10 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
idober ^^^^ feveral ; but they were fo very lliy that we could not 
^« — approach them. There is alfo a fpecles of antelope, which the 
Dutch call Eland'''". Towards the evening we came to the 
mouth of the Palmita"'' Rivier. The rains to the northward had 
the hairs on the breafl: are curled ; that It has a beard like a goat ; and that it is fo fwlft, that the 
Namacques call it Baas, or the Mafter-courier. They dillinguifh this from tlie Gnou, or I 
fhould think it the fame animal.'* 
* " This animal has thick ftrait horns, marked with two prominent fpiral ribs near two-thirds 
of their length ; fmooth towards their end : fome are above two feet long : thofe at the Britifli 
Mufeum, with part of their fkin adhering, are black. Head of a reddifli color, bounded on the 
cheeks by a dufky line. Ears of a middling fize. Forehead broad : nofe pointed. On tlie 
forehead, a ftripe of long loofe hairs, and on the lower part of the dewlap, a large tuft of black 
hair. Along the neck and back, from head to tail, is a black fhort mane : the reft of the body 
of a blueilh grey, tinged with red. Space between the hoofs and falfe hoofs black. The tail 
does not reach to the firfi: joint of the leg ; is covered with fliort cinerous hair ; the end tufted 
with long black hairs. The hoofs are fliort, furrounded at their jundion with the legs with a 
circle of black hairs. The height to the fhoulders is five feet : is thick bodied, and ftrongly 
made : but the legs are flender. The females are horned like the males. This fpecies wants 
the fmus lacrj'malis. The Caffies call this fpecies Empophos. If this is the PacalTe, as there is 
reafon to fuppofe it to be, they vary in color ; the Pacaffe being white, fpotted with red and 
grey. The Dutch of the Cape call it the Eland or Elk. M. de Buffon, by miftake, calls this 
the Covidous, which he ought to have beftowed on his Condoma. It inhabits India, Congo, 
and the fouthern parts of Africa. Frequents mountanous parts of the country. They live in 
herds ; but the old males are often folitary. They grow very fat, efpecially about the breaft 
and heart : fo that they are eafily caught : and when purfued, will fometimes fall dead in the 
chace. Are flow runners : when roufed, always go againft the wind, nor can the hunters- (even 
if they front the herd) divert them from their courfe. The flefli is fine-grained, very delicious, 
and juicy. The hide is tough : the Hottentots make tobacco-pipes of the horns. 
There is another fpecies with fl:rait horns nine inches long, pointing backwards, with two fpi- 
ral ribs : ears broad : color a deep tawny : beneath each eye a white fpot : fides moft Angularly 
marked with tw^o tranfverfe bands of white, crofled by two others from the back to the belly : 
the rump with three white lines pointing downwards on each fide : the thighs fpotted with 
wliite : tail ten inches long, covered with long rough hairs. Inhabits the plains and woods of 
Senegal, living in large herds. This is called at tlie Cape, the Bonte Bock, or fpotted goat,'* 
Pennant, vol. I. page 71. 
t A plant common in that rlver» 
