SOUTHERN AFRICA. 217 
-means of supporting it. Strength, swiftness, weapons of de- 
fence, a nice nose, and a quick sight, it eminently possesses. 
When they happen to be disturbed, the whole herd begin to 
draw together, and to butt each other with their horns, to 
bound and play their various gambols, after which they gal- 
lop off to a distance. Their motions are extremely free, varied, 
and always elegant. Though fierce and vicious as it certainly 
is in its wild state, yet it probabl}^ might not be very difficult 
of domestication. No successful attempts however have yet 
been made to tame it. The flesh is so like that of an ox, both 
in appearance and taste, that it is not to be distinguished 
from it. 
The annexed print will convey a very accurate idea of this 
interesting and extraordinary animal, though I have no doubt 
some persons will be found no less incredulous than a certain 
general officer of high rank and great command, who rejected 
Mr. Daniell's very curious and valuable work, to Avhich he had 
subscribed, because he was well assured in his own mind that 
the figure of the Gnoo, instead of being a portrait drawn from 
nature, was a creature entirely of the artist's imagination. 
The heavy lumpish figure of the Eland formed a great con- 
trast with the elegant shape of the gnoo. The former was not 
less numerous than the latter, and was taken with as great fa- 
cility as the other was with difficulty. Of all the antelopes in 
Southern Africa, this species is b}'^ much the largest and the 
most aukward. The head, the thick neck, and the dewlap of 
the male, the body, legs, and hoofs, are completely bovine. 
The horns and tail only indicate its affinity to the antelope 
VOL. I. F F 
