( 377 ) 



IMPRESSIONS OF A NATURALIST ON THE WHITE 

 RIVER, TRANSVAAL. 



By A. T. Cooke. 



Footprints. — Rising in the neighbourhood of that famous 

 landmark of the Eastern Transvaal, the prominent Spitz Kop — 

 a landmark which has guided so many transport-riders from 

 the coast at Delagoa Bay to the interior — the White River 

 pursues its way through an uninteresting, bushless country until 

 it reaches the White River Falls, where, tumbling in a double 

 cascade, 150 ft. in height, over huge rocks fringed with tropical 

 trees of every hue, it then becomes a series of foaming rapids 

 and deep pools, leaping and spraying as if rejoicing that it has 

 at length reached a mountainous and forest-covered country. 



These falls are on the borders of my farm, and the last six 

 miles form one boundary. I love my river, every yard of it, the 

 rapids and the deep pools framed in a glistening white edge of 

 sand, and it is of this river I write, for along its banks I love 

 to wander — to trace the footprints of the lovely Antelopes, where 

 in the night time they come to the water's edge to quench their 

 thirst. Here are the sharp-pointed Duiker* and Steenbokt prints 

 as they seem to stroll alongside the water ; the more business- 

 like marks of the Bushbuck,! who seems to come straight to the 

 water's edge, doubtless turning anxious and alert glances every 

 way ere it lowers its stately head to drink, and even then it 

 has to watch the water, for one cruel snap from that " lurking 

 death " beneath, when its strength would little avail against the 

 tremendous pulling power of the Crocodile. But here the owner 

 of the footprints encountered no ill, straight down from the 

 bush were its tracks, the two fore feet close together as it 

 drank, and then straight back to the bush again. In the maze 

 of footprints, distinct and clear, can be noted what I have ever 



* Cephalophus grimmi. f Baphicerus camjjestris. 



% Tragelaphus scriptus var. sylvaticus. 

 Zool. 4th ser. vol. XIV., October, 1910. 2 a 



