PROTECTOR OF THE ORYX 159 



ground rock-saucers hold water for from three 

 to five weeks. So far as I had been able to 

 ascertain, Brabies and one other, but nameless, 

 vley were the only places in the whole enor- 

 mous northern section of the desert where 

 water ever lay on the surface. Brabies, as has 

 been stated, usually contained water once, at 

 least, during each season, but the other vley 

 sometimes remained dry for years at a stretch. 

 As might be imagined, the region was of no 

 economic value. 



Owing to the circumstance that a measure 

 of informal police protection had been 

 afforded to the vicinity of Brabies during the 

 previous two years, practically all the oryx in 

 the desert had there congregated. I estimated 

 their number at about twelve hundred. There 

 was no reason why those animals should not 

 have increased and multiplied. Andries was a 

 Field Cornet, an office combining the func- 

 tions of a constable with those of a justice of 

 the peace. I had appointed him Warden of 

 the Desert Marches and Chief Protector of the 

 Oryx and the Ostrich. Between us, we managed 

 to protect these animals more or less effec- 

 tively. But " thou shalt not muzzle the ox 

 that treadeth out the corn." 



The oryx evinces several interesting peculi- 



