126 THE WATER-BUCK 



occasion in the Barue I saw a wretched female 

 water-buck harried by about a dozen of the last 

 named cross our path one early morning. We 

 were on the banks of the Luenya River, and I 

 went with a couple of men to take up the spoor. 

 It led us to the river-bank and thence into the 

 water, which I conclude the animals swam, as at 

 this point we gave the search up and resumed our 

 journey. 



The flesh of water -buck, though by no means 

 so well-flavoured as that of many other animals, 

 is nevertheless, if properly cooked, far from un- 

 eatable. I have welcomed it on many occasions 

 when, after days of tinned provisions or tasteless 

 fowls, a water-buck steak, well pounded and beaten 

 to destroy the fibres, has proved an appreciable 

 addition to the camp table. But the whole fact 

 of the matter is that the meat of most animals 

 is quite edible if properly hung, beaten, and 

 cooked. 



In Angoniland the thick hide of water-buck 

 used at one time to be employed in making the 

 oval skin shields common alike to the Zulu and 

 the Angoni, their descendants. At times I have 

 purchased these shields, which are highly orna- 

 mental, to decorate my walls ; but, as is the case 

 with the skins themselves, which I have on 

 several occasions endeavoured to cure, it is per- 

 fectly impossible to keep the long coarse grey 

 hairs from falling out, whilst the natural odour 

 of the beast, which seems to cling to it, renders its 

 presence in a hall or living-room a somewhat 

 doubtful advantage. 



