160 LODGES IN THE WILDERNESS 



arities. I have mentioned in a previous chap- 

 ter the remarkable formation of its foot, the 

 membrane connecting the wide-spreading toes, 

 which enables it to gallop scathless over the 

 Kanya stones which cripple all other animals. 

 Another abnormality is shewn in the way the 

 hair lies. If one wished to stroke the back of 

 an oryx one would have to do so from back to 

 front, as the hair slopes in a reverse direction 

 as compared with all other antelopes. The 

 oryx fawn is born with horns about four inches 

 long, but the points are capped with a plug- 

 like mass of horny substance. This falls off 

 when the animal is about three weeks old. 



An oryx fawn, until it has reached the age of 

 from three to four months, is a most extra- 

 ordinary object. Its neck, chest and flanks are 

 covered with long hair, vivid red in hue. It 

 has a shaggy red mane and a big, black 

 muzzle ; its ears are of enormous size. The first 

 time I saw these creatures I almost mistook 

 them for lions. Three of them stood up sud- 

 denly at a distance of about sixty yards and 

 gazed at me. My horse was terrified to such an 

 extent that he became unmanageable. It was 

 only with difficulty that Andries was able to 

 persuade me as to the true nature of the 

 animals. 



