66 4 



THE ELAND. 



horse, and the ground be tolerably fair and open. Its leaping powers are very great, 

 for one of these animals has been known to leap to a height of nearly ten feet without 

 the advantage of a run. 



The Bushmen have a curious way of hunting the Koodoo, which is generally 

 successful in the end, although the chase of a single animal will sometimes occupy an 

 entire day. A large number of men start on the " spoor," or track, one taking the 

 lead and the others following leisurely. As the leading man becomes fatigued he 

 drops into the rear, yielding his place to another, who takes up the running until 

 he, too, is tired. A number of women bearing ostrich egg-shells filled with water 

 accompany the hunters, so that they are not forced to give up the chase through 

 thirst. As the chase continues, the Koodoo begins to be worn out with con- 

 tinual running, and lies down to rest, thereby affording a great advantage to its 

 pursuers, who soon come within sight, and force it to rise and continue the hope- 

 less race. At last it sinks wearied to the earth, and falls an unresisting prey to its 

 foes. 



The flesh of the Koodoo is remarkably good, and the marrow of the principal bones, 

 is thought to be one of Africa's best luxuries. So fond are the natives of this dainty, that 

 they will break the bones and suck out the marrow without even cooking it in any way 

 whatever. The skin of this animal is extremely valuable, and for some purposes is 

 almost priceless. There is no skin that will make nearly so good a " fore-slock," or 

 whip-lash, as that of the Koodoo ; for its thin, tough substance is absolutely required 

 for such a purpose. Shoes, thongs, certain parts of harness, and other similar objects 

 are manufactured from the Koodoo's skin, which, when properly prepared, is worth a 

 sovereign or thirty shillings even in its own land. 



The Koodoo is very retiring in disposition, and is seldom seen except by those who 

 come to look for it. It lives in little herds or families of five or six in number, but it 

 is not uncommon to find a solitary hermit here and there, probably an animal which has 

 been expelled from some family, and is awaiting the time for setting up a family of his 

 own. As it is in the habit of frequenting brushwood, the heavy spiral horns would 

 appear to be great hindrances to their owner's progress ; such is not, however, the case, 

 for when the Koodoo runs, it lays its horns upon its back, and is thus enabled to thread 

 the tangled bush without difficulty. Some writers say that the old males will sometimes 

 establish a bachelor's club, and live harmoniously together, without admitting any of 

 the opposite sex into their society. 



It is a most wary animal, and is greatly indebted to its sensitive ears for giving it 

 notice of the approach of a foe. The large mobile ears are continually in movement, 

 and serve as admirable conductors and condensers of sound. From the conduct of a 

 young Koodoo that was captured by Mr. Anderson, and reared by him, the disposition 

 of the animal appears to be gentle, playful, and affectionate. The little quadruped, 

 which was taken at so tender an age that it was fed with milk from a bottle, became 

 strongly attached to its owner, and was a most active and amusing little creature. 

 Domestication to any extent, is, however, not very practicable, as the animal is, in 

 common with the gnoo and the zebra, liable to the terrible horse sickness, which de- 

 stroys so many of those useful animals. 



The color of the Koodoo is a reddish-gray, marked with several white streaks 

 running boldly over the back and down the sides. The females are destitute of horns. 



The ELAND, IMPOOFO, or CANNA, is the largest of the South African Antelopes, being 

 equal in dimensions to a very large ox. 



A fine specimen of an adult bull Eland will measure nearly six feet in height at the 

 shoulders, and is more than proportionately ponderous in his build, being heavily bur- 

 dened with fat as well as with flesh. Owing to this great weight of body, the Eland 

 is not so enduring as the generality of the Antelopes, and can usually be ridden down 

 without much trouble. Indeed, the chase of this animal is so simple a matter, that 

 the hunters generally contrive to drive it towards their encampment, and will not kill 

 it until it has approached the wagon so closely that the hunters will have but little 

 trouble in conveying its flesh and hide to their wheeled treasure-house. 



