130 ACROSS MONGOLIAN PLAINS 



protection from enemies. Their greatest menace is the 

 wolves, but since we demonstrated that these animals 

 cannot travel faster than about thirty miles an hour, 

 the antelope are perfectly safe unless they happen to 

 be caught off their guard. To prevent just this, the 

 gazelles usually keep well out on the open plains and 

 avoid rocks or abrupt hiUs which would furnish cover 

 for a wolf. Of course, they often go into the rolling 

 ground, but it is usually where the slopes are gradual 

 and where they have sufficient space in which to pro- 

 tect themselves. 



The gazelles have a perfectly smooth, even run when 

 going at full speed. I have often seen them bound 

 along when not particularly frightened, but never when 

 they are really trying to get away in the shortest pos- 

 sible time. The front limbs, as in the case of a deer, 

 act largely as supports and the real motive power 

 comes from the hind legs. If an antelope has only a 

 front leg broken no living horse can catch it, but with 

 a shattered hind limb my pony could run it down. I 

 have already related (see page 49) how, in a car, we 

 pursued an antelope with both front legs broken below 

 the knee; even then, it reached a speed of fifteen miles 

 an hour. The Mongolian plains are firm and hard 

 with no bushes or other obstructions and, consequently, 

 are especially favorable for rapid travel. 



The cheetah, or hunting leopard of Africa, has the 

 reputation of being able to reach a greater speed, for 

 a short dash, than any other animal in that country, 

 and I have often wondered how it would fare in a race 



