40 ANIMALS OF THE DESERT. Chap. III. 



proved in the case of an Englishman who insisted upon dig- 

 ging through the flooring of incipient sandstone in the wells 

 at Mohotluani, when the water immediately disappeared down- 

 wards. On reaching the stratum the water flowed in at the 

 line where the soft sand came into contact with it. Enough 

 accumulated for the horses that evening ; but as there was 

 not sufficient for the oxen, we sent them back to Lobotani, 

 where they got a good supply, after thirsting four full days 

 or ninety-six hours. Next morning we found the water ran 

 in faster than at first, as invariably happens in these reservoirs, 

 owing to the passages widening by the flow. The supply, 

 which at the beginning may be only enough for a few men, be- 

 comes in a few days sufficient for the oxen as well. The Baka- 

 lahari are dependent on these wells, and, as they are generally 

 in the hollows of ancient river-beds, they are probably the 

 deposits from rains gravitating thither. In some cases they 

 may be the actual fountains which formerly replenished the 

 river, though they now no longer rise to the surface. 



The buried fluid was perfectly inaccessible to the elands. 

 Yet large numbers of them fed around us ; and, when killed, 

 they were not only in good condition, but their stomachs 

 actually contained considerable quantities of water. I ex- 

 amined the alimentary canal to see if there were any peculi- 

 arity which would account for this animal subsisting for 

 months together without drinking. 1 found nothing. 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 exist without water for months 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. The 

 tolo or koodoo (Strepsiceros capensis), the springbuck (Gazella 

 euchore), and the ostrich are also in a great degree independent 

 of pools and streams. I believe, however, that they can 

 subsist only when there is moisture in the vegetation on 

 which they feed ; for in a year of unusual drought we saw 

 herds of elands and flocks of ostriches crowding to the Zouga 

 from the Desert, and many of the latter were killed in pitfalls 

 on the banks. The rhinoceros, the buffalo, and gnu (Caloblepcu 



