KLOOF AND KARROO. 



few months back I wrote particularly to inquire of 

 the fate of the zebras, of whom mention had not 

 been made for some little time. In reply to my 

 inquiry, I was told that they had been reduced by 

 Boers and natives, who never spare, or attempt to 

 preserve, the lives of the rarer game of the Colony, 

 until one stallion alone remained, the last represen- 

 tative of the striped beauties that from ages long 

 remote had so fitly graced these rugged mountains. 

 This stallion, finding himself the last of his fellows, 

 had joined a troop of horses belong to the breeding 

 establishment of my friends, that ranged far- and 

 free on the hillsides, and for some time ran with 

 them. At length he became so accustomed to 

 consort with the mares, that he followed them in 

 all their wanderings, and finally suffered himself 

 to be driven with them from the hills into a kraal 

 or inclosure. It was then determined to keep him, 

 and endeavour, if possible, to domesticate him. 

 For this purpose he was lassoed and tied to a tree ; 

 but so ferocious and wild was he in the presence of 

 man, that the greatest precautions had to be 

 observed in approaching him, for his open mouth 

 and ever-ready teeth were always prepared if any 

 one ventured near. Every possible means was 

 taken to induce the zebra to feed. When captured 

 he was in splendid condition, and his coat shone in 

 the sun " like a well-groomed horse's," as my friends 

 expressed it. Herbage was brought from the 

 mountain tops where he had been used to graze, 

 and every conceivable food, equine and asinine, 

 was placed before him, but in vain — he steadily 

 refused to eat. Water he drank greedily, and would 

 dispose of three bucketsful at a time. At length, 



