264 EXPEDITION INTO [Chap. XXX. 



jet-black hue of the greater portion of the body 

 contrasted beautifully with a snow-white face and 

 belly.* We thought we could never have looked 

 at, or admired it sufficiently ; my companion observ- 

 ing, after a long pause, "that the sable antelope 

 would doubtless become the admiration of the 

 world." A drawing and description having been 

 completed on the spot, the skin was carefully re- 

 moved, and conveyed upon a pack-horse in triumph 

 to the camp ; and it may possibly interest those of 

 my readers, who shall have followed me during the 

 last three days, to learn, that I succeeded, with 

 infinite difficulty, in bringing this unique and inter- 

 esting specimen of African zoology, in a state of 



* The following were the dimensions of this singular and 

 beautiful antelope, which is faithfully depicted in the African 

 Views. 



Height at the wither 54 



Length ofboiiy 44 



Ditto neck 17 



Ditto head 19 



Ditto tail 25 



Ditto hiud quarter ... 19 



Depth of chest 30 



Length of fore-arm 16 



Fore-knee to foot 15 



Height of mane 6i 



Croup to hock . . » 36 



Inches. 



Hock to foot 18i 



Breadth of fore-arm 6 



Ditto thigh 6 



Ditto foreleg 2-i 



Ditto hind-leg 3 



Ditto neck 16 



Length of horns 37 



Asuuder at base 1 



Ditto tips 9i 



Length of ears 10 



During the first day, I had opportunities of distinctly remark- 

 ing that the females were all furnished with crescent-shaped horns; 

 and although of smaller stature than the males, were similarly 

 marked — a deep chesnut-brown taking the place of jet black. 

 The species was evidently not recognized by the natives, although, 

 to conceal their ignorance, they pronounced it to be kookaam, 

 which signifies the oryx, an animal of such extremely rare occur- 

 rence in Moselekatse's country, that they had in all probability 

 never seen it. 



