A GNOO BAYED BY \VILD DOGS. 149 



fierce-looking, ponderous heads, their shaggy manes 

 and long, black, bushy tails streaming in the breeze, 

 they presented an appearance at once striking and im- 

 posing ; and to a stranger they conveyed rather the idea 

 of buffaloes than any thing belonging to the antelope 

 tribe, to which, indeed, wildebeests, both black and 

 white, are but remotely allied, notwithstanding the 

 classification of naturalists. 



About midnight on the IGth, weary with tossing on 

 my restless couch, I arose, and taking my two-grooved 

 rifle, a pillow, and a blanket, I held for my shooting- 

 hole beside the fountain. The remainder of the night 

 was very cool, with a southerly breeze. At dawn I 

 looked from my hole, and, seeing no game approaching, 

 I rolled my blanket tight around me and tried to sleep. 

 In this manner I had lain for about half an hour, when 

 I was suddenly startled by a large, heavy animal gal- 

 loping past within six feet of me. I at once knew that 

 it must be either some beast which had been coming to 

 drink and had got my wind, or one hunted, which, ac- 

 cording to the custom of deer and the larger antelopes, 

 had rushed for refuge to the water in its distress. In 

 the latter conjecture I was right ; for, on cautiously 

 peeping through the stones which surrounded my hole, 

 I had the plea.sure to behold a fine bull brindled gnoo 

 dash into the waters of the fountain within forty yards 

 of me, and stand at bay, followed by four tearing, fierce- 

 looking wild dogs. All the four had their heads and 

 shoulders covered with blood, and looked savage in the 

 extreme. They seemed quite confident of success, and 

 came leisurely up to the bull, passing within a few 

 yards of me, their eyes glistening with ferocious glee. 



My anxiety to possess this fine old bull, and also a 

 specimen of the wild dog, prevented my waiting to see 



