374 
TRIAL BY BATTLE. — KOODOO. 
10—12 Oct. 
cided, consists in plundering each other of their cattle ; and some- 
times, with a more sanguinary intention, in lying in ambush for their 
adversaries, whom they seldom fail to shoot, if he should unhappily 
come within their reach ; but, as they are well aware of each other's 
mode of warfare, and are exceedingly cunning and cautious, this 
does not often happen. As soon as one party has decidedly proved 
itself the strongest, the affair is put to rest, and they live as before, 
without offering each other any further molestation. So, at least, 
has this story been related to me. 
Speelman, whom I allowed a few days before to take with 
him the great rifle-piece to Elands' Valley, had made good use 
of it; and now came home loaded with the hide and meat of a 
Koodoo *, having hired a young Kora to assist him in carrying the 
two legs ; the distance being not less than eighteen miles, and under 
a burning sun. This was the second koodoo he had shot ; the 
first having been left in the plain till quite spoiled by the heat, 
as he had not been able either to borrow or hire a pack-ox to fetch 
it away. 
His companion, who went by the name of Krieger, told me, that 
he was the son of the unfortunate Jacob Krieger, of whom mention 
has already been made 1 • ; and a strong family likeness, which might 
be discovered in spite of his brown color and woolly hair, confirmed 
the truth of his assertion. His mother was a Kora ; from her he 
derived his language and national character ; speaking scarcely any 
Dutch, and having both the manners and dress of the Koras. He 
possessed a pleasing and open countenance. 
I rejoiced them with an extra ration of tobacco and brandy, 
with which, and a plentiful feast of koodoo meat, they regaled them- 
selves at our fire with Philip and Gert, to whom Speelman related 
* Antilope strepsiceros (Twisted-horned Antelope) of zoologists. (See page 337.) At 
the end of this chapter will be found a representation of the horns and shdl of a Koodoo, 
in the proportion of a sixteenth of the natural size. 
\ At pages 50 and 201. 
