THE ANTELOPES AND GAZELLES 137 



and with the wonderful lightness and agility of these 

 animals. The klipspringer has greater jumping 

 powers, displayed in leaping from rock to rock and 

 coign to coign ; but a troop of Vaal rhebok, usually 

 six or eight, sometimes as many as twelve, in number, 

 always seem to me to glide over the steepest and 

 stoniest hill slopes in a manner little short of marvel- 

 lous. The white underpart of the short tail is 

 usually displayed in flight, reminding one of the 

 reedbucks and the rabbit. Vaal rhebok are common 

 all over South Africa from Cape Colony to the 

 Zambesi, wherever hills are found. They choose by 

 preference, especially in a country where they are 

 much hunted, the higher parts of the mountains, but 

 at early morning may sometimes be met with on the 

 lower slopes. They may be shot at dawn, as they 

 return from drinking, by some path known to a 

 native hunter. They are shy, timid beasts, and a 

 sharp, suspicious old ram is usually to be found stand- 

 ing sentinel to the herd. Stalking the Vaal rhebok 

 calls up all the best qualities of the foot -hunter ; 

 endurance, perseverance, and accurate shooting are 

 essentials, and the aid of a Kaffir, who thoroughly 

 understands the habits and peculiarities of these ante- 

 lopes, is generally advisable. It is preferable to 

 approach the Vaal rhebok from above, and the wind 

 and the ground must be studied with at least as much 

 care as is shown in red deer stalking. The flesh of 

 this antelope is but poor eating. 



