Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-07-21
Capture Of Two Girafes.
ARRIVAL OF ONE IN THIS COUNTRY


on saturday last brought a splendid
specimen OF a giraffe, which was cap
tured by the celebrated African hunt
er, VIM. E. Clayton, the agent of Van
Amburgh & Co.
The following extract from a let
ter written ~ Mr. Clayton describ,
ing the capture OF this remarkable
and beautiful animal, will he read
with interest:
"FEBRUARY, 10. 1868.
"% : : < We had been several
days without meat, and | had sent
John with two Kafirs in the bcno
that they might knock over an Eland
a Koodoo or a Sassayby, but thew
came up to where l had outspanned
having killed nothing.
"a cup of coffee and some hard
tack were made to take the pIace of
more substantial fare, and mounting
my grey gelding Talbee, / started out
In quest Of giraffe, the spoor of
which we had observed the preceding
evening.
ave had not ridden far before we
met six Kafirs, who informed US that
they had seen fresh Spoor some
four miles in another direction. We
Immediately turned off and soon came
upon the opoor, which we followed for
about six miles, over rocks, bolders
and through thorns, which tore our
flesh end sometimes almost barred
our progress, climbing the heights and
scanning the country round in hopes
| OF getting glimpse of the game we
were in pursuit Of At last, on reach
ing the summit of an eminence high
er than the rest, | caught sight of a
herd OF seven or eight Of them, at a
distance of about five hundred yards.
and as [ called to my Kaffirs to come
up, the animals broke away at a ire
mendous speed, as if impeIled by the
widest fear
Away | went after them, at a full
swinging gallop, over rocks, stones,
through brake and bush, until | arriv-
ed within some thirty yards Of them,
when my horse suddenly stopped,
trembling in every limb, as if alarmed
at the appearance of the huge and
Strengthening creatures, which he
had caught sight of for the first time.
Il urged him, however, with whip
and spur, aud got him once more IN
der way. l selected from the herd a
bull and COW, as being finer than the
rest and giving hasty directions to the
hafhrs who had come up by this time.
we rode them at full speed, and in
the course Of half an hour succeeded
In getting the pair separated from the
rest CT the herd and after d long chase.
during which | had more than once
un5lung my rife, with the intention
LOT stopping him with a ball-despair-
ling of being able to threw my laSso.
L succeeded in getting close, when
suddenly they both turned off into
the thick bush, into which my horse
obstinately refused to follow them
My kaffirs, however, managed to
penetrate the thOrny mass. and in a
few moments the bull came bounding
out within a few feet Of me. l was
prepared for him, and casting my las
so, succeeded in fastening him. by the
neck almost close down to his should
er8, and at once making fast to the
pommel Of my saddle, stopped Tai
bee suddenly, bringing the bull at
once to his launches, and John CON-
ing up just in the nick of time, cast
his rope in such manner as to com
pletely hobble his forefeet.
meanwhile tn e shouts of the
kaffirS indicated that they had been
equally successful in capturing the
COW, and before night we had the pair
safely corralled.
"lt was some days before either of
them became in any degree resigned
to their confinement, refusing to eat
and striking out with their feet in &
most vindictive manner whenever any
: one approached them. The bull held
, out the longest, but eventually kline
treatment and hunger, as they are
! naturally Of a kind disposition, brought
both of them to subsection, and We
, were enabled to halter and lead then
at pleasure.
: They will be shipped from Cape
I Town about the middle Of next mouth
: | think they are the finest pair l evel
saw, standing at least twelve fee
high.
The vessel upon which they wer,
+ shipped made the voyage from Cap,
J Town to Liverpool in one hundr eC
and twenty days. During the voyage
one Of the giraffes died, but the Other
; was safely landed at, Liverpool anC
+ reshipped on board the Hansa fol
New York, where it arrived on Satur
; day last, and whence it was immedia
tely sent to Boston and is now on ex
e hibiEion with Van Amburgh's d Com
1t pany's Great Golden Menagerie.
e Is by far the finest ever brought t.
i America.
: The New York Citizen democratic,
q is already making provisions for tn
d forthcoming democratic defeat.
IS says: