98 ANTELOPES 



feed slowly and quietly away from the resting-place. Water-holes 

 rarely show many tracks of these hartebeests, and it seems that little 

 water is needed by these antelopes. Feeding is ended early, and by 

 9 or 10 A.M. the members of the herd are mostly lying under trees or 

 standing in the shade with drooping heads, idly flicking away the 

 flies. They are most easily approached at this time, particularly if 

 the sportsman has discerned them in time, and can plan his stalk with 

 reference to the wind. A herd with young ones is the most difficult 

 to approach, as the calves do not seem to doze during the hot hours, 

 but, capering and gambolling about, never farther than 50 yards 

 away from their parents, form a vigilant guard, which often spoils the 

 chance of a good head. The young are dropped between Christmas 

 and the middle of February, and are strong and fleet almost immedi- 

 ately after birth. 



" When at full speed these hartebeests exceed in pace any other 

 antelope in West Africa. At a trot or canter they are exceedingly 

 ungainly, but even at the latter pace they can easily outstrip a man 

 mounted upon the best native pony ; and when thoroughly alarmed, 

 they stretch themselves out close to the ground, and for a mile can 

 maintain a really tremendous speed. Their motions are, however, so 

 deceptive that unless one has galloped alongside or behind them, or 

 watched them cover a given distance, one would never realise the 

 speed they can attain. 



" In common with its relatives, the western hartebeest displays 

 great tenacity of life, so that it sometimes appears quite impossible to 

 kill them, as they seem able to stand being riddled through and 

 through. I have, for instance, tracked one with four bullets in its 

 body, and going on three legs, for hours, catching sight of it every 

 now and then, until sheer exhaustion has compelled me to give up 

 all hope of putting an end to its misery ; and the same animal was 

 seen for weeks afterwards by natives and other persons shooting over 

 the same ground, but no one could ever bring it to bay, in spite of 

 its dragging a useless hind-leg. 



" The flesh of the West African hartebeest is somewhat coarse, 

 and of a flavour decidedly too strong for European palates, except 

 in default of other meat. In life the animal has also a strong odour, 

 which cannot be mistaken, and invariably stamps a resting-place for 

 several hours after the herd has left." 



This fine species is represented only by the skull and horns in the 

 exhibition galleries of the Natural History branch of the British 

 Museum. 



