296 KLOOF AND KARROO. 



in the Colony. It would seem never to have been 

 abundant, except on parts of the northern plains. 

 Steedman, in 1830, speaks of it as being scarce even 

 in that region. Its more natural habitat appears 

 to have been the Orange Free State, whence it 

 descended periodically across the Orange River into 

 the Old Colony. These antelopes do exceedingly 

 well in captivity. I came home from the Cape 

 when there were two on board the ship, and 

 both of them fed upon hay, throve well, and 

 remained in fine condition during the whole of the 

 voyage. 



The Springbok (Gazella euchore). I have indicated 

 the present occurrence and numbers of this antelope 

 in a former chapter. Despite the warfare that has 

 been waged upon it, it is still found in considerable 

 plenty on the Great Karroo, and on the plains of 

 the country formerly known as Great Bushmanland, 

 it abounds in large herds. In former days these 

 beautiful creatures were literally innumerable. Barrow 

 says, at page 118 of his travels : " The springbok is 

 met with on the plains of Camdeboo (near Graaff 

 Reinet) in numbers that are almost incredible. A 

 thoroughbred sportsman will kill from twenty to 

 thirty every time he goes out. This, however, the 

 farmer (Dutch) does by a kind of poaching. He lies 

 concealed among the thickets near the springs or 

 pools of water to which the whole herd towards the 

 close of the day repair to quench their thirst, and by 

 firing amongst them his enormous piece loaded with 

 several bullets, he brings down three or four at a 

 shot." A few years since, I still found the springbok 

 in considerable numbers in crossing these very 

 Camdeboo Plains, and a little farther south in 



