214 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



three hundred yards from me, under a low tree on the 

 rocky mountain side, with drooping head and out- 

 stretched tail, which he kept constantly whisking from 

 side to side, and was evidently extremely sick. As he 

 exhibited no intention of going farther, and as the wag- 

 ons were near, I thought it would be a fine opportunity 

 to give all the dogs blood ; so I dispatched Ruyter to 

 camp to fetch them, and remained stationary and 

 watched the wounded potaquaine. After standing in 

 one spot for some time, he made a few tottering steps, 

 then lay heavily down in the grass as if dead, and noth- 

 ng was visible but his side. 



This was most satisfactory : there, on the side of his 

 native rugged mountain, lay the ever-wary, the scarce, 

 the lovely, long-sought sable antelope, and a most noble 

 specimen — perhaps the finest buck in all the district. 

 His ever- watchful eye was now sunk in the long grass ; 

 and as he was lying beside a little ravine, and a stiff 

 breeze was blowing, I could, if I had chosen, have 

 crept in within thirty yards of him, and shot him dead 

 on the spot ; but, so far from doing this, I rather la- 

 mented that he was thus badly wounded, for I feared 

 that he would not have life enough left to show a good 

 fight when the dogs came up. It has been truly said 

 that there is many a slip between the cup and the lip, 

 and the truth of this old saying I wa.s about most bit- 

 terly to experience. In half an hour the Bushman 

 came on with three Bechuanas, leading all my best 

 dogs. I went up to the potaquaine. He had arisen, 

 and was looking at us as we came on ; when I ap- 

 proached within a hundred and fifty yards of him, he 

 disappeared over the ridge. I did not, however, slip 

 the trustless dogs until they should be on his scent or 

 see him. When I gained the ridge I again beheld him 



