212 ZEBEAS— WILD PIGS. Chap. X. 



separates from the herd, and is seen to stop amongst the 

 trees; but, as it is a matter of great danger to follow 

 a wounded buffalo, we hold on our way. It is this 

 losing of wounded animals which makes firearms so an- 

 nihilating to these beasts of the field, and will in time 

 sweep them all away. The small Enfield bullet is worse 

 than the old round one for this. It often goes through 

 an animal without killing him, and he afterwards perishes, 

 when he is of no value to man. After breakfast we draw 

 near a pond of water, a couple of elephants stand on its 

 bank, and, at a respectful distance behind these monarchs 

 of the wilderness, is seen a herd of zebras, and another of 

 waterbucks. On getting our wind the royal beasts make off 

 at once ; but the zebras remain till the foremost man is 

 within eighty yards of them, when old and young canter 

 gracefully away. The zebra has a great deal of curiosity ; 

 and this is often fatal to him, for he has the habit of stoppiug 

 to look at the hunter. In this particular he is the exact oppo- 

 site of the diver antelope, which rushes off' like the wind, and 

 never for a moment stops to look behind, after having once 

 seen or smelt danger. The finest zebra of the herd is 

 sometimes shot, our men having taken a sudden fancy to the 

 flesh, which all declare to be the " king of good meat." On 

 the plains of short grass between us and the river many 

 antelopes of different species are calmly grazing, or 

 reposing. Wild pigs are common, and Avalk abroad 

 during the day ; but are so shy as seldom to allow a close 

 approach. On taking alarm they erect their slender tails in 

 the air, and trot off swiftly in a straight line, keeping their 

 bodies as steady as a locomotive on a railroad. A mile 

 beyond the pool three cow buffaloes with their calves come 

 from the woods, and move out into the plain. A troop of 



