294 ANTELOPES 



will come to bay, although now and then one will charge out at one of 

 the dogs, and then immediately rejoin the herd. I have seen many 

 sable antelope bulls brought to bay by dogs ; but I never saw one of 

 these antelopes, when unwounded, lie down to fight, as they usually do 

 when badly wounded. They use their horns with marvellous quickness 

 and dexterity, and if, as they stand or lie at bay, an assegai is thrown 

 at them, they often break the shaft with a sweep of their long curved 

 horns, on the instant that the head of the weapon strikes them ; while 

 if a dog seizes them anywhere about the flank or hind-quarters, he 

 will almost certainly have a horn driven right through him before many 

 seconds. On one occasion, when I saw a wild dog attack a sable 

 antelope bull, it bit its powerful antagonist twice, but each time only 

 snapped, letting go its hold again instantly. These wild dogs run 

 mute, and when in pursuit of sable or roan antelope apparently 

 endeavour to tear open the flanks of their victims by a series of 

 snapping bites, and at length gradually expose and drag out their 

 entrails. Where they have not been much persecuted, sable antelope 

 are amongst the least shy of wild animals ; and the bold and noble 

 bearing of a herd of these antelopes, standing on the slope of a 

 wooded hill, gazing with curious though fearless eyes at the first 

 mounted man to invade their haunts, could not fail to strike the least 

 impressionable of hunters. 



" The horns of a sable antelope bull are often beautifully curved, 

 though in this respect they vary greatly, some being much less curved 

 than others. They are always flattened on the sides and ringed to 

 within a few inches of the points. An average length is about 38 to 

 40 inches over the curve, though horns measuring 42 and 43 inches 

 are not uncommon. The horns of cows are rarely much curved, and, 

 except in exceptional cases, rise straighter from the head compared 

 with the horns of a bull. The average length is about 30 inches, 

 and anything over 34 inches is uncommon ; while a pair that is both 

 very long and at the same time perfectly symmetrical forms an 

 exceedingly rare trophy." 



Some years ago the Duke of Bedford had a small herd of sable 

 antelope at Woburn Abbey, where these antelopes habitually resorted 

 to certain bracken-clad slopes. As they stood among the brown fern 

 in autumn they afforded some idea of the beautiful sight a herd must 

 present in its native haunts. 



