LARGE GAME OF CAPE COLONY. 281 



Zambesi and the Indian Ocean there had its habitat. 

 The magnificent eland, an animal surpassing in 

 weight and stature the heaviest ox, and yet 

 possessing all the truest points of the antelope 

 tribe, must have been found in extraordinary 

 profusion, for its name to this day lingers upon 

 river, mountain, plain, and kopje in every part of 

 the Colony. 



The rare roan antelope, now approaching 

 extinction in South Africa altogether, restricted as 

 it ever is in its habitat, was common in Swellendam, 

 where it survived till the end of the last century ; the 

 gemsbok or oryx abounded on every open karroo, the 

 curiously-pied bontebok was found in vast numbers ; 

 and the black wildebeeste, blessbok, springbok, and 

 hartebeeste upon the open plains literally covered 

 the face of the earth. Indeed, but for the 

 brandtsickte or burning disease which ravaged 

 their herds, they must have become far too numerous 

 for the country to support. All the smaller antelopes 

 were found in unexampled plenty. The Hottentots 

 and Bushmen, who at that time held the territory 

 now known as the Cape Colony, though they 

 obtained their food supplies from the game around 

 them, could from the nature of their weapons (the 

 bow and assegai only), if left to their own devices, 

 never have made much impression upon the vast 

 natural game preserves of their land. 



But since the Dutch landed and firearms were 

 introduced, the history of the fauna of Cape Colony, 

 and, indeed, of South Africa generally, has been one 

 continual record of ceaseless, wanton, and shameful 

 slaughter. It will be said that our own countrymen, 

 as well as the Dutch, have had a great hand in this 



