BLAU-BOK, OR ETAAC,—%gocerus leucopheus. 
to keep itself far aloof from civilization. Gordon Cumming’s description of this animal 
is as follows. 
“Cantering along through the forest, I came suddenly in full view of one of the 
loveliest animals which graces this fair creation. This was an old buck of the Sable 
Antelope, the rarest and most beautiful animal in Africa. It is large and powerful, 
partaking considerably of the nature of the ibex. Its back and sides are of glossy 
black, beautifully contrasting with the belly, which is white as driven snow. The horns 
are upwards of three feet in length, and bend strongly back with a bold sweep, reaching 
nearly to the haunches.” 
It lives in herds of no very great size, consisting mostly of ten or twelve does led by 
a single buck. As a general fact, the buck takes matters very easily, and trusts to the 
does for keeping a good watch and warning him of the approach of an enemy. Owing 
to the jealous caution of these female sentinels, the hunter finds himself sadly embarrassed 
when he wishes to enrich his museum with the horns of their leader, and if any of them 
should happen to take alarm, the whole herd will bound over the roughest ground with 
such matchless speed that all pursuit is hopeless. In Captain Cumming’s well-known 
work, there is a most animated description of the proceedings of a herd of Sable 
Antelopes, and of the hunter’s manceuvres in order to gain his point. 
In the native dialect, the Sable Antelope is known under the name of Potaquaine. 
It is very tenacious of life, and will often make good its escape even though pierced 
entirely through the body with several bullets. It therefore fully tests all the powers of 
