SPLENDID ANIMAL. 279 



was accompanied by a doe. There was much blood 

 on the tracks, and I determined to follow him as long 

 as there was a chance of recovering such a prize. I 

 had gone somewhere about a quarter of a mile, and 

 was cautiously picking out the footprints over some 

 hard and dry ground, when I observed another koo- 

 doo within about a hundred yards of me, standing 

 perfectly still, and apparently little conscious of my 

 approach ; but perceiving by the colour of its skin, as 

 well as its unadorned head, that it was a female, I 

 banished the idea of firing, and continued walking 

 directly towards it. I had reached within fifty yards 

 of where this animal stood, ere I perceived that her 

 mate lay dead at her feet. Almost at the same 

 moment she observed me, and was off in an instant. 

 A race to the dead koodoo ensued between Moloka 

 and myself, but I do not think I ever was so disap- 

 pointed as when, having reached the goal, I found one 

 of the beautiful horns broken. Had both been per- 

 fect, it would have been a splendid specimen. 



I was particularly struck with the size and bulk of 

 this animal, and the folloiving measurements were ac- 

 curately taken : — five feet four inches, girth ; five feet 

 five inches, length ; from head to tail, eight feet four 

 inches ; length of horn, four feet ; length of tail, one 

 foot eight inches. The bullet had passed clean 

 through the body just behind the shoulder. Leaving 

 the men to cut up the animal, Moloka and I again 

 started to try and recover the other wounded buck ; 

 and taking up the tracks at the exact spot where we 

 had left them, followed a long way without seeing 

 any of the remainder of the herd. At last they were 



