156 EXPEDITION INTO 



CHAPTER XXII. 



RHINOCEROS AND WILD BUFFALO HUNTING ALONG THE 

 CASHAN MOUNTAINS. 



Leaving the wag-gons to proceed to the ground where our 

 operations ag-ainst the elephants were to commence^ I went 

 with 'Ling'ap to the carcase of the antelope I concealed yes- 

 terday^ near which I killed two females of the same species. 

 I believe I may with safety assert that I am the only Euro- 

 pean that ever shot a water-buck. This noble antelope is 

 about the size of an ass^ and of somewhat browner colour. 

 The hair is coarse^ like that of the Indian Rusa stag", and in 

 texture resembles split whalebone. The appearance of the 

 male animal is statetyj the eyes are larg-e and brilliant; the 

 horns ponderous and beetling-, three feet in leng'th, white, 

 ring-ed, and placed almost perpendicularly on the head, the 

 points being' curved to the front. A mane encircles the neck, 

 and an elliiDtical white band the tail, which is tufted at the 

 extremity. The female is similar, but hornless, and rather 

 smaller. The flesh of both is coarse, and so hig-hly ill savoured 

 that even savag-es are unable to eat it. On cutting- off the 

 head, the effluvia literally drove me from the spot. Mr. Steed- 

 man had the merit a few years ag-o of bring-ing- this antelope 

 under the observation of the scientific world, and Dr. Smith 

 broug-ht down other two specimens with the late expedition. 

 On the bank of the river I observed the perfect skeleton 

 of an elephant. Near to it 'Ling-ap suddenly stopped, and 

 pointing- with his assag'ai to a bush a few yards off, whis- 

 pered " TaOj^ and I immediately perceived three lionesses 



