The Beisa 389 



sun all that was to spare. I always found that an oryx with a broken leg 

 never went very far before lying down, whereas a broken-legged gazelle 

 or gerenuk would go a whole day if followed. 



On another occasion we were very short of flesh, and I sallied forth 

 prepared to make anything I could " my meat." There was very little 

 game about, but eventually we saw some oryx ; it was very bad stalking 

 ground, and as usual they were very shy. By a lucky long shot I knocked 

 over one, which proved to be a cow, with a beautiful pair of horns, 37 

 inches long ; but I never saw a beast in worse condition, literally skin and 

 bone. Hungry as my men were, they would not touch the meat. The 

 marrow bones even were not worth carrying back to camp. These were 

 the longest horns I collected. 



Riding down a wounded oryx is very exciting sport, but I never tried 

 to finish one with a spear myself, preferring to carry a light rifle rather 

 than risk my pony getting a prod from those javelin-like horns. I have 

 seen these antelopes charge a mounted Somali most determinedly. 



A. H. Straker. 



In British East Africa 



Swahili Name, China; Njemps Name, Ngosorok ; Sala of Abyssinians 



To find out the exact limits of the range of any of the antelopes is at 

 all times difficult and can only be done by those who have had a fairly 

 long residence in the country. I think I can state with certainty that the 

 southern range of the beisa ends at the equator, as I have twice seen a small 

 herd in the plains of Masailand, due east of the Ravine Station, which is for 

 all practical purposes on the equator. Farther south, I have never seen this 

 antelope, and have not heard of any one who has done so. In the open 

 bush country on the south-west shore of Lake Baringo it is plentiful, and 

 I saw several herds, the largest containing about forty beasts, in September 



