1811. 
A COMET THE GNU. 
431 
is known at Klaarwater by the name of the Hart river. This kraal 
has frequently been visited by the Klaarwater Hottentots ; and once 
by a Half-Hottentot named iToA-, who, in the character of missionary, 
traversed these countries, and made considerable profit by trading 
in ivory ; but was not long afterwards murdered in the country oi' 
the Briquas or Bachapins. 
On this open bank, wliere the ground was perfectly dry, I passed 
the night ; and as I lay waiting for sleep, and amusing myself in 
observing the constellations above my head, I noticed a faint nebu- 
lous star of the third magnitude, which I had not been used to see 
in that part of the heavens. Looking at it more attentively, it ap- 
peared plainly to be a comet. Its situation, as well as I could then 
determine by the eye, was southward from a LyrcB, and near the 
tail of ^quila : a Cygni, a LyrcE, and the comet, forming a right- 
angled triangle. It was in that part of its orbit approaching the 
sun ; and, on the 22d of the month, was so far advanced in its peri- 
helium, as to be no longer visible. 
5th. Leaving Speelman and Berends with the two other Hot- 
tentots, to finish the business of cutting up and drying, I set out in 
the morning at a little after ten, with the loaded waggon, taking 
with me only Philip as my driver, and a boy, Berends's son, 
as leader of the team. We struck out into the plain, and now took 
good care to keep at a sufficient distance from the river, to avoid 
those ravines which had before given us so much trouble. 
Here on the plain, we saw a troop of twenty Quakkas grazing, and 
with them, on one side, a single Gnu, or Wildebeest, {AnfiIoj)e Gnu) 
which, on observing us, began prancing about, with his mane erect, and 
head held very low. Being blacker than most of the other antelopes 
and quadrupeds, it is easily known, even at a great distance ; but on a 
nearer approach, its attitude and manners at once distinguish it. 
Although it associates in small herds, it is very frequently seen soli- 
tary ; and on perceiving a traveller advancing, generally turns towards 
him, gazes for a minute, prances about, again stops to look, and if 
the person still continue to approach, bounds away with that fleet- 
ness which belongs to the antelope tribe. I never could discover any 
thing in this animal to authorise such wonderful and absurd accounts 
