XVII ROAN AND SABLE ANTELOPES 351 



returning to the waggons we came across a small 

 herd of roan antelopes, one of which I shot. In the 

 evening, seeing a herd of sable antelopes feeding 

 down a valley not more than a mile from the waggons, 

 we again saddled up and rode after them. I soon 

 shot the best cow amongst them — her horns measured 

 2 feet 8 inches along the curve — and then tried 

 to bag the one bull that was with the herd — 

 a fine old fellow, carrying a beautiful pair of horns. 

 I gave him two good shots, and I could see the 

 blood running from his nostrils ; but he nevertheless 

 managed to climb a steep, rocky hill, covered with 

 thick underwood, and disappeared on the farther 

 side. Up here I was obliged to lead my horse, and 

 when I reached the top, of course the wounded 

 antelope was out of sight. As the sun was down it 

 was too late to follow his spoor, so I was forced to 

 leave him. At dawn of day the next morning, I 

 went back with my Kafirs to get the meat of the 

 sable antelope cow, which we found untouched by 

 either lions or hyasnas. On my way back to the 

 waggons I came across another solitary bull, and shot 

 him. His horns, though very prettily curved, were 

 small. 



Just before sundown, as the waggons were 

 trekking, a small herd of elands, whose spoor Gouldcn 

 and I were following with the horses, winded us, and 

 ran close past the waggons ; one of them, a young 

 bull, my driver knocked over. 



The following morning, September 10, we crossed 

 the river Zweswe, and arrived after sundown at an 

 encampment of Griqua hunters — the Neros — who 

 have for many years earned a precarious subsistence 

 in the interior by hunting elephants. That very 

 dav they had shot some close to their camp. It 



