3i6 
TRAVELS IN 
Bosjcfmans is not of that nature to fupply much information 
refpeding the country they inhabit. The mouth of the Orange 
river is much nearer to the Cape than the plains behiuu tnc 
Kaffer mountains ; yet it was but the other day that the exift- 
cnce of the camelopardaHs was afcertained near the former 
place, though no favage nation, but a civilized tribe of Hotten- 
tots only, intervened. Certain animals, as well as plants, con- 
fine themfelves to certain diftrids of the fame country. The 
animal above mentioned was never known to have pafled the 
Orange river. It would appear alfo that in Northern Africa it 
has its limited range ; for, fmce the time of Julius Caefar, when 
one was publicly exhibited in Rome, it had been loft to Europe 
till within the prefent century. The accounts given of it by 
ancient writers were looked upon as fabulous. The gnoo is 
found only in certain parts of Southern Africa ; and the blue 
antelope, (the leucophjea,) which confined itfelf to the banks of 
one fmall river in the vicinity of Zwellendam, is now entirely 
loft to the colony. The fpringbok, feen in the northern parts 
in troops of thoufands, never made its appearance in any part 
of the diftri£t of Zwellendam. 
The Bosjefmans have no knowledge of any doubts concern- 
ing the exiftence of fuch an animal as the unicorn ; nor do they 
feem to think there is any thing extraordinary that a beaft 
fhould have one horn only. The colonifts take it for granted 
that fuch an animal exifts beyond the limits of the colony. 
Father Lobo, in his hiftory of AbyjQTmia, defcribes the unicorn 
as a beautiful horfe ; but Father Lobo was confidered as a per- 
fon worthy of little credit, becaufe he related things that were 
new. 
