50 INVASION OF SETTLED DISTRICTS BY HERDS. 



But in each of these cases immense migratory jour- 

 neys had to be performed, and the difficulties as to 

 subsistence were only temporarily relieved. 



The arrival of one of these invading hordes among 

 the settled districts was of course always regarded by 

 the inhabitants as a serious calamity, and every one 

 who could handle a gun was fully employed in firing 

 " into the brown of them" as soon as they came within 

 shot. If, on the other hand, they fled towards the 

 north, they soon passed out of the plains regions of 

 short grass, and got into the bush country of long 

 grass. The further northwards they went, the thicker 

 the bush became, and the taller the grass. Here they 

 were attacked by the Fly, and numerous other insect 

 pests, which at certain seasons render much of this 

 country almost uninhabitable, for the smaller and 

 thinner skinned animals, at all events. Moreover the 

 thick nature of the country prevented them from 

 detecting the approach of beasts of prey, and other 

 enemies, which kept all except the very largest and 

 most powerful animals in a continual state of alarm, 

 so that they got no rest, either night or day. To 

 remain long in such a country was therefore for them 

 impossible ; especially as most animals of the antelope 

 tribe endeavour to avoid the neighbourhood of cover, 

 and frequent only the openest plains. 



Most of the game therefore, was kept constantly 

 on the run, and wandered from one district to an- 

 other in search of sustenance: hence the great herds 

 were never stationary, and they may always be 

 regarded as wandering, migratory companies. 



In the Northern Hemisphere of course, these move- 

 ments of game are the reverse of what they are in 



