166 A BECHUANA KRAAL. 



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The proportions of the body of this eland were like those 

 of the common bull. The horns were long, and nearly 

 straight. The neck was short and thick. A broad, deep 

 dewlap descended to the knees. The hind quarters were 

 very large. The general color was a rufous dun, or ashey 

 grey, tinged with ochre. The skin emitted a delicious 

 perfume of trees and grass. That night we ate the flesh 

 of the eland, and in a gormandizing enthusiasm, pronounced 

 it the king of edible animals. The remainder of the sweet 

 and tender meat was cut up and preserved. After that 

 meal, when we hunted merely for fresh food, the eland was 

 uppermost in our minds, and none appeared that we did 

 not make a determined effort to secure. We found that these 

 animals are of a plethoric habit, and that they cannot 

 stand a severe chase. 



The mountains were of such easy ascent that we occu- 

 pied but a morning in crossing them. About a mile from 

 their base, on the sloping bank of a small stream, we sud- 

 denly came upon a Bechuana kraal which to our unac- 

 customed eyes presented a grotesque appearance. A cir- 

 cular thorn fence, six or eight feet in height, with only 

 one entrance, inclosed a stoping area, around which the 

 huts were ranged. The cattle were usually kept during 

 the night in the inclosure. The huts were of a common 

 bee-hive form, having a small entrance, barely affording 

 space for a man to crawl through on his hands and knees. 



