THE ROAN ANTELOPE 69 



comparing the account of the nzoodzoo with the 

 roan antelope, that, with the exception of the horn 

 being single in the former animal, the descriptions 

 of the two are suspiciously alike. The length of 

 the horn of the supposed unicorn was said to be 

 from two to two and a half feet long : the weapons 

 of the roan antelope vary from 24 to 36 inches in 

 lenofth. The horn of the nzoodzoo was said to be 

 capable of being curled up like the trunk of an 

 elephant at the will of the animal : we recollect 

 that the horns of the roan are curved in scimitar- 

 fashion. The unknown animal had the size and 

 strength of a horse, and was extremely fleet : the 

 roan has curiously enough received the apt name 

 of Hippotragus equinus, on account of its horse- 

 like outline, and modern sportsmen have found it 

 to run for miles when pursued.^ The female 

 nzoodzoo was said to be absolutely hornless : 

 strange to say, the female roan was long thought 

 to be unhorned, even so good an authority as 

 Harris, who had himself hunted the animal, stating 

 in 1840 that the female H. equinus had no horns. 

 The ndzoodzoo was very fierce, attacking men on 

 sieht : the Bechuanas in Barrow's time were afraid 

 of the fierce tackhaitsie (" the wicked one ") and 

 even white hunters have found the roan antelope 

 dangerous enough at close quarters. These 



1 Mr. E. N. Buxton says of the roan antelope, "When galloping, 

 their long tails and manes give them almost the appearance of wild 

 horses." Two African Trips, p. 72. 



