134 ANIMAL LIFE IN AFRICA 



down the ." pan," where the bush grows nearly to its 

 edge, we can make out individuals busy drinking ere 

 retiring for the day. It is unsatisfactory, from a photo- 

 graphic point of view, this determination not to pause 

 in the open, and we venture to leave our places of con- 

 cealment, perchance to seize a better opportunity. 



The guide has long lost interest in the proceedings. 

 The idea of a white man being so utterly bereft of reason 

 as actually to take any pleasure or interest in these 

 animals except in so far as they provide meat mystifies 

 and disgusts him. Accordingly, as he follows behind, 

 he takes pains to move silently and to conceal himself, 

 only in so far as he dreads the results of doing otherwise, 

 and, bursting into an untimely fit of coughing, startles a 

 magnificent bull, which, having been standing behind a 

 thicket some thirty paces distant, now dashes at full 

 speed for the bush. As he reaches its edge he raises his 

 nose till the long horns lie flat along his back, and, never 

 checking or hesitating for an instant, dives into the tangle, 

 to crouch and dodge under every obstacle with an ease 

 and at a pace incredible till seen. In a moment he is lost 

 to view. We attempt to follow ; but to do so successfully 

 is quite another matter. The creepers trip us up, the 

 branches catch in our face and knock off our hat, the 

 long spikes of the cactus impale our limbs, while hook 

 thorns rend our clothing at every step. For the first 

 time we are of one way of thinking with our follower, 

 who suggests retreat, and, the object of the day being 

 partially attained, we wend our way back to breakfast. 



Inyalas seem extremely regular in their daily move- 

 ments, and on several consecutive mornings it was possible 

 to see the same animals making their way home, by 

 nearly the same route, and at nearly the same time. 

 There is probably no other part of their range where 



