THE STEPPES OF INNER AFRICA. 191 



Conscious of its strength and of its powers of defence, the antelope 

 uses its pointed horns with skill and good effect; one dog after 

 another may be hurled to the ground fatally transfixed; but the 

 others fix on its throat and body, and the noble creature's death- 

 rattle soon puts an end to their howling. Without fear of man 

 these dogs fall upon domestic animals of all kinds, tearing up the 

 smaller sorts with the bloodthirstiness of martens, and mutilating 

 those which are too large to be readily mastered. Nor are they 

 afraid of domestic dogs, but fight with them to the death and leave 

 them lifeless on the field. Thoroughly broken in and tamed, trained 

 for several generations, they should become the most excellent of 

 sporting-hounds; but the task of subjugation is certainly not an 

 easy one. They do indeed become used to their master, and display 

 some liking, even a certain fondness for him, but all in their own 

 way. When called from their kennel, they jump up and down in 

 the highest of spirits, fight with one another out of sheer joy, rush 

 at their approaching master, leap up on him, try to show their 

 gladness in the most extravagant ways, and are finally unable to 

 express it except by biting him. A boisterous mischievousness and 

 an uncontrollable impulse to bite are characteristic of almost all 

 their doings. More excitable than almost any other creature, they 

 move every member, they quiver in every fibre, when any novel 

 occurrence attracts or occupies them; their mercurial vivacity is 

 expressed in exaggerated gaiety and next moment in savage wild- 

 ness. For they bite whatever comes in their way, without any 

 provocation, probably without any ill-will, simply for fun. They 

 are the most marvellous creatures in all the steppes. 



In those parts of the steppe which I have been more particu- 

 larly considering — the Kordofan, Sennaar, and Taka regions — the 

 animal life is not subject to destructive or disturbing influences 

 to the same extent as in the south of Africa or in Central Asia. 

 To those animals which do not migrate, or do not lie in death- 

 like sleep for months, the winter may bring privations or even 

 sharp want, but it does not involve the pangs of starvation or 

 the torments of thirst; it does not force desperate creatures to 

 leave an impoverished home, or seek for happier lands in mad 



