, 1885-10-14
GIRAFFE HUNTING.
AHuNTlNe PARTY MOUNTED ON THE
sWIFTEST DRoMEDARles.
Riding B~areback-Tbe Hunters Frugal
Fare Desperate. Frantic Chase
Securing the - Danger ON
Horsebsck-c Close Quarters.


Prank Leslie's Magazine.l
In quaintness of exterior no African
beast surpasses the giraffe, which may be
considered As Characteristic of the torrid
soil of the upper Nile. as the emu or kan
CARGO is of Australia Its gigantic frame
Sometimes reaches the height Of twenty
feet, its skin is most conspicuous for the
regularity and beauty of its brown or
reddish triangle or square shaped dottings;
its eyes for a softness of expression.
The giraffe received. II Is said. Its pres
ent Arabian name from the elegance OF
its motion. II avoids the tropical forests
II their cntangling creepers. aud is not
found either among the sleeper hills. 1t
thriyes best among the acacias and bau-
hinias Of the South African plains, in the
grass covered lands of Southern Nubia.
and in the shrubs and bushes OF SennaaR
where the ground resembles a carpet in
terwoven with the most beautiful lilies
and other flowers. The olfactory and
auditory senses are most sharply devel-
oped. and II Is by no means easy for any
hunter to approach them so near as TO
kill them, even with a rifle ball.
The most general and successful method
OF hunting this noble animal is the one
practiced by the sword hunters or Aga
geers, in southern Nubia. Several Sen
naar tribes, as the Tungi negroes and the
Abu-Rof Bedouins, delight in this kind
of sport. They are mounted or the
swiftest dromedaries, and as soon rs n
flock Of giratfcs has been espied in the
steppe the hunters assemble. They use
no saddle, and can keep. therefore, on the
top Of the fatty protuberance only by u
firm appliance and grasp of their muscu-
lar knec-ioints. Their bodies are of u
lark bronze hue, and are always shining
with an abundance of grease; no garments
cover their limbs, except a long strip Of
cotton fastened around the hip and the
shoulder From the left shoulder bangles
the long and broad cross-hilted sword.
sheathed in a reddish colored leather
scabbard.
The party is followed at some distance
by an attendant who carries water in n
leather bag. and raw sorghum grains pre-
viously soaked in water. This food.
called belileh, with a mouthful of water.
constitutes all the food that the frugal
giraffe hunter stands in need of.
The hunt continues all day long amidst
the tough and thorny shrubs, diminutive
palm trees, some not unlike our palmetto.
mid large cactus-like euphorbias. and
thickcts filled with llianas and creepers.
The images of blue, distant mountains
sometimes emerge to n mUnstrous height
above the horizon, owing to the deceitful
reflection of a Fata- morgana, which has
proved disastrous TO many in exhausted
traveller in the bowling wilderness and
sandy deserts of the African continent.
A careful search has finally revealed
the spot where n little flock of girafIes
had gathered. The hunting company AZ
proaches most noiselessly, hiding itself
when possible behind trees and thickets.
When near enough the riders emerge
from the thickets, and by loud clicks eX-
cite the dromedaries TO speed on with
their utmost power after the game. They
then draw their swords. their strange
hunting weapon. the blades glittering
brightly in the sunbeams. The doomed
victims soon become aware of their perse-
cutors, and in their rapid flight wave
their long necks forward and backward
Dry branches break and crack under
the step of their quickly moving hoofs
stones, pebbles. roots. and earth are
whirled In all directions, and clouds of
dust I'LL the atmosphere.
In a desperate, frantic chase the hunter
follows the game, which cunningly tries
to eyade or outstrip its unmerciful pdr-
suer by cross-steps and jumps; but the
respondent look Of the exhausted victim
already presages that its doom is sealed.
and that an escape is utterly impossible.
The velocity Of the pursued is no longer
equal t@dhat Of the pursuer. and. when
its pace begins 10 slacken. he livid tongue.
covered with froth. Trotrudes out of the
mouth. and the glaring, desperate eye.
balls starting from their sockets exhibit
the anxiety by which the animal is con
sumed.
When the hunter has arrived at a sui
hciently short distance. he leans forward
On his seat. takes aim. and with his pom.
derous sword hamstrings his victim.
Raralu l. n ua,anA kI,vs r.aauI e, r.Tr a.
colossal frame of the pursued giraffe
The ANNA falls painting into the grass.
or crouches down upon its hind legs in
commissions. and kicks TO right and left.
whirling up clouds of dust.
BY a loud cry, ~Tachu el-IIami-lillahii -
Thanks TO God Allah X erimln God is
mercifun our Nubian sportsman an
nounces his victory and calls together his
companions in the chase. Those who are
not actually engaged in pursuing or STAY
ing another victim from all sides readily
respond to the call They dismount
from their dromedaries and dispatch the
victim by a few sword cuts into the throat
and the extremities. They fay the ami.
nal on the spot, and divide the meat
among the party. who cut il lengthwise
into strips When the meat has been
thoroughly dried in the sun it Is used as
provision, and stands in high favor with
hunters and travellers.
Almost every part Of the giratTe's body
serves 10 some useful purpose of the
negro. Its skin is tanned. and furnishes
excellent material for shields and sandals
the bushy end Of the tail becomes a fan
or flap TO keep of flies and mosquitoes;
even the pelvis yields its bony frame to
the Flammeg negro, who turns it into a
banjo and sings TO its tune his love songs
and war exploits
Young girafIes are easily caught alive.
when the parent animals nave been killed
or dispersed. for. helpless as they are,
they surrender TO their pursuers after a
very short chase; aud when they have
grown to more advanced age. they are
captured almost in the same way as the
Guaranis on the Plata. in South America,
lasso their wild horses
Fascination of Terror.
Il blnuua Trfl.un