to be found in large herds in many parts of Africa. The first giraffe
of which we know appeared in the Roman arena. About two hundred years
ago we are told some specimens were brought over to Europe, and caused
much astonishment. The Nubian menageries some years ago brought a
goodly number of the strange beasts to our zoological gardens.[13]
But how many people have seen giraffes in their native haunts? When,
in 1896, I saw them thus for the first time, I realised how thin
and wretched our captive specimens are by the side of the splendid
creatures of the velt. Le Vaillant, in his accounts of his travels in
Cape Colony and the country known to-day as German South-West Africa,
gives a spirited description of these animals, and tells how after
much labour and trouble he managed to take a carefully dried skin to
the coast and to send it to Germany. That was seventy years ago. Since
then many Europeans have seen giraffes, but they have told us very
little about them. The German explorer Dr. Richard Böhm has given us
wonderfully accurate information about them and their ways. But the
beautiful water-colours so excellently drawn by a hand so soon to be
disabled in Africa, were lost in that dreadful conflagration in which
his hunting-box on the peaceful Wala River and most of his diaries were
destroyed. Dr. Richard Kandt, whilst on his expeditions in search of
the sources of the Nile, found the charred remains of the hut. “Ubi
sunt, qui ante nos in mundo fuere?”
[Illustration:
_C. G. Schillings, phot._
A SUCCESSFUL PHOTOGRAPH, TAKEN AFTER A LONG PURSUIT AND MANY FAILURES.]
[Illustration:
_C. G. Schillings, phot._
TELEPHOTO STUDIES OF GIRAFFES (_GIRAFFA SCHILLINGSI_, Mtsch.).]
Zoological experts tell us that there are several species of
giraffe inhabiting separate zoological regions. In the districts
I traversed, I came across an entirely new species.... Their life
and habits interested me beyond measure. I often think of them
still--moving about like phantoms among the thorny bushes, and in and
out the sunlit woods, or standing out silhouetted against the horizon.
Though by nature peaceful, the giraffe is not defenceless--a kick from
one of its immense legs, or a blow sideways with the great thick-necked
head of a bull, would be quite enough to kill a mere man. But this
gigantic beast, whose coat so much resembles that of the blood-thirsty
tiger, leopard, and jaguar, never attacks, and only brings its forces
into play for purposes of defence. It harms no man, and it has lived
on the velt since time immemorial. It is the more to be deplored,
therefore, that it should disappear now so quickly and so suddenly.
I have already remarked several times on the way giraffes and other
African mammals harmonise in their colouring with their environment.
Professor V. Schmeil has pointed out how my opinion in this respect
accords with that of earlier observers.[14] The way in which giraffes
mingle with their surroundings as regards not only their colour but
also their form, is especially astonishing. The illustration on page
550 proves this in a striking manner, for it shows how the outlines of
the giraffe correspond exactly with those of the tree close to it.
One may spend days and weeks on the velt trying to get near giraffes
without result. Far away on the horizon you descry the gigantic
“Twigga”--as the Waswahili call it--but every attempt to approach is
in vain. Then, all of a sudden it may happen--as it did once to me
near the Western Njiri marshes, Nov. 29, 1898--that a herd of giraffes
passes quite near you without fear. On the occasion in question, as is
so often the case, I had not my photographic apparatus at hand. I could
have got some excellent pictures with quite an ordinary camera. The
giraffes came towards me until within sixty paces. They then suddenly
took wildly to flight. The little herd consisted of nine head: an old
very dark-spotted bull, a light-spotted cow, three younger cows with
a calf each, and finally a young dark-spotted bull. Orgeich and I had
been able to observe the animals quietly as they stood, as if rooted
to the spot, with their long necks craned forward, their eyes fixed
upon us.[15] I cannot explain why the animals were so fearless on that
occasion. It was a most unusual occurrence, for ordinarily giraffes
manage to give the sportsman a wide berth.
Again, it may happen, especially about midday, that the hunter will
sight a single giraffe or a whole herd at no very great distance. At
these times, if one is endowed with good lungs and is in training, one
may get close enough to the creatures before they take to flight.
[Illustration:
_Hauptmann Merker, phot._
GIRAFFE STUDIES.]
[Illustration:
_C. G. Schillings, phot._
GIRAFFE STUDIES.]
Or it may happen that you will sight giraffes about noontide sheltering
under the fragrant acacia trees. I remember one occasion especially, in
the neighbourhood of the Gelei volcanic hills. I had hardly penetrated
for more than about a hundred and twenty paces into an acacia wood,
when I suddenly saw the legs of several gigantic giraffes--their heads
were hidden in the crowns of mimosa. The wind was favourable. I might
within a few minutes find myself in the middle of the herd! But, a
moment later, I felt the ground tremble and the huge beasts with their
hard hoofs were thumping over the sun-baked ground. They crashed
through the branches and fled to the next shelter of mimosa trees.
Although I might easily have killed some of them, it was absolutely
impossible to take a photograph. But I was at times more fortunate in
snapshotting single specimens. Carefully and cautiously, I would creep
forward, of course alone, leaving my people behind, until I came within
about twenty paces of the giraffe. By dodging about the trees or shrubs
near which it stood I have sometimes managed to obtain good pictures
of the animal making off in its queer way. The utmost caution was
necessary. I had to consider not only the place where the animal was
but the position of the sun, and that most carefully. The possibility
of photographing giraffes with the telephoto lens is very slight
indeed. One’s opportunities are turned to best account by the skilful
use of an ordinary hand-camera.
In this way, also, I managed to get pictures of the peculiar motion of
giraffes in full flight. My negatives are a proof of the comparative
ease with which native hunters may hunt giraffes with poisoned arrows.
I have often met natives in possession of freshly killed giraffe flesh.
In most cases bushes and trees are a great hindrance to the taking of
photographs, especially of large herds. At such times it was as good
as a game of chess between the photographic sportsman and the animals.
For hours I have followed them with a camera ready to snapshot, but
the far-sighted beasts have always frustrated my plans. Thus passed
hours, days and weeks. But good luck would come back again, and I was
sometimes able to develop an excellent negative in a camp swarming with
mosquitoes.
It is especially in the peculiar light attendant on the rainy
season and amidst tall growths that giraffes mingle so with their
surroundings. It is only when the towering forms are silhouetted
against the sky that they can be clearly seen on the open velt.
At midday, when the velt is shimmering with a thousand waves of
light, when everything seems aglow with the dazzling sun, even the
most practised eye can scarcely distinguish the outlines of single
objects. By such a light the sandy-coloured oryx antelopes and the
stag-like waterbuck look coal-black; the uninitiated take zebras for
donkeys--they appear so grey--and rhinoceroses resting on the velt for
ant-hills. But giraffes especially mingle with the surrounding mimosa
woods at this hour in such a way as only those who have seen it could
believe possible.
When you see these animals in their wild state, your thoughts naturally
revert to the penned-up tame specimens in zoological gardens or those
preserved in museums. Well do I remember that the first wild
zebra I saw looked to me little like a tame specimen in a zoological
garden.
[Illustration:
_C. G. Schillings, phot._
A HERD OF GIRAFFES: THE LEADER, A POWERFUL OLD BULL, IN THE FOREGROUND.]
[Illustration:
_C. G. Schillings, phot._
TWO GIRAFFES OUT OF A HERD I CAME UPON IN THE VICINITY OF THE
MASAI COLONY CALLED KIRARAGUA, NOW ALMOST BEREFT OF WILD LIFE
OWING TO THE IMMIGRATION OF THE BOERS. THE ANIMALS MAY HERE
BE SEEN IN VERY CHARACTERISTIC SURROUNDINGS, ACACIA WOODS
ALTERNATING WITH WIDE EXPANSES COVERED WITH BOWSTRING HEMP.]
[Illustration:
HEAD OF A GIRAFFE (_GIRAFFA RETICULATA_ De Winton), KILLED IN
SOUTH SOMALILAND BY THE EXPLORER CARLO VON ERLANGER. (BY KIND
PERMISSION OF THE BARONESS VON ERLANGER.)]
The death-knell of the giraffe has tolled. This wonderful and harmless
animal[16] is being completely annihilated! Fate has decreed that a
somewhat near relative should be discovered in later days--namely
the Okapi, which inhabits the Central African forests. It may be
safely asserted that these unique animals will exist long after the
complete extermination of the real giraffe. The species of giraffe,
however, which has been dying out in the north and south of the African
continent will be represented in the future by pictures within every
man’s reach. Every observation as to their habits, every correct
representation obtained, every specimen preserved for exhibition is of
real value. And this I would impress on every intelligent man who has
the opportunity of doing any of these things out in the wild.
Professor Fritsch saw giraffes in South Africa as late as 1863. Shortly
before these lines were printed he gave a glowing account of the
impression they then made on him, an impression which was renewed when
he saw my pictures.
Large herds of giraffes still flourish in remote districts. My friend
Carlo von Erlanger, whose early death is much to be regretted, found
the animals particularly timid in South Somaliland when he traversed
it for the first time. A fine stuffed specimen of these beautifully
coloured giraffes is to be found in the Senckenberg Museum in
Frankfort-on-Maine. An illustration gives the head of a giraffe killed
by my late friend, and proves to the reader how much the two species
differ--namely the South Somaliland giraffe as here depicted,[17]
and that which I was the first to discover in Masailand. We have in
Erlanger’s diary and in this illustration the only existing information
about the presence of the giraffe in South Somaliland, a region which
none but my daring friend and his companions have so far traversed.
Hilgert, Carlo von Erlanger’s companion, mentions the frequent presence
of the South Somali giraffe, but says that they showed themselves
so shy that the members of the expedition generally had to content
themselves with the numerous tracks of the animals or with the sight of
them in the far distance.
Meanwhile an effort is being made to save and protect what remains
of the giraffe species in Africa. But there is little hope of
ultimate success. I do trust, however, that a wealth of observations,
illustrations, and specimens may be secured for our museums before
it is too late. In this way, at least, a source of pleasure and
information will be provided for future generations, and the giraffe
will not share the fate of so many other rare creatures which no gold
will ever give back to us.
With sad, melancholy, wondering eyes the giraffe seems to peer into the
world of the present, where there is room for it no longer. Whoever
has seen the expression in those eyes, an expression which has
been immortalised by poets in song and ballad for thousands of years,
will not easily forget it, any more than he will forget the strong
impression made on him when he looked at the “Serafa” of the Arabs in
the wilderness.
[Illustration:
_Hauptmann, Merker phot._
GIRAFFE STUDY.]
[Illustration:
_C. G. Schillings, phot._
A TELEPHOTOGRAPH TAKEN AT A DISTANCE OF 200 PACES.]
[Illustration:
_C. G. Schillings, phot._
_GIRAFFA SCHILLINGSI_, Mtsch. ]
The day cannot be far distant when the beautiful eyes of the last
“Twigga” will close for ever in the desert. No human skill will be
able to prevent this, in spite of the progress of human knowledge and
human technique. The giraffe can never enter the little circle of
domesticated animals. Therefore it must go. Perhaps its eyes will close
in the midst of the Elelescho jungle, thus lessening still further the
fascination of that survival from the youth of the world.
[Illustration: CRESTED CRANES ON THE WING.]
[Illustration: HUNGRY VULTURES IN THE VICINITY OF MY CAMP.]
XIV
Camping out on the Velt
Among the happiest days of my life I reckon those which I spent camping
out in the heart of the Nyíka.
Nearly every hour there had something fresh to arouse my interest, not
only in the life of the wild animals that roamed at large all about,
but also in that of the specimens which I had caught or my men had
brought to me, and whose habits and ways I could observe within the
enclosure of the camp. Of course our unique menagerie could not boast
members of all the most attractive species of the African fauna, but it
included some very rare and interesting animals which Europe has never
seen. To know these one must go and live in wildest Africa and see them
at home.
[Illustration:
_C. G. Schillings, phot._
PITCHING CAMP WITH A VIEW TO A LONG STAY.]
My camp at times was like a little kingdom. Many of my people went out
for weeks together to barter for fruits and vegetables with agrarian
tribes. With the rest, I spent my days out in the open, hunting,
collecting, and observing. My zoological collection increased daily,
time flew by with all the many jobs there were to be done--drying,
preserving, preparing, sorting, labelling, and sending off specimens.
The primitive camp life was full of interest in spite of its seeming
monotony. It was like ruling and ordering a little State. I thoroughly
enjoyed this simple existence, in which I seemed to forget the
artificial worries of civilisation and to be able to give myself up to
my love for nature.
[Illustration: MY TAXIDERMIST, ORGEICH, AT WORK.]
Then I learned to appreciate the natives. Of course they are not to be
judged from a European standpoint as regards habits and customs, but I
shall always remember with pleasure certain strong and good characters
among my followers.
Nomadic hunters--shy and suspicious as the animals they
hunted--sometimes paid us passing visits, whilst the whole world of
beasts and birds thronged around our “outpost of civilisation,” so
suddenly planted in their midst.
My goods and chattels were stowed away in a hut which I had put up
myself, and which was protected from wind, rain, and sun by masses of
reeds and velt grasses. This hut was of the simplest construction,
but I was very proud of it. It was useful not only for protecting
zoological collections from the all-pervading rays of the sun, and from
rain and cold, but also from the numerous little fiends of insects
against which continual warfare has to be waged. The destructive
activity of ants is a constant source of annoyance to travellers and
collectors; I remember how my one-time fellow-traveller Prince Johannes
Löwenstein had the flag on his tent destroyed by them in a single
night. In one night also these ants bit through the ticket-threads
by which my specimens were classified; in one night, again, the
tiny fiends destroyed the bottoms of several trunks which had been
carelessly put away!
One has to wage constant warfare against destroyers of every kind.
My cow, which was very valuable to me, not only as giving milk to my
people, but also for nourishing young wild animals, was penned at
night-time within a thick thorn hedge. My people made themselves more
or less skilfully constructed shelters under the bushes and trees.
Thus a miniature village grew up, of which I was the despotic ruler.
The native hunters who visited us would sometimes accompany me on long
expeditions.
[Illustration:
_C. G. Schillings, phot._
TERMITEN ANT-HILLS.]
For me there are no “savages.” When an intelligent man comes across a
tribe hitherto unknown to him he will carefully study their seemingly
strange habits, and thus will soon recognise that they have their own
customs and laws which they regard as sacred and immutable, and which
order their whole existence. He will no longer desire the natives to
adopt the manners and customs of the white man, for which they are
absolutely unsuited.
But by the time I got friendly with these nomads they were off again.
It is against their habits to stay long in one place, and they do not
willingly enter into close relations with a European--or indeed with
any one. Suddenly one fine morning we find their sleeping quarters
empty; they have disappeared, never to return. No obligation, no
command, would ever bind these wanderers to one place. Children of the
moment, children of the wilderness, their lives are spent in constant
roaming.
I hardly ever had a leisure hour, for there was much to arrange and
see to in my camp. I had many functions to perform. I was my own
commissioner of public safety; I looked after the commissariat; I
was doctor and judge. I supervised all the other offices and pursued
a number of handicrafts. Like Hans Sach I followed with pride the
avocations of shoemaker, tailor, joiner, and smith, my very scanty
acquaintance with all these various trades being put to astonishingly
good use. I was like the one-eyed man among the blind.
What judgments of Solomon have I not given! Once two of my best people
quarrelled, an Askari and his wife. The serious character of the
quarrel could be estimated from the noise of weeping and the sound of
blows that had proceeded from their tent. The man wished to separate
from his wife.
“Why did you beat your wife last night?”
The Askari (who has served under both German and English masters)
stands to attention.
“Because she was badly behaved--I will not keep her any more--I am
sending her away.”
“But why--rafiki yangu?--my friend? Such things will happen at times,
but it is not always so bad--see? Who will look after you? who will
prepare your meals? Look at her once more; she is very pretty--don’t
you think so? And she cooks very well” (both parties, as well as the
bystanders, are smiling by now). “Go along, then, and make friends.”
And they go and make friends.
A deputation of the Waparis come to the camp. They crouch down near
my tent and beg for a “rain charm” to bring down showers upon their
fields. It is somewhat difficult to help them. I take the gifts which
they bring to pay for the charm and make them a more valuable return,
and by means of the barometer I am able to foretell rain. They gaze at
the wizard and his charm wonderingly, and come again later to see them
both.
[Illustration:
AN UNUSUALLY LARGE ANT-HILL. INSIDE THIS STRONGHOLD THE “QUEEN”
ANT IS TO BE FOUND WALLED UP IN A SMALL CELL. SHE IS CONSIDERABLY
LARGER THAN THE OTHER ANTS AND DEVOTES HERSELF EXCLUSIVELY TO HER
TASK OF LAYING EGGS. THE KING ON THE OTHER HAND, NOT MUCH LARGER
THAN THE REST, IS IN COMMAND OF THE “WORKERS” AND THE SOLDIERS.]
Countless similar events succeed one another, and ever the everyday
monotony of the simple camp life has its delights.
[Illustration: MY FELLOW TRAVELLER PRINCE LÖWENSTEIN, WHOSE TENT WAS
ONCE ENTIRELY DESTROYED BY ANTS IN A SINGLE NIGHT.]
[Illustration:
THE ANT-HILLS ARE SO STRONGLY BUILT AND SO HARD THAT THEY OFFER
AN EXTRAORDINARILY STRONG RESISTANCE TO ALL EFFORTS TO DESTROY
THEM BY PICK AND SHOVEL.]
Day by day my menagerie increases. To-day it is a young lion I add to
it, to-morrow a hyena, a jackal, a monkey, a marabou, geese, and other
velt-dwellers, all of which I instal as members of my little community
and try to become friends with. My efforts have sometimes been amply
rewarded. Once during the early morning hours we discovered a large
troop of baboons. It was cool: the cold, damp morning mist grew into a
drizzling rain; the animals huddled up closely together for the sake of
warmth. Later they came down to seek their food. Cautiously we posted
ourselves as if we had not noticed the monkeys. But remembering their
long sight, I organised a battue, which succeeded admirably and secured
me several young ones. At first the comical creatures obstinately
withstood all efforts to tame them. Soon, however, they got to
recognise their attendant, and became attached to him. Unlike other
species of monkeys, baboons are full of character. Like some dogs,
they are devoted to their masters but antagonistic to other people.
They show their dislike for strangers very clearly. I was always much
touched, when I came back from a long tramp on the velt, to be met with
outbursts of joy by my chained-up baboons. They recognised their master
in the far distance, reared themselves on their hind legs, and gave
demonstrations of joy in every possible way as they saw him approaching.
[Illustration: “POSCHO! POSCHO!” MY CARAVAN-LEADER HANDING OUT
PROVISIONS.]
[Illustration: BEARER’S WIFE GETTING READY THE EVENING MEAL.]
[Illustration: MY YOUNG BABOONS IN FRONT OF MY TENT.]
[Illustration: YOUNG OSTRICHES.]
[Illustration: MARABOU NESTS.]
Sometimes, too, other inmates of my camp evinced their pleasure at
my appearance. This was especially the case with a marabou which I
had caught when fully grown. As he had been slightly hurt in the
process of capture, I tended him myself most carefully, and experienced
great satisfaction on his restoration to health. From the time of his
recovery the bird was faithful to me, and did not leave the camp any
more, although he was only caged at night-time! He attached himself to
my headman, and tried to bite both men and beasts whom he considered
as not to be trusted, and generally sat very solemnly in the vicinity
of my camp and greeted me on my home-comings by wagging his head
and flapping his wings. Such a clatter he made as he gravely rushed
backwards and forwards! Not until I caressed him would he be quiet.
After a time he began to build himself a nest under the shade of a bush
quite close to my tent. The dimensions of this nest gradually increased
in an extraordinary manner. This eyrie he defended to the utmost,
and would not allow my blacks to go near it, or any of his animal
companions. Great battles took place, but he always made his opponents
take to their heels, and even the poor old donkey, if it happened to
come his way. On the other hand, he was very friendly with my young
rhinoceros. It was an extraordinary sight to see the rhinoceros with
its friends, the goats and the solemn bird. Two fine Colobus monkeys,
three young lions, young ostriches, geese, and various other creatures
made up my little zoological garden. They all were good friends among
themselves and with my tame hens, which used to prefer to lay their
eggs in my tent and in those of the bearers. Sometimes I used to
entrust some francolin eggs to these hens. (Hardly any of the
many beautiful East African species of francolins have so far been
brought alive to Europe.) Once I had for weeks the pleasure of seeing
some beautiful yellow-throated francolins (_Pternistes leucosepus
infuscatus_, Cab.) running about perfectly tame among the other animals
in camp.
[Illustration:
_C. G. Schillings, phot._
ONE OF MY MARABOUS, NOW IN THE BERLIN ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS, BUILT A GREAT
NEST IN MY CAMP.]
[Illustration:
_C. G. Schillings, phot._
TWO DENIZENS OF THE VELT WHO BECAME MEMBERS OF MY CAMP AND ARE NOW IN
THE BERLIN ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.]
[Illustration:
_C. G. Schillings, phot._
A RATHER MIXED-UP PHOTOGRAPH! MY YOUNG RHINOCEROS, WITH HER TWO
COMPANIONS THE GOAT AND THE KID.]
I was often able to contemplate idyllic scenes among my quaint
collection of animals. The behaviour of my baby rhinoceros interested
me greatly. It was the pet of my caravan, and I was very proud of
having reared it, for I had longed for two years for such a little
creature, and had made many vain attempts to obtain one. Its friendship
with two goats I have already mentioned in my previous book. They
formed a strange trio. Very often the kid used the rhinoceros as a
cushion, and all three were inseparable. The beast and the two goats
often made little excursions out into the immediate neighbourhood
of my camp. At these times they were carefully guarded by two of my
most trustworthy people. The “rhino” was provided with its accustomed
vegetable foods. When the little beast was in a good humour it would
play with me like a dog, and would scamper about in the camp snorting
in its own peculiar way. Such merry games alternated with hours of
anxiety, during which I was obliged to give my foster-child food and
medicine with my own hands, and to fight the chigoes (_Sarcopsylla
penetrans_, L.), commonly called “jiggers,” those horrible tormentors
which Africa has received from America.