60 ZEBRAS, QUAG GAS, AND ASSES 



me for about half-an-hour, and only ran off when I at last got up and 

 walked towards them. I once watched a small herd approaching my 

 three horses, which were feeding about 200 yards away from where 

 my waggon was outspanned behind a cluster of trees and bushes. 

 They first came boldly up to within 50 yards of the horses, and stood 

 looking at them for a long time. Then one, bolder than the rest, 

 commenced a cautious approach, closely followed by the others. After 

 many halts they at last came to within ten yards of the horses, which 

 had been all the time unconcernedly feeding, without paying any 

 attention to their visitors except now and again looking towards them. 

 At last the boldest of the zebras walked to within three or four yards 

 of the nearest horse, and, reaching out his nose, sniffed at him, and 

 evidently not quite liking the smell, jumped round with a start and 

 trotted away a few yards, closely followed by his companions. He 

 soon, however, returned and sniffed at the horse, again springing away 

 suddenly. This performance was continued for more than an hour, 

 when at last the zebras walked off in the direction from whence they 

 had come. I think that Burchell's zebras are not such savage animals 

 as is usually supposed, since I have seen one or two that were very 

 quiet and well-broken, whilst even the half-broken animals, which were 

 at one time used on the coach line between Pietersburg and Tuli, did 

 not seem very vicious. That they can both bite and kick I know, 

 as I have often seen a wounded one bite the shaft of an assegai with 

 which a Kafir was despatching it, and I once rode up to a wounded 

 one and just touched it with the muzzle of my rifle on the hind- 

 quarters, when it threw up its hind-feet like lightning and kicked three 

 of the back-sights off my rifle. Whilst feeding undisturbed, Burchell's 

 zebras seldom neigh or emit any sound whatever, but should a herd be 

 pursued and one of their number shot, one or two of the survivors will be 

 sure to be heard repeatedly calling for the missing 'member of the 

 party. 



" This call is always kwa-ha-ha, kwa-ha-ha, which has earned for 

 the species the name of kwa-ha among the Boers of South Africa. 

 The bold black-and-white stripings on the coat, which render these 

 zebras so handsome when viewed at close quarters, are not apparent 

 at any great distance. When standing in shade at a distance of 

 400 yards they look of a uniform greyish-black colour, although if the 

 sun is shining on them they appear almost white." 



The experiment of training bonte-quaggas for draught has not 

 proved a decided success ; for, although they are immune to the attacks 

 of tsetse-fly, they are lacking in stamina and endurance. 



