ANTELOPES 87 



convenient tree. The poor beast, however, could only 

 .come a few yards and then fell, spent. 



When accompanied by small terriers which, devoid 

 of all sense of proportion, generally rush headlong at any 

 animal they see it is sometimes very amusing to watch, 

 from a place of concealment, their contest with a few 

 of these brindled gnus. As the little dogs rush in, barking 

 as only such small canines can, the big shaggy beasts, 

 at first taken by surprise, dash off in their own inimitable 

 fashion ; but, presently, recognizing the insignificance 

 of the foe, they come wheeling round in a cloud of dust, 

 and the chase is reversed. Away go the dogs, and hard 

 on their heels come the wildebeests, vainly trying to 

 reach them with horns and feet. Then, unsuccessful 

 but contemptuous, they pull up and snort their disgust, 

 only to find themselves assailed in rear ; and so the play 

 goes on, until at last the dogs, finding the matter be- 

 coming a little too serious, run in for protection, and their 

 pursuers, suddenly catching sight of us, are off in a 

 moment. 



I have never known, in my own experience or in that 

 of my staff, the full-grown wildebeest to be attacked by 

 any carnivora but the lion, except on a few occasions by 

 the little ratel, or honey badger, as has been related 

 in Book I. Some writers have recorded onslaughts 

 by hunting dogs, but I am of the opinion that such 

 incidents must be rare, and undertaken only by urgent 

 press of circumstances. I think, at any rate where less 

 formidable species are present, full-grown blue wilde- 

 beests are safe from all carnivorous animals except the 

 lion. Sick or wounded, they would, of course, fall a 

 prey even to the hyaena, but when in full health and 

 assailed by wild dogs, the adult blue wildebeest would 

 probably act, when at bay, much as he often does with 



