope
shot by Captain Faulkner--Start on journey in search of
inyalas--Reach Delagoa Bay--Meet Mr. Wissels--Voyage to the
Maputa river--Depredations of locusts--Elephants still found
in the Matuta district--A quick run up the river--Reach Bella
Vista--Talk with Portuguese officer--Hippopotamuses seen--Change
of weather--Longman engages four lady porters--Start for
Mr. Wissels's station--Sleep at Amatonga kraal--Description
of people--Cross the Maputa river--Reedbuck shot--Rainy
weather--Reach Mr. Wissels's station Pages 222-238

CHAPTER XIII

A JOURNEY TO AMATONGALAND (_concluded_)

Receive information concerning the haunts of the inyala--Heavy
thunderstorm--Start for Gugawi's kraal--Cross the Usutu
river--Reach Gugawi's--Go out hunting--Crested guinea-fowl
seen--Two inyalas shot--Angas's description of the inyala
antelope--Inyala skins prepared for mounting--Now safe in
Natural History Museum--A third inyala shot--One missed--Move
farther up the Usutu river--Country denuded of game--Bushbucks
scarce--Hippopotamuses in river--Heavy thunderstorm--Two more male
inyalas shot--Start on return journey to Delagoa Bay--Tedious
journey--Intense heat--End of trip--Slight attacks of fever
Pages 239-253

CHAPTER XIV

NOTES ON THE GEMSBUCK

Number of African antelopes--The eland--Roan and sable antelopes--The
greater koodoo--Other antelopes--The gemsbuck--Limited
range--Habitat--Keen sight--Speed and endurance--Chase
after four gemsbucks--Two shot--Sight of vultures--Oxen
frightened--Horse wounded by lioness--Gemsbuck bull shot--Visit
from natives--Gemsbuck and zebras--Gemsbucks ridden to a
standstill--Fine specimens shot--Length of horns--Character of the
gemsbuck--Probably unaffected by the rinderpest--Likely to survive
for long time Pages 254-269

CHAPTER XV

SOME CURIOUS HUNTING EXPERIENCES

Contrast between Rhodesia to-day and long ago--The old days the
best--White rhinoceroses and elephants drinking--A night on the
Sikumi river--Abundance of big game--A white rhinoceros visits my
camp--My queerest experience--Meet with two black rhinoceroses--A
near approach--Rhinoceros knocked down--Apparently dead--Commence
to cut it up--Rhinoceros regains consciousness--Gets on its
legs--And runs off--Another curious experience--Buffaloes and
tse-tse flies--Meeting with lioness--Hammer of rifle lost--Bushmen
sent in search of it--Lions met with--Lion and lioness stand close
to me--The chance of a lifetime--Rifle misses fire--Lions run
off--Lion again seen--Rifle useless--Throw it at the lion--The
irony of fate Pages 270-282

CHAPTER XVI

FURTHER CURIOUS HUNTING EXPERIENCES

Travelling through the wilderness--Find deep pool of water--Meet
with two tsessebe antelopes--Shoot them both--Cover one
of them with dry grass to keep off vultures--Ride back to
waggon--Return to pool of water--Find tsessebe antelope
gone--Never recovered--Journey to Bamangwato--Gemsbuck seen--Stalk
spoilt--Long, stern chase--Gemsbuck wounded--Lost through glare of
setting sun--Wildebeest seen--Return to waggon--Arrival of Count
von Schweinitz--Lost gemsbuck found--Two hartebeests shot
Pages 283-292

CHAPTER XVII

INCIDENTS OF A JOURNEY THROUGH THE NORTHERN KALAHARI

Southern Rhodesia--Country farther west still a primeval
wilderness--Seldom traversed by white men--Scarcity of
water--Remarkable rain-storm--Porcupine flooded out--Every hollow
filled with water--All game in good condition--Many varieties
encountered--Large herd of elephants--Four large bulls--Wariness
of elephants--Lions roaring near camp--Search for them on
the following morning--Large male seen and chased into thick
bush--Successful encounter with a second male Pages 293-301

CHAPTER XVIII

THE LAST OF SOUTH AFRICA'S GAME HAUNTS

Decrease of game in South Africa--Journey from Mashunaland to the
East African coast--Find country full of game--Elephants--Great
herds of buffaloes--Five old bulls--Bushbucks--Other antelopes
and zebras--Curiosity of the latter animals--Wart-hogs, bush-pigs,
and hippopotamuses--Numbers of carnivorous animals--Three lions
seen--Fine male wounded, and subsequently killed Pages 302-311

CHAPTER XIX

HOW I SPENT CHRISTMAS DAY 1879

Travelling through the desert--Large number of bullocks--Long
distances between permanent waters--Heavy sand--Start for
Mahakabi--Intense heat--Sufferings of the poor oxen--No water
at Mahakabi--Search for water with Bushmen guides--Another
disappointment--Ride all night--Reach the Luali river--Bullocks
lost--Dick's account of the catastrophe--Fear the worst--Ride to
Shoshong for assistance--Return to Klabala--Meet wagons
Pages 312-327