The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1877-04-19
BEo-TiaIc STORIES.
ABouT HUNTING THE GIRAFFE.


One time Mr.. Barnum wanted a giraffe
for hts big sbow-a real live giraffe, not
a stuffed fellow with glass eye, like the
one be carted round last year. And so
be hired an Englishman, who was great
! hunter OF all sorts of foreiga animals, 10
go to Africa and see If he could catch
one alive. The hunter got together
everything he wanted aud started.
ln about two months he came to the
country where the girsffes live-a beau.
J tiful land ii is too, where il Is never
cold, aud there are palm trees, and all
SORTS OF birds, and monkeys, parrots,
leopards, aud lions, and where the woods
] are like big animal show without any
cages. The hunter soon found negro
, village, where the natives said they knew
all about the girafles. But they only
griuned aud shook their wooley heads
when he told them he wanted one alive I,
! aud one of them ran very fast, with great
long steps, and then stopped and kicked
up his heels which was his way of tell
ing the hunter how The giraffe acted.
But be had brought along swift horse,
and some long, stout slip.noose lassos,
besides his guns and dogs, aud said he d
show 'em how to hunt.
J So the next day be started out with six
or eight negro hunters to help him. They
trotted along by the river bank for few
miles, till they came to the woods where
the girailes were feeding, and pretty
soon saw two big fellows, about fourteen
feet tall, browsing or the tops OF the
young trees, whose tender leaves they
. like.
The hunter knew he couldn't get at
them without being seen, because the gi-
ratfes have very large, full eye, and can
see on all sides, and even back of himself
-as he needs to keep out OF the way Of
lions and leopards. So he called 10 the
negroes 10 follow, aud rode right at the
giraties, with his slip-noose coiled up in
his hand They can run as fast as
horse; but those bad never seen horse
before, aud didn't know what to make of
it. So, as they stood looking, the hunter
rode up within about fifty feet, and let
fly his lasso 1t went right over the
short, stout horns of one of them, and he
pulled it tight.
So, ho! can't catch giraffe2 said he.
Just look and see what an Englishman
can do.
But in about minute he wished he
was back in England, or somewhere else |;
for he had fastened one end of bis lssso
TO Lis horses saddle, and as the giraffe
started to run he pulled the horse
toward him, and then all of a sudden he
wheeled and let fly his two bind legs,
aud kicked the horse smack in the breast.
The blow sent horse and hunter rolling
in the sand; The lasso broke, and away
went the giraffe at 2:40 gait into the
Woods.
All the natives sci up chatter Of
/
make keys for piano. Bat the hunter
was pucky, aud wasn't TO be stopped 50
though be said The beast was Ihe oug
est-range kicker he ever saw, aud had
mnre than II torly-mne power in his
legs. lie Iimped back TO the village, aud
said he'd try again
SO next day he tixcl up four long las.
SOS, aud took only three Of the beat VA
tive hunters with him for what he called
still hunt. lie got sight Of four or five
more girailes, and watched them till
they went TO lay down TOR the night.
Then, when IL was nearly dark, be told
the negroes to follow him, and do just as
he did. So they all crawled carefully on
their hands and knees after him, aud
went so slow aud still that even the deer
could hardly hear them.
The giraffe lies down, you know, very
! like a csmel-wilh bis fore legs sticking
out. The hunter told one Of the negroes
to take one leg, and he would the other,
when they got near enongh, and slip
lssso over ii, aud wind the other end
around tree They both did IL at the
same time. Aud when the giraffe went
TO Jump up, As lie felt the rope tighten,
he found be nAd bat Two legs TO stand on
I for the men jerked bic hind legs out
from under him, and lee bin down ker
slap on the gronnd Ile snoried sud
paved, and Jumped up and fell down til
be was tired out; bat the ropes were
strong, and held him fast
They watched him all night, and IL ibe
morning threw him some iresh grass 20
eat. but be was 30 mad and scared iiiai
| be wouldn't eat any all day. The nex
day the hunter agtied tbs ropes from tie
I tree, and had i've Or six negroes take
bold ofeach one, while be started 10
tame the giraffe. As long as be walked
along quietly The men followed him with
rspes but the minute he started TO Fau
or Kick, they would AZ pui together, aud
down Mr. Giraffe would go into The
sand. tic soon got siek Of this, aud gave
up tie fight They drove aud led him
10 the village, aud coATed bin iato
cage with come food that be liked very
much, and then they drew him down,
put him aboard ship, and brought him