THE SABLE ANTELOPE I3I 



enjoyed abundant sport by the way. Permis- 

 sion being given to return by the Vaal River 

 route, they eventually reached the Colony safe and 

 sound ; one of them, at any rate, being willing 

 enough to repeat the journey. Harris had not been 

 able to reach the mysterious lake which lay to the 

 northward, a feat which he had greatly desired ; yet 

 much had been done. A great collection of sporting- 

 trophies, comprising specimens of all the South 

 African /t'r^rg' — including many unknown even to the 

 colonists — lay in the waggons ; a valuable series of 

 water-colour drawings of animals sketched from life 

 on the veldt had been accumulated, with copious 

 notes : best of all, they had brought back, carefully 

 salted and wrapped in a meal-bag, the magnificent 

 skin of the first sable antelope ever shot by a white 

 hunter — a memorable token of that memorable 15th 

 of December, " the most fortunate day of the whole 

 campaign." 



Harris had met with a small troop of sable — two 

 males and nine females — when on the track of a 

 wounded elephant. Having been delayed in pursuit 

 by the untrustworthiness of his artillery, he event- 

 ually followed the spoor over hill and dale, persisting 

 with unquenchable enthusiasm until on the third clay 

 he came up with the great bull which had fired his 

 ardour and had even invaded his dreams, Harris 

 wounded him in the hind leg and again in the body : 

 yet the sable not only made off in gallant style but, 



