56 ANIMALS OF THE DESEET. Chap. III. 



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 drinking, 

 but found nothing. Other animals, such as the duiker {Cephalopus 

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

 rupestris) or puruhuru, the gemsbuck ( Oryx capensis) or kukama, 

 and the porcupine (Hystrix 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 then 

 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 spring- 

 bucks (G-azella euchore) and ostriches, without being warranted 

 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 when 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 traveller 

 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 hyaena, appear- 

 ing suddenly among the grass, succeeded in raising a panic 

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

 tins cowardly animal always adopts. His courage resembles 



