254 KLOOF AND KARROO. 



As the cocks grew older they grew also bolder, 

 and many ludicrous anecdotes of their escapades 

 were told us. Two Dutchmen's horses, which had 

 never seen an ostrich at close quarters, were 

 nearly frightened out of their skins, while standing 

 by the homestead, by the apparition of the cocks 

 rushing upon them from round the corner of the 

 house. Breaking their skin halters, they fled 

 precipitately for miles across the plains, with the 

 cocks in hot pursuit. Horses now view ostriches 

 with as much unconcern as poultry. A Dutchman's 

 horse was attacked from behind by the downward 

 kick of an ostrich ; the Boer was thrown and 

 seriously hurt, and his gun broken, and an action 

 for damages was nearly resulting. After these and 

 other similar events, and as the cocks became daily 

 more troublesome, they were hobbled for some 

 considerable time, until the system of confining 

 them in camps came into vogue. In fighting, 

 ostriches very much resemble dunghill cocks. 

 The two I have spoken of took up different ranging 

 grounds, one selecting the higher, the other the 

 lower part of the veldt. If he of the plains ventured 

 into the upper ground to do battle, his defeat was 

 certain ; and if he of the upland sought his rival 

 on his native heath, he was equally certain to be 

 worsted; each bird invariably proving the baas-raake 

 (conqueror) on his own territory. 



One of the most singular habits of these singular 

 birds is the challenge ; at first this habit was quite 

 incomprehensible to the early ostrich farmers. A 

 cock would come rushing across the karroo in 

 pursuit of a man on horseback, and when within 

 a few yards, would suddenly bring itself to the 



