664 THE ELAND. 
horse, and the ground be tolerably fair and open. Its leaping powers are very great, for 
one of these animals has been known to leap to a height of nearly ten feet without the 
advantage of a run. 
The Bushmen havea curious way of hunting the Koodoo, which is generally successful 
in the end, although the chase of a single animal will sometimes occupy an entire day. 
A large number of men start on the “ spoor,” or track, one taking the lead and the others 
following leisurely. As the leading man becomes fatigued he drops into the rear, yielding 
his place to another, who takes up the running until he too is tired, A number of women 
bearing ostrich ege-shells filled with water accompany the hunters, so that they are not 
forced to give up the chase through thirst. As the chase continues, the Koodoo begins to 
be worn out with continual running, and lies down to rest, thereby affording a great 
advantage to its pursuers, who soon come within sight, and force it to rise and continue 
the hopeless race. At last it sinks wearied to the earth, and falls an unresisting prey to 
its foes. 
The flesh of the Koodoo is remarkably good, and the marrow of the principal bones is 
thought to be one of Africa’s best luxuries. So fond are the natives of this dainty, that 
they will break the bones and suck out the marrow without even cooking it in any way 
whatever. The skin of this animal is extremely valuable, and for some purposes is almost 
priceless. There is no skin that will make nearly so good a “ fore-slock,” or whip-lash, as 
that of the Koodoo ; for its thin, tough substance is absolutely required for such a purpose. 
Shoes, thongs, certain parts of harness, and other similar objects are manufactured from 
the Koodoo's skin, which, when properly prepared, is worth a sovereign or thirty shillings 
even in its own land. 
The Koodoo is very retiring in disposition, and is seldom seen except by those who 
come to look for it. It lives in little herds or families of five or six in number, but it is 
not uncommon to find a solitary hermit here and there, probably an animal which has been 
expelled from some family, and is awaiting the time for setting up a family of his own. 
As it is in the habit of fr equcnune brushwood, the heavy spiral horns would appear to be 
ereat hindrances to their owner's progress ; such is not, however, the case, for when the 
Koodoo runs, it lays its horns upon its back, and is thus enabled to thread the tangled 
bush without difficulty. Some writers say that the old males will sometimes establish a 
bachelor’s club, and live harmoniously together, without admitting any of the opposite sex 
into their society. 
It is a most wary animal, and is greatly indebted to its sensitive ears for giving it 
notice of the approach of a foe. The large, mobile ears are continually in movement, and 
serve as admirable conductors and condensers of sound. From the conduct of a young 
Koodoo that was captured by Mr. Anderson, and reared by him, the disposition of the 
animal appears to be gentle, playful, and affectionate. The little quadruped, which was 
taken at so tender an age that it was fed with milk from a bottle, became strongly 
attached to its owner, and was a most active and amusing little creature. Domestication 
to any extent, is, however, not very practicable, as the animal is, in common with the 
gnoo and the zebra, lable to the terrible horse sickness, which destroys so many of those 
useful animals. 
The colour of the Koodoo is a reddish-grey, marked with several white streaks 
running boldly over the back and down the sides. The females are destitute of horns. 
The ELAND, Inrpooro, or CANNA, is the largest of the South African Antelopes, being 
equal in dimensions to a very large ox. 
A fine specimen of an adult bull Eland will measure nearly six feet in height at the 
shoulders, and is more than proportionately ponderous in his build, being heavily: 
burdened with fat as well as with flesh. Owing to this great weight of body, the Eland 
is not so enduring as the generality of the Antelopes, and can usually be ridden down 
without much trouble. Indeed, the chase of this animal is so simple a matter, that the 
hunters generally contrive to drive it towards their encampment, and will not kill it until 
it has approached the wagon so closely that the hunters will have but little trouble in 
conveying its flesh and hide to their wheeled treasure-house. 
