ANTELOPES 



263 



screens the hunter from the game, but it also hides the game 

 from the hunter ; and as the game has the senses of smell, sight, 

 and hearing more acute than man, it has time to escape before 

 the hunter is aware of its proximity. The colour of the impalla 

 is brown, and a dark brown vertical stripe fringes each hind- 

 quarter at a short distance from the tail. The doe impalla has 

 no horns. The 

 buck is usually 

 accompanied by 

 a small herd 

 of six or more 

 does. 



On my fifth 

 journey 1 had an 

 exciting chase 

 after a buck at 

 Campi-ya-Sim- 

 ba. Time after 

 time the watch- 

 ful eyes of the 

 does prevented 

 my getting with- 

 in range of the 

 buck. I could 

 have shot one of 

 the does more 

 than once, but 

 I did not want 

 to ; and, as often 



happens in such a case, it seemed as if they knew it. At last 

 I did succeed in giving the buck a bullet. It then left the 

 herd, but it led me a fine chase over hill and dale, through bush 

 and brake. More than once I got within range, and several 

 times more it was hit. We followed it through a forest and 

 up to a river. Owing to the reeds and bushes at the water's 

 edge, we only got a glimpse of it, as it plunged into the river 

 and tried to swim across. But the opposite bank was very 

 steep ; and as the buck swam along it, looking out for an 

 open and convenient spot to land, we floundered through the 

 reeds along our side of the river, trying to get a sight of the 

 animal. 



IHK IMPALI.A ANTKLOPE. 



