260 A COLONY IN THE MAKING chap. 



former had a start of about 200 yards, but was pulled 

 down in approximately half a mile. The length of 

 this chase is far in advance of the average course of 

 tame cheetahs in India. There 300 yards is an 

 unusually long course, and after that, if unsuccessful, the 

 pursuer will stop, retire in disgust, and sulk. Although 

 we were not more than a hundred yards from the 

 death-scene, it was difficult to see what had actually 

 happened when the quarry was overtaken. All was 

 over in a flash, but the impression of an upraised 

 striking paw was left, perhaps wrongly, in my mind. 

 Death was instantaneous, but although I skinned the 

 victim, a fine male, I was unable to discover a single 

 claw puncture ; nor, as far as one could tell, was the 

 neck dislocated. This animal stands in grave danger 

 of extermination in the Protectorate, and on a sports- 

 man's licence, at all events, might well be to a certain 

 measure protected. A male cheetah varies in length 

 from 7 feet to slightly more than 8 feet. 



The Bushbuck and Lesser Kudu are animals which 

 provide pretty bush stalking and also furnish a really 

 lovely trophy. The former is better known to farmers, 

 since he is ubiquitous wherever there is bush cover, 

 and also water. The latter requires arid country. 

 Nearly all settlers are able to have an occasional shot 

 at a bushbuck, and although he is certainly destructive 

 to young crops, much is forgiven him for his beauty. 

 Where not much molested, they feed in the open well 

 into the day, but soon learn that with the dawn comes 

 danger. The bushbuck runs very large in the Pro- 

 tectorate — a fine buck weighing well over 200 lb. 

 The horns are proportionately good, and have been 

 known to exceed 20 inches. The sportsman, however, 

 may be satisfied with anything above 14 inches. It is 



