CHAPTER XVIII. 



GAZELLES. 



THE TJiomsonii gazelle is found in smaller or larger 

 herds between the Makindos river and Lake Nakuru. 

 It is about the size of a goat, and provides the most 

 exquisite roast for the hunter's table. It is not a bit 

 shy, and often allows the hunter to walk up to within fifty yards 

 of it. Of course, where it has been much shot at, as, for instance, 

 in the immediate neighbourhood of the caravan road, it has 

 learnt to distrust the approach of man, and to seek safety 

 in flight already at 200 yards. Young Thomsonii gazelles 

 are constantly being caught by the Masai, who bring them to 

 Fort Smith and Naivasha station, and sell them for a mere 

 trifle. 



On my second journey I caught, with my hands, a young 

 Thomsonii alive. It was at Lanjora. I had shot a zebra, and 

 it was getting dusk, when, on my way back to the camp, I 

 nearly trod on the little creature cosily curled up for sleep. I 

 dropped at once on the top of it and seized it. Next morning 

 we reached Machakos, and I bought a she-goat for eight rupees, 

 equivalent at the time to ten shillings. The goat had a kid of about 

 the same size as the young Thomsonii, and she made no difficulty 

 in letting the stranger share with her own young one, provided 

 we just held one of her legs. The young Thomsonii did not 

 relish the first sip of goat-milk, but, being hungry, it came back 

 for more, and after that took to it most naturally. On the 

 march I had the Thomsonii carried ; but before we started on 

 the march, and immediately on arrival at camp, and whenever 

 the caravan stopped to rest on the road, I saw to it myself that 

 the Thomsonii was brought to the goat and fed. It had already 

 become quite tame and a pet with my men, when, on a sudden, 

 at Kibwezi it was seized with convulsions and died. Whether 



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