thin a few yards of the
largest. The instinctive desire to bring down such a grand creature
could not be resisted, and, without bringing his horse to a stand, he
placed the barrel of his rifle on a line with the camelopard's head and
fired. Skill or chance favoured him, and the giraffe dropped to the
shot.

Though a gigantic creature, standing sixteen feet in height the one
small bullet, scarce bigger than a pea, was all that was necessary to
bring its towering form to the earth. It had been hit on the side of
the head, just behind the eye; and, as it received the shot, it raised
its fore feet from the ground, spun around as on a pivot, and then fell
heavily on its side. As though desirous of putting a period to its
sufferings as soon as possible, as soon as it was down it commenced
beating the ground violently with its shattered head.

The remaining giraffes were driven on toward the stream, where, seeing
no other way of avoiding the enemy that pursued them, they plunged into
the water.

The stream was neither broad nor deep, yet was it one that could not be
conveniently crossed at that particular spot. The bank on both sides
rose several feet above the water; and, from the way in which the
animals were wading across, it was evident they were going upon a soft
bottom. Not until several of them had reached the opposite shore and
made an ineffectual attempt to get out of the channel, did our hunters
have any hope of capturing one of the young giraffes. Hitherto they had
not thought of being able to take them alive. They had entered upon the
chase solely for its excitement, and for the destroying of animal life;
but on seeing the camelopards struggling in the stream, they became
animated with the same hope that was inspiring Groot Willem about the
same time, but on a far distant part of the plain.

"They can't get up the bank," shouted Hendrik, "and there are two young
ones among them. Let us try to get hold of them."

To carry out Hendrik's proposal, but little time was lost in arranging a
plan. It was instantly decided that they should separate, and one try
to reach the other side of the stream.

This task was assigned to Hendrik. Riding beyond the bend of the river,
he reached a place where the bank was shelving and, dashing in, he soon
gained the opposite shore.

A part of the equipment of each horse ridden by the hunters was a long
rheim made of buffalo hide, and used for the purpose of tethering t