rich, which was sitting on her nest; Alexander's horse also
stumbled and followed after the Major; and there they were, horses and
riders, all rolling together among the ostrich-eggs; while the ostrich
gained her legs, and ran off as fast as the giraffe.

As soon as they had got on their legs again, and caught the bridles of
their horses, they looked round, but could not distinguish the giraffe,
which was out of sight among the mimosa-trees; while Omrah was very busy
picking up their rifles, and laughing in a very disrespectful manner.
The Major and Alexander soon joined in the laugh. No bones were broken,
and the horses had received no injury. All they had to do was to return
to the caravan looking very foolish.

"Your first essay in giraffe-hunting has been very successful," said
Swinton, laughing, as they came up to him.

"Yes, we both threw very pretty summersets, did we not?" said Alexander.
"However, we have got some ostrich-eggs for supper, and that is better
than nothing. It will soon be dark, so we had better encamp for the
night, had we not?"

"I was about to propose it," said Swinton.

"Did you ever hunt the giraffe, Swinton?" inquired Alexander, as they
were making their supper on roasted ostrich-eggs; each of them holding
one between his knees, and dipping out with a large spoon.

"Never," replied Swinton; "I have often seen them in Namaqua-land, but
never killed one. I remember, however, a circumstance connected with the
giraffe, which would have been incredible to me, if I had not seen the
remains of the lion. You are well aware how long and strong are the
thorns of the mimosa (or kamel-tree, as the Dutch call it, from the
giraffe browsing upon it), and how the boughs of these trees lie like an
umbrella, close upon one another. A native chief informed me that he
witnessed a lion attacking a giraffe. The lion always springs at the
head or neck, and seizes the animal by that part, riding him, as it
were. The giraffe sets off at full speed with its enemy, and is so
powerful as often to get rid of him; for I have seen giraffes killed
which had the marks of the lion's teeth and claws upon them. In this
instance the lion made a spring, but the giraffe at that very moment
turning sharp round, the lion missed his aim, and by the blow it
received was tossed in the air, so that he fell upon the boughs of the
mimosa on his back. The boughs were not only compact enough to bear his
weight, but the thorns that pi