Fish River Bush, South Africa. 199 



judges is a favourite feeding ground, and excavating a hol- 

 low in a close bush within range of this with his knife, where- 

 in he conceals himself before sunrise with his gun, ready 

 on the watch for a buck displaying himself in the open glade 

 which he commands. These coloured people are peculiarly 

 expert in this stealthy kind of sport, which skill their rebel 

 brethren have turned to a too fatal use in the war; they other- 

 wise will walk cautiously over a favourable tract of bush 

 country, where there are clumps and open glades, and tak- 

 ing views every now and then from behind different shel- 

 ters, till they by good fortune espy in the morning or even- 

 ing some unwary buck out feeding on the edge of a clump, 

 and are almost certain to bring back one or two on such 

 favourable occasions. A knowledge of the habitats of the 

 various smaller bucks can be readily acquired by observation 

 of spoor and the presence of their dung — their freshness, or 

 otherwise, leading one to form an opinion of the proximity 

 of the game. During the day, when they are lying down 

 from the shelter of the sun, they may be flushed by good dogs 

 who understand them, when one may get a chance of a shot, 

 as they rush out of the bush and bound off ; but this mode of 

 sport requires a great rapidity of aim to be very successful, 

 as their speed is very great. 



Showery cloudy weather is the best to follow this sport; the 

 bucks then leave the denser, cooler kloofs, and frequent the 

 more open bush for the fresh grass and other green food. 

 The breaking of a fore leg does not prevent the entire escape 

 of a wounded buck, but injury to a hinder limb cripples it 

 much more, though not to the extent but that probably a 

 good dog would be required to capture him. From the na- 

 ture of this part of the country, it is impossible to course 

 them, and all common dogs cannot attain the speed of the 

 buck, nor are they able to clear obstacles which the latter do 

 by most astonishing bounds. Next to the koodoo, perhaps, 

 bushbuck venison may be reckoned as palatable as any ; but 

 all these smaller bucks are devoid of fatty materials, and the 

 flesh is very dry, so that to render the meat quite acceptable, 

 it requires to be dressed in peculiar ways. The English far- 

 mers sometimes, when sport is no object, and the mere pro- 



