1 68 ANTELOPES 



" In Cape Colony klipspringers are far less numerous than formerly, 

 but throughout Swaziland, the Transvaal, Mashonaland, Matabililand, 

 and Bechuanaland they are still plentiful. By no means confined to 

 the impossible ' krantzes ' of mountain-ranges, they are found through- 

 out the ' low country ' amongst stony bush-covered ' kopjes,' rising from 

 the flats ; and on several occasions I have found them many miles 

 from any hills, among the piled-up boulders of river-beds. They are 

 common along the Mehlamhali river of the eastern Transvaal ; and 

 when disturbed, merely run up or down the river among the stones. 

 Klipspringers seldom lie high up on the kopjes during the day, but 

 invariably seek the cool shade of the bush below, or of some deep 

 * kloof,' and when disturbed, dart off up the hill-side. They are grass- 

 feeders, and associate in pairs, though several may be seen moving 

 about at once on a hill-side. The only klipspringer fawn I ever saw 

 was in August, the little creature being scarcely a month old and pale 

 yellow in colour ; I think, however, that, in common with those of 

 most African antelopes, the young are usually born between September 

 and January, when the new grass comes on. The flesh is excellent. 



" In certain localities the pursuit of the klipspringer is somewhat 

 arduous — particularly on high mountain -ranges and among steep 

 krantzes. These antelopes, although wary, are not difficult to shoot, 

 as they often stand several times after being disturbed. In the Mow 

 country,' when put out of a patch of bush, they at once run up the 

 nearest ' kopje,' and usually stand on the first large boulder, thus offering 

 an easy shot. A sharp whistle will often cause them to pull up, even 

 when racing at full speed up the hill-side. Dogs that know their work 

 soon bring them to bay, driving them higher and higher, till the highest 

 pinnacle is reached, when the dogs stand round the quarry. I have, 

 however, seen klipspringers escape from such an awkward dilemma by 

 boldly leaping over the heads of the dogs and making off. Klipspringer- 

 stalking is decidedly pretty sport, affording healthful exercise amidst 

 charming scenery. On level ground they cannot run quickly, and a 

 good dog will pick them up in a short distance. On one occasion, 

 when following a klipspringer whose escape my ' boys ' had cut off 

 below and the dogs above, one of the latter, ranging ahead, came 

 round the hill-side in front, when without hesitation the little creature 

 leaped from the edge of the krantz to a ledge below, and, running 

 obliquely down the steep rock-wall, passed far in front of the boys 

 and escaped. Although I did not measure the drop, I am sure it was 

 over 30 feet from the krantz to the ledge, and as the krantz overhung, 

 it was a clean leap. It is, however, when climbing a hill that the 



