136 ANIMAL LIFE IN AFRICA 



but, owing to the greatly elongated hoofs, finds rapid 

 moving upon dry land a matter of some difficulty. Unless 

 driven from its day haunts by natives in canoes, it is 

 seldom possible to see it. Once many years ago, while 

 marching along the banks of the Kwando River on the 

 eastern boundary of Angola, a female stepped out of the 

 huge swamps which border the stream along its left 

 bank, and walked slowly up the stretch of grass separating 

 reeds from forest. It was just after sunset, and the 

 caravan was on the point of halting for the night. The 

 animal seemed quite oblivious of our presence, having 

 perhaps never before encountered human beings. Three 

 or four of the porters, putting down their loads, gave 

 chase, and, getting between the animal and the water, 

 turned her into the forest, where they quickly ran her 

 down. She moved so clumsily for an antelope that for 

 the moment I thought she was crippled. 



Until the countries north of the Zambezi were opened 

 up a few years ago, very few white men had ever had an 

 opportunity of securing a specimen of a situtunga to 

 their own rifle ; but then, as now, great numbers were 

 annually killed by the natives in the big periodical hunts, 

 when the animals were pursued in canoes and speared 

 in the water, or else driven ashore by the burning of the 

 dry reed beds and then run down on foot. 



THE KUDU. It is no doubt a matter of individual 

 opinion, but to many the lordly kudu bull with his 

 massive body handsomely barred with white, his well- 

 bred head, and his glorious spiral horns, must appear 

 the acme of nature's efforts to attain perfection of type. 



Extremely wary and timid by nature, and seeking 

 safety in the densest forest and thorn brake, the kudu 

 has to a great extent escaped the doom which the majestic 

 appearance of the male, the succulent flesh of the female, 



