A Breath from the Veldt 149 



Much has already been written of the beauty and grace of this magnificent 

 antelope and the sport it affords, so I shall give only a few notes of them which 

 I made with pen and pencil on the spot. 



Where undisturbed, the koodoo, like the roan antelope, comes to water 

 regularly at the same spots about the same time in the evening, i.e. an hour 

 before sundown. If, however, troops, which generally consist of from six to 

 ten cows and a bull, have been disturbed, they change their watering hours to 

 daybreak, and at such times approach the water very cautiously. Most of the 

 year the old bulls go solitary or in pairs, and wander great distances from 

 the water, whereas the cows never go any great distance, but hang about in 

 the low rocky kopjies in the vicinity. At times even the bulls are gregarious. 

 A Dutch hunter told me he had once encountered thirty in one troop in the 

 month of August. 



If a koodoo bull be found in open country, a hunter mounted on a good 

 horse ought certainly to bag him provided the pace be forced at first, as the 

 animal seems to tire sooner than any of the larger antelope except the eland. 

 Such a chase is, however, not too common, as an old koodoo bull, even where 

 they are numerous, is difficult to find, on account of his hiding propensities, the 

 great distance he goes from the water, and his fondness for always sticking to 

 the thickest wait-a-bit. Once on the move, the koodoo get through these 

 thorns in a marvellous way ; they never seem to get caught or hung up, as a 

 man on horseback would certainly be were he to attempt to follow their course, 

 to say nothing of the laceration he would receive. My illustration of a troop on 

 the move going through bush will give the reader a better idea of the motion 

 of these animals under such circumstances than any mere words of mine. 



The alarm call of the koodoo is a loud roaring bark not unlike that of the 

 baboon, only much louder. It is said to give vent to it only when it winds a 

 man close by without seeing him. All the Dutch hunters maintain that the 

 old bull koodoo will sometimes hide himself under a bush, even lying down and 

 placing his head so as to rest his horns along his back, in order to avoid being 

 seen. I have not the least doubt that this is true, and that they will allow the 

 hunter to walk past them within a few yards, as Van Staden said he had once 

 killed one under such circumstances. 



A ride of about three hours brought us to the base of a high kopjie, from 

 the summit of which we intended to have a spy, as I had brought my telescope 

 for the purpose, though I did not, as a rule, use it ; indeed the hunter will but 

 rarely find it of use away from his waggon. On our way we had seen two 



