I was rather saddened than otherwise at seeing the noble animal stretched before me.  If I could have given him his life back I think I should have done so.  I thought it a great pity that such splendid animals, so well adapted for the service of man in Africa, could not be converted to some other use than that of food.  Horses, mules, and donkeys died in these sickly regions; but what a blessing for Africa would it be if we could tame the giraffes and zebras for the use of explorers and traders!  Mounted on a zebra, a man would be enabled to reach Ujiji in one month from Bagamoyo; whereas it took me over seven months to travel that distance!

The dead giraffe measured 16 feet 9 inches from his right fore-hoof to the top of his head, and was one of the largest size, though some have been found to measure over 17 feet.  He was spotted all over with large black, nearly round, patches.

I left Khamisi in charge of the dead beast, while I returned to camp to send off men to cut it up, and convey the meat to our village.  But Khamisi climbed a tree for fear of the lions, and the vultures settled on it, so that when the men arrived on the spot, the eyes, the tongue, and a great part of the posteriors were eaten up.  What remained weighed as follows, when brought in and hung to the scales: 

1 hind leg . . . . 134 lbs.

1 " . . . . 136 "

1 fore leg . . . . 160 "

I " . . . . 160 "

Ribs . . . . . . 158 "

Neck . . . . . . 74 "

Rump . . . . . . 87 "

Breast . . . . . 46 "

Liver . . . . . 20 "

Lungs . . . . . 12 "

Heart . . . . . 6 "

Total weight of eatable portions . . 993 lbs.

Skin and head, 181 lbs.

The three days following I suffered from a severe attack of fever, and was unable to stir from bed.  I applied my usual remedies for it, which consisted of colocynth and quinine; but experience has shown me that an excessive use of the same cathartic weakens its effect, and that it would be well for travellers to take with them different medicines to cause proper action in the liver, such as colocynth, calomel, resin of jalap, Epsom salts; and that no quinine should be taken until such medicines shall have prepared the system for its reception.

The Doctor’s prescription for fever consists of 3 grains of resin of jalap, and 2 grains of calomel, with tincture of cardamoms put in just enough to prevent irritation of the stomach—­made into the form of a pill—­which is to be taken as soon as one begins to feel the excessive languor and weariness which is the sure forerunner of the African type of fever.  An hour or two later a cup of coffee, unsugared and without milk, ought to be taken, to cause a quicker action.  The Doctor also thinks that quinine should be taken with the pill; but my