I stepped
carefully into my coffin-shaped case, and squatted down, with a
rifle on either side, and my ammunition at the bottom of the
tin-lined water-proof case; thus, in case of an upset, I was
ready for a swim. Off we went! The current, running at nearly
five miles an hour, carried us away at a great pace, and the
whirlpools caused us much trouble, as we several times waltzed
round when we should have preferred a straight course, but the
towing swimmers being well mounted upon logs of light
ambatch-wood, swam across in fine style, and after some
difficulty we arrived at the opposite bank, and scrambled through
thick bushes, upon our hands and knees, to the summit.
"For about two miles' breadth on this side of the river the
valley is rough broken ground, full of gullies and ravines sixty
or seventy feet deep, beds of torrents, bare sandstone rocks,
bushy crags, fine grassy knolls, and long strips of mimosa
covert, forming a most perfect locality for shooting.
"I had observed by the telescope that the giraffes were standing
as usual upon an elevated position, from whence they could keep
a good look-out. I knew it would be useless to ascend the slope
direct, as their long necks give these animals an advantage
similar to that of the man at the mast-head; therefore, although
we had the wind in our favour, we should have been observed.
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