At every stride I gained upon the giraffes, and, after a short burst
at a swingeing gallop, I was in the middle of them, and turned
the finest cow out of the herd. On finding herself driven from her
comrades and hotly pursued, she increased her pace, and cantered along
with tremendous strides, clearing an amazing extent of ground at every
bound; while her neck and breast, coming in contact with the dead old
branches of the trees, were continually strewing them in my path. In
a few minutes I was riding within five yards of her stern, and, firing
at a gallop, I sent a bullet into her back. Increasing my pace, I next
rode alongside, and, placing the muzzle of my rifle within a few feet
of her, I fired my second shot behind the shoulder; the ball, however,
seemed to have little effect. I then placed myself directly in front,
when she came to a walk. Dismounting, I hastily loaded both barrels,
putting in double charges of powder. Before this was accomplished, she
was off at a canter. In a short time I brought her to a stand in the
dry bed of a watercourse, where I fired at fifteen yards, aiming where
I thought the heart lay, upon which she again made off. Having loaded,
I followed, and had very nearly lost her; she had turned abruptly
to the left, and was far out of sight among the trees. Once more I
brought her to a stand, and dismounted from my horse. There we stood
together alone in the wild wood. I gazed in wonder at her extreme
beauty, while her soft dark eye, with its silky fringe, looked down
imploringly at me, and I really felt a pang of sorrow in this moment
of triumph for the blood I was shedding. Pointing my rifle toward the
skies, I sent a bullet through her neck. On receiving it she reared
high on her hind legs and fell back with a heavy crash, making the
earth shake around her. A thick stream of dark blood spouted out
from the wound, her colossal limbs quivered for a moment, and she
expired.--_Cummings' Adventures_.
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