THE GOAT. 207 



better adapted to human needs. In fact, his fate 

 has been that of the "jack-of-all-trades " who is 

 "master of none " all the world over. But there 

 are some regions of the earth where his star is 

 decidedly in the ascendant, and where it is not 

 likely to decline for a very long period. On the 

 exposed and parched tablelands of South Africa, 

 where at one time antelopes innumerable found 

 sustenance, goats, probably because of their kin- 

 ship to the antelope family, thrive better than do 

 any other imported animals. The thorny shrubs 

 and brown shrivelled herbage of the Karroo, 

 which seem to the European traveller to be of 

 the most unpromising character as fodder, afford 

 the goat abundant nourishment. 



Not long ago, it may be remembered, a well- 

 known South African statesman went on a 

 mysterious visit to the Sultan of Turkey. As 

 this gentleman is popularly supposed to be 

 always engaged in some deep and dreadful 

 plot, sundry disquieting rumours got afloat as 

 to the purport of his mission. At last some 

 keen - witted journalist wormed out the awful 

 secret. It was this : His Highness the Padi- 

 shah happened to possess some particularly fine 

 Angora goats, and the gentleman in question 



