322 SPOR TING A D VENTURES 



from the herd. Did they not adopt these means of pursuit, 

 they would he apt to receive only pains for their labour ; 

 for if an antelope receives more than a few yards of a start 

 it is likely to leave the hounds far in the rear unless they 

 possess unusual strength, fleetness, and staying powers. 

 Some hunters in that region who live by the fruits of the 

 chase have the finest antelope dogs I ever saw, they being 

 long and strong of limb, lithe of body, and having heads 

 both long and broad. They are not only useful in the 

 field, but also about the house, as they are exceedingly vigi- 

 lant and apparently fierce, for they rush at a stranger with 

 flashing eyes and distended jaws. They are much hand- 

 somer than the pure-blooded varieties, as they display both 

 strength and gracefulness of outline, while they are also 

 taller and longer. 



In many cases they scorn to chase a hare, and if trained 

 specially for deer or antelope, will not do it at all ; otherwise 

 they would be of little comparative use to their owner. In 

 running, they hug the ground closely, and keep the head 

 rather low, as if they were prepared to leap at the throat at 

 any moment. 



After watering the dogs we left the valley, and moving to 

 the north, trotted across a series of wave-like ridges, where 

 we expected to meet some sturdy males that would test to 

 the utmost the speed of the dogs. We had not proceeded 

 half a mile ere we encountered a solitary and burly old fel- 

 low grazing in a gully. As soon as he saw us he gazed at the 

 unusual apparition for a few moments, then broke away at a 

 slashing gait. The young hound having strayed off a short 

 distance, managed to get on his line of flight and to turn him 

 to the left, and this movement enabled the larger dogs to get 

 a short cut by which they closed rapidly upon him. Break- 

 ing away in a straight line, he made for the streamlet near 

 which we encamped in the morning, but the hounds clung to 

 him, and for a distance of two miles forced him to his best 

 pace, so that they did not seem to gain an inch. Our party, 

 who were quietly seated in their saddles, were preparing 1 to 

 follow the chase, as it was rapidly retreating from our range 

 of vision, when it suddenly appeared on the right, the crafty 



