Page 56 - Adventures in Africa

W e sat some time watching the graceful creatures

as they stretched up their long necks to a remarkable
height, in search of the young shoots and leaves.
Presently we saw one of them turn its head and look

towards its dead companion. The next moment a
lion burst out from among the bushes and sprang

towards the giraffe on the ground. I had fancied that
lions never condescended to feast on a dead animal ;
but probably there was still some little life in the

giraffe, or, at all events, having only just been
killed, the carcase could have had no savoury odour.

Directly afterwards we heard a roar, and another lion
sprang from the cover, the first replying with a roar
which made the welkin ring. If we could not kill the

lions, it was evident that we should soon have none of
the meat to carry back with us. Instead, however, of

beginning to tear the giraffe to pieces, the lions began
walking round and round it and roaring lustily, pos­
sibly thinking that it was the bait to a trap, as they

are taught by experience to be wary, many of their
relatives having been caught in traps set by the
natives. So occupied were the brutes with this matter

that they did not discover us though we were at no
great distance from them.
The two giraffes, on hearing the first lion roar, had

trotted off, or they would probably have soon been
attacked.

M Stay here, Fred ! ” whispered my uncle to me : “ I
will descend and get a shot at one of those fellows—*
don't be alarmed. If I kill him, the chances are the

other runs off. A t all events, I will retreat to the
tree, and do you keep ready to fire, should he follow