explore pierced it as nearly as might be in its middle,
running practically north and south; and even at the first glance I was
impressed by the remarkable character of the place. For the ravine
irresistibly suggested the idea that at some time in the more or less
remote past a giant had taken a shovel measuring about a quarter of a
mile in width, and with this gigantic tool had cut a gap right through
the range. The most singular feature of the case, however, was that,
although the gap was undoubtedly there, and although a vast quantity of
material must have been removed in order to create it, there was nothing
whatever to show what had become of that material. The floor of the gap
was quite smooth and level, unencumbered by boulders or debris of any
kind, and its rocky sides were absolutely vertical, rising in the centre
to a height of very nearly three thousand feet, which height they
maintained for about half a mile before they started to dip toward the
far end. Small patches of wait-a-bit and other thorn bushes sparsely
dotted the floor of the ravine, or gorge, and about halfway through
there was a little grove of mimosa, in the midst of which we caught
fleeting, indistinct glimpses of certain moving things which Piet
declared were giraffes.

Now, I had not yet shot a giraffe, and was rather anxious to obtain a
really good--or it would be nearer the truth to say an exceptionally
fine--specimen; therefore, hastily taking cover behind the nearest clump
of bush, we proceeded to approach the creatures warily until we had
arrived within about half a mile of them. Then, detecting certain signs
of growing uneasiness among them, which I attributed to the possibility
of their having sighted our moving figures, I dismounted, and, leaving
Piet with the dogs and horses well sheltered behind a big clump of bush,
took my rifle and set off to complete the stalk through the long grass
alone and on foot. I reckoned upon being able to manage this without
very much difficulty, for the wind was blowing from the west right
across the ravine, while the giraffes were upon the eastern side, and I
was to the southward of them; therefore I knew that I ought to be able
to get quite close to them before they could wind me, while the grass
was tall enough to enable me to approach them unseen. Nevertheless,
although I was stalking them with the utmost caution, using the wind to
guide me, and only raising my head to reconnoitre at rare int