284 KLOOF AND KARROO. 



between these animals, or what their ideas of 

 the European chamois could have been, passes 

 understanding. The koodoo retains its native 

 name ; but the hartebeeste signifies hart or stag- 

 ox, presumably from its non-bovine characteristics. 

 Wildebeeste (the gnu) .means wild ox, not a happy 

 simile ; the blessbok takes its name from the white 

 " bless " or blaze on its face. 



The tsesseby, or sassaby, is called by the Dutch 

 the bastard hartebeeste; the sable antelope, "zwart 

 wit pens" — i.e., black with white belly; the roan 

 antelope, blaauwbok (blue bok), sometimes bastard 

 gemsbok, or bastard eland, both singularly 

 inappropriate names ; while among the larger 

 game, kameel (camel) standing for the giraffe, tiger 

 for leopard, and zee koe (sea cow) for hippopotamus, 

 are all somewhat uncouth and far-fetched. 

 Evidently, the Dutch pioneers did not carry a 

 practical naturalist with them in their wanderings. 

 And yet, once in South Africa, all these strange 

 and uncouth names seem to come naturally enough 

 to the lips, and indeed, I think by most hunters 

 (English as well as Dutch) are regarded with a sort 

 of affection ; for they recall vividly many a happy 

 hunting ground, many a gallant head of game, and 

 many a scene of natural beauty, such as in its own 

 wild picturesqueness, perhaps no other other country 

 can surpass. It will, perhaps, better serve the 

 purpose of this chapter if I enumerate the large 

 game and antelopes that found a home in the Cape 

 Colony one hundred years ago, and then endeavour 

 to trace slightly the decline and disappearance of 

 such as are now extinct within its limits, and the 

 present occurrence of such as remain. For this 



