332 



THE STORY OF THE ANTELOPE. 



spread out apparently to twice its natural size, and the next moment he rose 

 like a bird into the air. 



With one bound he cleared the wide space that separated him from the 

 nearest of the gemsboks,, alighting on the hindquarters of the terrified 

 animal. A single blow of his powerful paw brought the antelope to his 

 haunches; and another, delivered almost at the same instant, stretched its 

 body lifeless on the plain. 



Without looking after the other, or seeming to care further about it, the 

 lion sprang upon the body of his victim, and clutching its throat betw-een 

 its jaws, commenced drinking its warm blood. 



THE GEMSBOK SLAYING THE LION. 



It vvas the bull gemsbok which the lion pulled down, as this was the one 

 that happened to be nearest the hill. 



As the lion sprang upon her companion, the cow, of course, started with 

 afifright, and we supposed we would see her the next moment scouring of¥ 

 over the plain. To our astonishment she did no such thing. Such is not the 

 nature of the noble oryx. On the contrary, as soon as she recovered from 

 the first moments of alarm, she wheeled around toward the enemy — and, 

 lowering her head to the very ground, so that her long horns projected 

 horizontally in front, she rushed with all her strength upon the lion. 



