130 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



proceeded some distance through several well-wooded 

 glades and hollows in the table-land of the hills, we 

 suddenly looked forth upon a noble prospect. A wide 

 grassy plain, covered with picturesque mimoSas and 

 detached clumps of ever-green bushes, stretched away 

 from the bases of the hills on which we stood. Beyond, 

 the landscape was shut in by the bold and abrupt forms 

 of rugged mountain ranges, which were colored with 

 a softened blue tint. Having descended into this fine 

 picturesque plain, we held north, riding parallel with 

 the hilly chain. Presently, my comrades adopting a 

 course which did not strike me as the most likely to 

 fall in with game, I chose a line of march for myself, 

 and, following along under the mountain chain, I soon 

 lost sight of them, and saw them no more that day. 

 On this occasion I had taken the field without any after- 

 rider. Having ridden about a mile further, I started a 

 doe koodoo, the first I had seen, and shortly after I 

 started another, with a young one, which I determined 

 to secure, there being no flesh in our camp. Having 

 pursued it a short distance, I came suddenly upon a 

 troop of koodoos, consisting of three bucks and several 

 does. Two of the bucks were old fellows, and carried 

 magnificent, wide-set, long, spiral horns. To these I 

 instantly directed my attention, when they at once 

 made, as koodoos invariably do, for the adjacent rocky 

 hills. Their pace was a succession of long bounds over 

 the thorny bushes, which sadly distressed my poor steed. 

 I nevertheless gained on them, and would have as- 

 suredly secured one, had they not reached a stony bar- 

 rier of sharp, hard rocks, over which they disappeared, 

 and where my horse could not follow. I was much 

 struck with the noble appearance of these two buck 

 koodoos, and felt very chagrined in having been unfor- 



