CHAP. VIII. AXECDOTES OF AXTELOPES. 373 



hill seemed crowned for more than a mile with a row of 

 lamps. 



But to return to the antelopes. I had not very long 

 to wait before I made their acquaintance. Before w^ e had 

 scarcely gone a mile, I was startled by a sharp, prolonged 

 sneeze, apparently close by, and at the same time Klaas 

 clutched me by the arm, and pointed to three grey objects 

 that looked remarkably like the stones among which they 

 were, but which on the strength of my companion's word 

 I believed were antelopes. They gave no sign of life 

 however, but stood there on the next hill, facing us and 

 motionless ; and though the eye could just distinguish 

 them from the surrounding stones, yet if you looked away 

 it was very difficult to find them again ; every now and 

 then they uttered their cry, which has the peculiarity, 

 whether exercised at will or not I do not know, of seeming- 

 close at hand when really distant, and not being any louder 

 however near they are. Of course, having been seen first 

 rendered it useless to attempt to stalk them, and unfor- 

 tunately it was but an earnest of our day's work. We 

 saw great numbers, but in no case were we unnoticed by 

 them, and from daylight till four o'clock I toiled up and 

 down these hills, sustained by hope alone. At last, how- 

 ever, my patience was rewarded. I got to the top of a 

 ridge, and on peering over the side of a big rock saw 

 three unsuspiciously feeding about a quarter of a mile oft"; 

 and after watching them for some minutes, and seeing 

 that they were gradually coming nearer, I determined, as 

 the wind suited, to remain where I was. In three-quarters 

 of an hour they were about two hundred yards off, still 

 feeding in the same direction, and quite unsuspicious ; 



