-^ The Spell of the Elelescho 



Overwhelming" in ils vastness, its rich variety of 

 colour, form, and movement is the picture of animal life 

 thus displayed. 



INIovini;- along the hollows of the plateau hour after 

 hour, looking out from its ridges, now with the held-glass, 

 now with unaided sight, I find the whole grassy ex- 

 panse covered with these wild creatures. Hundreds and 

 hundreds more of zebras alternate with laro^er or smaller 

 herds of Grant's gazelles. Near them, but keeping apart, 

 and all around them the dwarf ""azelles are swarmine. 

 Here and there one sees the proudly uplifted head of a 

 stately waterbuck, adorned with splendid branching horns, 

 and not far off his hornless doe, both of them in form and 

 action greatly reminding one of the stag of our northern 

 lands. Occasionally the eye catches sight of splendid 

 black-plumed cock ostriches here and there on the plateau. 

 They watch the traveller carefully, and are accompanied 

 by their mates, which are very much more difficult for the 

 eye to make out owing to their plain grey plumage. On 

 all sides there are whole herds of brown hartebeests o-razing, 

 resting, or making for some more distant spot with their 

 characteristic long striding gallop. And now one suddenly 

 comes upon a herd of giant eland antelopes, brownish 

 yellow, and adorned with white cross-stripes. Conscious 

 of their mighty strength, there is not much shyness about 

 them ; but they know not the danger they run from the 

 long-range weapon of the European. 



Think of all this animal life bathed in the fulness of 

 the tropical sunlight ! All depths and shades of colour 

 play before our eyes. Strongly cast shadows, ever changing 



27 



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t'"*M;!i Ml 



