340 ANTELOPES 



hundred yards across at its greatest width. A narrow neck in the 

 centre gave it an hourglass-shaped appearance. It lay low in the 

 water, with rocky shores, and the interior was a tangled mass of 

 heavy bush and undergrowth. A short examination revealed the 

 existence of some kind of antelope, and after crawling in the dense 

 thicket for some time in a fruitless effort to obtain a specimen, we 

 organised a drive with the aid of the canoe-men. Taking our positions 

 at the narrow neck, we gave the signal, and the drive commenced. 

 The antelopes came stealing silently past, like shadows, but so dense 

 was the undergrowth that only a momentary glimpse of them could 

 be obtained. One fine buck leapt over the rock behind which I was 

 crouching, almost on to the muzzle of my rifle, and I was kept busily 

 employed, while frequent reports from the other side told me that 

 Major Williams was having his share of the sport. The second drive 

 from the opposite end of the island was equally successful ; but on 

 making a third attempt, not an antelope was seen, and we concluded 

 that they had taken refuge in the water. How these antelopes came 

 to be on the island, or to exist under conditions so entirely foreign to 

 their swamp-loving nature, is a mystery ; and we could only conclude 

 that it might possibly be a relic of the ancient Lubar^ worship, which 

 deified certain animals and natural objects, and that in accordance 

 with this religion the antelope had been conveyed to the island, and 

 placed there in sanctuary. Whether there is foundation for this theory 

 or not, it is a curious fact that of all the islands which form the Sesse 

 group the antelopes are said to exist on this one only." 



Of the western race Sir H. H. Johnston writes as follows : — 

 " So far as my information goes, derived from inquiries made on 

 the Cameroons river, this animal associates in pairs, male and female. 

 It is very shy, and frequents dense vegetation in marshy localities. The 

 only time I ever saw one in the wild state, it raised its head above 

 a clump of those magnificent six-feet-high LissocJiilus ground-orchids 

 which line the marshy shores of the Cameroons delta. I wounded it, 

 but it managed to get away for about a mile before it was despatched 

 by my native attendants. It did not seem to be able to move very 

 quickly through the thick vegetation." 



Captain Speke received his first specimens of the situtunga from 

 King Rumanika of Karagweh ; these consisting of a pair of horns of 

 a full-grown buck, and a living immature buck, which had been recently 

 captured in a reed -brake in one of the neighbouring lakes. At the 

 time of making these gifts King Rumanika was wearing a robe of 

 situtunea-skin. 



