The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-06
Giraffe House-Its Inmates, Past
and Present.

and Present.
Last summer the writer witnessed a
curious scene in the giraffe paddock. There
were several trees in this Enclosure, which
were covered with iron wire guards TO the
level of the CRATES head. probably under
the idea that they would gnaw the bark
if they could reach it. Inside this guard a
number of small young shoots, covered
with leaves, had shot out from the stem in
the spring. These the elder of the two
g~iraffes, who was taking her first airing
that year. very much enjoyed. She was
able TO reach them with her tongue. Put
ting out that velvety appendage through
the bars. she curled IL round the shoot, and
then drawing il towards her stripped OF
the leaves. and chewed them with much
satisfaction. Now it happened that in the
top bunch Of twigs a London sparrow had
built her nest. This bold. bad little bird sat
on the top OF the nest scolding loudly at
the giraffe. and hopping about with great
fuss and excitement. AS the giraffe tried to
pluck the leaves at the end Of the bunch of
twigs i'm which the nest was, the sparrow
actually bounced out on TO the twig within
two inches of the g~iraffe's nose. and made
such demonstrations and protests that the
giraffe moved round to the other side OF
the tree.
I think that this defeat by a sparrow
marks the giraffe as one Of the gentlest OF
all animals. Certainly those now in the coll
lection are perfect models Of dignity. gen.
tleness and grace. the little one. which is
not more than ten feet high. being quite as
we'll bred and well behaved as its larger
companion.
A ROMANTIC GUEST.
More trouble has been taken at different
eras to obtain girsffes to satisfy the curl
osity of Europe than has been expended on
procuring any other wild animal in the
world. Considering that, till modern times,
it has been necessary 10 fetch them from
the interior Of Africa to the coast of Egypt,
Qor no giraffe could have survived the
long sea voyage in n sailing ship from
South Africa around the Cape. the quest
for the giraffe has been a singularly sue
cessful one. They are almost the first
rare animal which the geological Society
sets it's heart upon getting from over the
seas. AS early as 1886 hey arranged with
an African-French trader, NJ. Thibaut, TO
procure them a stock large enough to pro-
pagate the breed even in the center OF Lon
don. The Pasha of Egypt gave permission
TO the party to enter the Sudan, but 9TH
erwise the whole credit belongs 10 the
Geological Society, and to NJ. Thibaut. NJ.
Thibaut made a contract, by which, for the
very modest sum Of G70O. he agreed TO de-
liver four CRATES at Malta. They have
risen in price since then, for one yOung one
cost. this year. 600, but good luck and
good management, with a large stock Of
enthusiasm, helped NJ. Thibaut in his diff
cult enterprise. He passed down the Nile to
Dongola. where he left the river and made
for the distant desert and mimosa country
of KordOfan. In other words he penetrated
| far south to west of Khartum, TO the region
of f. Obeid, the present retreat OF the
Mahdi. Those were happier days in Kordo-
fan, where the tribes of Arab sword-hunt-
ers followed the business OF hunting and
catching wild beasts, both on the west and
east of the Nile. These men were friends Of
Nj. Thibaut, who had done business with
them through his agents. They knew the
haunts of the giraffes, and soon found a
herd. Their usual method of pursuit was to
ride down and hamstring the old giraffes
with their swords. Following this plan they
killed a female with a fawn, and next day
tracked and caught the young one. These
Arabs, though eager to kill game, are. un-
like the negroes, both good natured and
clever in the management and tanning OF
the young ones. They had mad the young
giraffe gentle and 'docile in four days. and
taught the little creature TO drink milk by
dipping the fingers in skins of camel's milk
and putting them into its mouth. IL was the
cold season, and unusually inclement for
the time OF year, consequently three other
giraffe fawns died. But Thibaut captured
more, and with infinite care brought them
to Cairo, and thence to Alexandria. The So
ciety were so satisfied with the success OF
NJ. Thibaut that they determined to spare
neither money nor trouble 10 bring them
safely home. One of the first steam vessels
the Manchester. was then at Lisbon, width
er il had conveyed the Prince Ferdinand