47 



difficulty of springing them when found. At this season of 

 the year, the ground in the uplands is so hard, that the Par- 

 tridges are unable to dig into the soil for the bulbous roots 

 that constitute the chief part of their food. They remain, 

 therefore, in the low marshy bottoms, where the soil is still 

 penetrable, and are no sooner put up, than they fly in among 

 the Palmiet, where neither sportsman nor dog will willingly 

 follow them. The Snipes are migratory here, as in Europe, 

 and had just begun at this time to return to their usual 

 haunts for the winter. 



" Roebucks and Duykers were seen daily ; but one only of 

 the latter was shot. A Klipspringer likewise was killed, and 

 in rather a curious manner. Hunting about, one morning, 

 after Partridges, our party heard the barking of dogs on the 

 face of the hill above them. On going to the spot, they found 

 a Klipspringer standing at bay on the top of an insulated 

 rock, and beset by three or four wild dogs that kept inces- 

 santly barking at him. A shot or two brought him to the 

 ground. The usual method of hunting this active little ante- 

 lope is to set a number of dogs on his scent. They no 

 sooner give chase, than he runs to the nearest accessible 

 rock, and perches there, secure, as he thinks, from danger. 

 The dogs, in the meantime, surround the rock to prevent his 

 escape, and begin to bark. The hunter, knowing by this 

 signal that his game is securely lodged, walks leisurely to the 

 spot, and shoots him. 



" The fur of the Klipspringer is very thick and soft, but 

 intermixed with long hairs of a stiff bristly quality. Mr. 

 Barrow says of this fur, that ' it has the singular quality of 

 being so brittle that it breaks instead of bending, adheres 

 loosely to the skin, and is so very light, that it is used as the 

 best article that can be procured for the stuffing of saddles 

 and mattrasses.' It would not readily occur to most persons, 

 that fragility is a desirable quality in a material used for 

 stuffing ; and though a fold of hogskin might warrant from 

 damage the nether-end of a rider, I should fear that those 

 who would lie down to sleep on mattrasses so stuffed, could 

 hardly fancy themselves reposing on a bed of roses. 



