HUNTING THE BLESBOK. 245 



old blesbok : it was a family shot, running at two hum/red yards. 

 I also shot a springbok, and mortally wounded another ; both were 

 very long shots. 



The blesbok is one of the finest antelopes in the world, and is 

 allowed to be the swiftest buck in Africa. He, nevertheless 

 attains very high condition, and at this period was exceedingly 

 fat. I was surprised and delighted with the exquisite manner in 

 which his beautiful colors are blended together. Nothing can 

 exceed the beauty of this animal. Like most other African ante 

 lopes, his skin emitted a most delicious and powerful perfume of 

 flowers and sweet-smelling herbs. A secretion issues from be- 

 tween his hoofs which has likewise a pleasing perfume. 



The 3d was a charmingly cool day. At an early hour in the 

 morning I was visited by a party of Boers, some of whom I had 

 previously met. They were proceeding to hunt wildebeest and 

 blesbok, and were mounted on mares, each of which was followed 

 by a foal. They requested me to join them in their "jag," but 

 I excus'ed myself, preferring to hunt alone. Having partaken 

 largely of my coffee, the Boers mounted their mares and departed, 

 holding a southeasterly course. As soon as they were out of 

 sight I saddled up and rode north, with two after-riders, to try for 

 blesboks. I found the country extremely pleasant to ride on. It 

 resembled a well-kept lawn. Troops of graceful springbok and 

 ftlesbok were to be seen cantering right and left, and large herds 

 of black wildebeests in every direction, now charging and caper- 

 ing, and now reconnoitering. I took up positions on the plain 

 behind the ant-hills. In the forenoon I wounded one blesbok, and 

 late in the day I made a fine double shot, knocking over two old 

 blesboks right and left, at a hundred and a hundred and fifty 

 yards. I also shot one springbok. While grallochmg" a buck, 

 one of the Boers rode up to me to say that his brother had wounded 

 a wildebeest, which stood at bay on the plain, and his ammunition 

 being expended, he would feel obliged by my coming to his assist- 

 ance. I accordingly accompanied the Boer to where his brothef 

 stood sentry over the wounded bull, when I lent him my rille 

 with which he finished his bull with a bullet in the forehead. 



