ANTELOPES 269 



have wounded the animal. In spite of this hahing movement 

 it gallops very swiftly, and soon out-distances pursuit. Gene- 

 rally, one sentinel looks after the safety of the herd, but the 

 others are not indifferent as to their common security, and 

 their keen senses soon apprise them of approaching danger. 

 They often fall a victim to their curiosity. After the animal 

 has galloped a certain distance, it will stop and climb the 

 highest white-ant hillock in order to satisfy this craving to 

 know the actual whereabouts of the pursuer. I have found it 

 a good plan, when stalking hartebeest, to run after it whilst it 

 is running, and to drop flat on the ground the moment it stops 

 to reconnoitre. If there is sufficient cover, I then proceed to 

 stalk it by crawling nearer to it under cover of the grass and 

 shrubs. If there is absolutely no cover, I remain motionless, 

 and then it is a struggle of patience between hunter and game. 

 As a rule, the hunter has not sufficient time or patience, and 

 the moment he moves the hartebeest bolts. 



Young ones are occasionally run down by natives, and 

 brought to the station alive and sold for a trifle ; but hitherto 

 the hartebeest has proved very different to the Thomsonii in 

 captivity. Thomsonii can be reared with, comparatively speak- 

 ing, no trouble at all ; but the hartebeests until now, in spite 

 of the utmost care and attention, have not proved in up-country 

 stations successful in captivity — they have always died young. 

 The last time I passed the Eldoma Ravine Station, a young 

 hartebeest was running about in the inner court. It was being 

 fed on cow's milk from a bottle. A piece of calico, punctured 

 with a number of holes, was tied so as to form an elongated 

 and soft mouthpiece, which the young one could take into its 

 mouth. The allowance was a bottle in the morning and 

 another towards dusk. The young one seemed to appreciate its 

 food ; for if the boy who fed it was not up to time, it would 

 impatiently follow him about. On one occasion, when we ex- 

 perimented, it followed, though with evident reluctance and 

 hesitation, right up the steps and into a private sitting-room. 



A young water-buck was at the Ravine Station at the same 

 time, and its graceful form, notwithstanding its shaggy coat, 

 formed a striking contrast to the ungainly and uielegant young 

 hartebeest. Both young antelopes were exceedingly tame. 

 The young water-buck would coolly walk up to my tent, 

 which had been pitched in the inner court, and help itself to 



