SPRINGBOK SHOOTING. 233 



antelopes literally swept everything before them, and 

 farmers frequently lost whole flocks in consequence. 

 Our host described the approach of the trek bokken 

 I speak of; enveloped in clouds of dust the herds 

 came on. At one time the sight was positively 

 alarming, for the springbok, on these occasions, 

 from sheer press of numbers cannot retreat, and one 

 has to be careful to keep out of their way. As the 

 leading antelopes feed and become satiated, they 

 fall back and allow those in the rear to come to the 

 front ; but for this provision of instinctive nature, 

 the rear-guard would be starved to death, for those 

 in front, of course, leave not a particle of nutriment 

 as they pass. During these migrations the farmers 

 shoot as much venison as they desire, and prepare 

 immense quantities of biltong (salted and sun-dried 

 flesh), of which the springbok furnishes the best 

 quality. Mr. Evans informed us that during this 

 last great trek bokken, he killed with buckshot no 

 less than five bok at one shot. Of course, he was 

 almost within touching distance, and the heads of 

 the antelopes were close together ; for on these 

 occasions they are wedged so tightly that escape 

 is impossible ; and, indeed, it is actually on record, 

 that lions have been carried along nolens volens in 

 the midst of a trek bokken. 



At the present time, the springbok is still fairly 

 abundant on the Great Karroo and other plains in 

 the North of Cape Colony ; but in the remote 

 colonial districts, formerly called Great Bushman- 

 land, they are yet found in very large numbers, and 

 there the trek bokken, on a smaller scale than of 

 old, still continues. The Great Karroo is, however, 

 so rapidly becoming more settled, and wells and 



