heir
animals when upon the grass. At one end of the rheim Hendrik had a
loop, such as is used in the lazos of Spanish America. This was the
means he intended to make use of for capturing the young giraffes.

On riding opposite to them he found them still in the water. Wearied by
their late run, they were standing quietly, apparently too much
exhausted to raise their feet out of the soft ooze in which they were
sinking deeper and deeper. Two or three of the stronger ones alone
continued their struggle to gain the shore, though not one of the drove
seemed to think of making escape by moving up or down the stream. They
were deterred from this by the presence of Hans and Arend, who had
placed themselves on projecting points of the bank, above and below.
The appearance of Hendrik directly in front of them caused a change in
their attitude. Led by a large male, they commenced plunging about as
if determined to make a break up stream. But Arend, who was in that
quarter, had only a few paces to go before again appearing to be
directly ahead of them, and this brought them a second time to a stand.
After a short pause and a good deal of violent plunging, they now turned
down stream, in hopes of escaping that way. So sharp was the bend of
the river, that Hans, who guarded there, was able to show himself, as if
right in front of them, and by loud shouts he once more brought them to
bay. As a further encouragement to the hunters to continue the attempt
at capturing the young giraffes, they noticed that these made but slight
efforts to escape. The mud at the bottom was too tough for the strength
of their slender limbs. In the narrow stream they were unable to get
out of reach of the rheims, which all three of the hunters had now
detached from their saddles, and were looking out for an opportunity to
use.

In their efforts to avoid their enemies, the frightened camelopards now
rushed to and fro, wearily dragging their feet from the mud, until they
were hardly able to move. Hendrik, who was nearest, after two or three
ineffectual trials, at length succeeded in throwing his snare over the
head of one of the young ones. As soon as he had done so, he leaped out
of his saddle, and made fast the other end of his rheim to a tree.
There was no chance for the giraffe to break away after that. However
strong it might be in the body, its long slender neck was too feeble to
aid it in a violent effort; and it soon submitted to its c