56 
ANIMALS OF THE DESEET. 
Chap. III. 
Here, though the water was perfectly inaccessible to elands, 
large numbers of these fine animals fed around us; and, when 
killed, they were not only in good condition, but their stomachs 
actually contained considerable quantities of water. 
I examined carefully the whole alimentary canal in order to 
see if there were any peculiarity which might account for the fact 
that this animal can. subsist for months together without drinking, 
but found nothing. Other animals, such as the duiker ( Cephalopus 
mergens) or puti (of the Bechuanas), the steinbuck {Tragulus 
rupestris) or puruhuru, the gemsbuck ( Orgx capends) or kukama, 
and the porcupine {Hystrix cristata), are all able to subsist without 
water for many months at a time by living on bulbs and tubers 
containing moisture. They have sharp-pointed hoofs well adapted 
for digging, and there is little difficulty in comprehending their 
mode of subsistence. Some animals, on the other hand, are 
never seen but in the vicinity of water. The presence of the 
rhinoceros, of the buffalo and gnu ( Catohlepas gnu), of the giraffe, 
the zebra, and pallah {Antilope melampus), is always a certain 
indication of water being within a distance of seven or eight 
miles; but one may see hundreds of elands {Boselaphus oreas), 
gemsbuck, the tolo or koodoo {Strepsiceros capensis), also spring¬ 
bucks {G-azella euchore) and ostriches, without being warranted 
thereby in iifferring the presence of water within thirty or forty 
miles. Indeed, the sleek fat condition of the eland in such 
circumstances would not remove the apprehension of perishing 
by thirst from the mind of even a native. I believe, however, 
that these animals can subsist only when there is some moisture 
in the vegetation on which they feed ; for in one year of unusual 
drought we saw herds of elands and flocks of ostriches crowding 
to the Zouga from the Desert, and very many of the latter were 
killed in pitfalls on the banks. As long as there is any sap in 
the pasturage they seldom need water. But should a traveller 
see the ‘‘ spoor ” of a rhinoceros or buffalo or zebra, he would at 
once follow it up, well assured that before he had gone many 
miles he would certainly reach water. 
In the evening of our second day at Serotli, a hyeena, appear¬ 
ing suddenly among the grass, succeeded in raising a panic 
among our cattle. This false mode of attack is the plan wliich 
this cowardly animal always adopts. His courage resembles 
