64 ANIMALS OF THE DESERT. 



Here, though the water was perfectly inaccessible to elands, 

 large numbers of these fine animals fed around us ; and, when 

 killed, they were not only in good condition, but their stomachs 

 actually contained considerable quantities of water. 



I examined carefully the whole alimentary canal, in order to 

 see if there were any peculiarity which might account for the fact 

 that this animal can subsist for months together without drink- 

 ing, but found nothing. Other animals, such as the duiker 

 (Cepkalqpus mergens) or puti (of the Bechuanas), the steinbuck 

 (Tragulus rupestris) or puruhuru, the gemsbuck {Oryx capensis) 

 or kukama, and the porcupine (Uystrix cristata), are all able to 

 subsist without water for many months at a time by living on 

 bulbs and tubers containing moisture. They have sharp-pointed 

 hoofs well adapted for digging, and there is little difficulty in 

 comprehending their mode of subsistence. Some animals, on the 

 other hand, are never seen but in the vicinity of water. The 

 presence of the rhinoceros, of the buffalo and gnu ( Catoblepas gnu), 

 of the giraffe, the zebra, and pallah {Antilope melampus), is always 

 a certain indication of water being within a distance of seven or 

 eight miles ; but one may see hundreds of elands {Boselaphus 

 oreas), gemsbuck, the tolo or koodoo {Strepsiceros capensis), also 

 springbucks (Gazella euchore) and ostriches, without being war- 

 ranted thereby in inferring the presence of water within thirty or 

 forty miles. Indeed, the sleek, fat condition of the eland in such 

 circumstances would not remove the apprehension of perishing 

 by thirst from the mind of even a native. I believe, however, 

 that these animals can subsist only where there is some moisture 

 in the vegetation on which they feed ; for in one year of unusual 

 drought we saw herds of elands and flocks of ostriches crowding 

 to the Zouga from the Desert, and very many of the latter were 

 killed in pitfalls on the banks. As long as there is any sap in 

 the pasturage they seldom need water. But should a traveler see 

 the "spoor" of a rhinoceros, or buffalo, or zebra, he would at once 

 follow it up, well assured that before he had gone many miles he 

 would certainly reach water. 



In the evening of our second day at Serotli, a hysena, appear- 

 ing suddenly among the grass, succeeded in raising a panic 

 among our cattle. This false mode of attack is the plan which 

 this cowardly animal always adopts. His courage resembles 



