xviii GALLANT-LOOKING OLD STALLION 305 



they frequent, and often allow a very near approach. 

 The denizens of the open plains — blue wildebeests, 

 isessebes, Lichtenstein's hartebeests — were wilder 

 and more wary than the buffaloes and bushbucks, 

 but still tame compared with their much-hunted 

 relatives in other parts of South Africa; whilst water- 

 bucks, reedbucks, oribis, and zebras (Burchell's) 

 were all very tame and confiding, and the latter, if 

 they did not get one's wind, very inquisitive, as 

 I have found them to be in other unfrequented 

 districts. 



One day I was resting with my native attendants 

 and taking a midday meal on one of the large ant- 

 heaps with which many parts of South-East Africa 

 are studded, when a herd of perhaps a hundred 

 zebras came up over the open plain to see what was 

 going on. Led by a gallant-looking old stallion, 

 the whole troop advanced slowly to within about a 

 hundred yards of where I and my boys were sitting. 

 Then they halted, and for a long time all stood quite 

 still with ears pricked and eyes turned towards us. 

 After a time the leader came walking slowly forward, 

 and was soon followed by a few other adventurous 

 spirits, the mass of the herd remaining where they 

 were. I was myself so absorbed in watching this 

 novel and interesting sight that I did not observe 

 that one of my Kafirs (who took no interest in any- 

 thing but dead zebras) had stood up behind me, 

 until I saw the most venturesome of our visitors turn 

 round and trot back to their companions. I then 

 told all my boys to sit down and keep quite quiet ; 

 but although the old stallion and a few of the bolder 

 spirits amongst his followers came forward again, 

 they would not approach nearer than about seventy 

 yards from us, the whole troop moving up slowly 

 behind them. 



I suppose I must have sat watching these beautiful 

 animals for upwards of an hour, and they did not 



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