THE LARGER EAST AFRICAN ANTELOPES 



plains, neither is it found in deep forests. The animal is 

 said to be able to get along with very little water, which 

 explains the fact that it frequents such dry countries as 

 parts of East Africa, Somaliland, and Arabia. 



The oryx beisa are very often seen in considerable num- 

 bers, herds of forty or more being not uncommonly en- 

 countered. Like the impala, they sometimes go in great 

 herds of only females, while small batches of rams roam 

 around by themselves. It is not an uncommon thing to 

 find a lone old male feeding away off from the rest of his 

 family. The oryx is one of the very few antelopes which, 

 like the roan and sable, shows a great deal of courage and 

 pluck if wounded and cornered. 



My first experience with an oryx beisa was a very 

 memorable one. It might, therefore, interest the reader 

 if I quote the same from my diary: " One beautiful morn- 

 ing in July, 1906, we had left our camp near the southern 

 end of Lake Hannington, where we had pitched our tents 

 on the eastern banks of a small, hot stream of crystal- 

 clear, good-tasting water, which came bubbling up from 

 under some rocks a few hundred yards away from the 

 place selected for our camp. After having walked a few 

 hours without seeing anything worth shooting at, my gun 

 bearer and two Wandorobo guides simultaneously noticed 

 fresh oryx tracks. Instantly we took them up, walking 

 along with a great deal of care and expectation, 



*' I had never as yet seen a * choroa,' the native word 

 for the oryx beisa, and was, therefore, most anxious to 

 secure a good head or two. After having followed the 

 track for a few minutes it merged into a whole network 

 of evidently fresh oryx track, which led down to a large 



i8S 



