THE HAETEBEEST IN SOUTH AFRICA 235 



any other species of African game, save the giraffe. 

 The hindquarters are drooping, and somewhat mule- 

 like. The legs are clean, fine, and shapely ; the 

 hocks are well let down, and indicative of speed and 

 staying power. 



In their slow paces these singular antelopes are 

 heavy and lumpish. I have met settlers in British 

 Bechuanaland who compared them to mules, and 

 even donkeys. When disturbed, they canter off with 

 this heavy, sluggish-looking action, with which, how- 

 ever, they manage to cover the ground at a strong 

 pace. When really pushed they stretch themselves 

 out, and, with a free, machine-like, untiring action, 

 compass mile after mile without the least symptom 

 of weariness. Their speed and staying power is 

 extraordinary. I well remember running a strong 

 troop on the Maritsani, in company with two or 

 three other shooting friends. We were well mounted, 

 and galloped the hartebeests for seven miles on end, 

 at the highest speed our nags could accomplish. 

 The hartebeests completely beat us, and one of our 

 horses never got over the tremendous exertions of 

 that chase. If it were not, indeed, for two or three 

 rather foolish traits in the hartebeest character, it is 

 difficult to say how hunters could secure their down- 

 fall, except by the most laborious and difficult of 

 stalking — by no means an easy matter in an often 

 completely waterless veldt. 



