178 
HUNTING IN THE SOTIK [ch. viii 
two old wildebeest bulls, and they joined in the pro¬ 
cession, looking as if they too were pursuing the cheetah. 
The cheetah ran first; the two bulls, bounding and 
switching their tails, came next; and Kermit, racing in 
the rear, gained steadily. Wildebeest are the oddest 
in nature and conduct, and in many ways the most 
interesting, of all antelopes. There is in their temper 
something queer, fiery, eccentric, and their actions are 
abrupt and violent. A single bull will stand motionless, 
with head raised to stare at an intruder until the latter 
is a quarter of a mile off; then down goes his head, his 
tail is lashed up and around, and off he gallops, plunging, 
kicking, and shaking his head. He may go straight 
away, he may circle round, or even approach nearer to 
the intruder; and then he halts again to stare motion¬ 
less, and perhaps to utter his grunt of alarm and 
defiance. A herd, when approached, after fixed staring, 
will move off*, perhaps at a canter. Soon the leaders 
make a half-wheel, and lead their followers in a semi¬ 
circle ; suddenly a couple of old bulls leave the rest, 
and at a tearing gallop describe a semicircle in exactly 
the opposite direction, racing by their comrades as these 
canter the other way. With one accord the whole 
troop may then halt and stare again at the object they 
suspect; then off they all go at a headlong run, kicking 
and bucking, tearing at full speed in one direction, then 
suddenly wheeling in semicircles so abrupt as to be 
almost zigzags, the dust flying in clouds; and two bulls 
may suddenly drop to their knees, and for a moment 
or two fight furiously in their own peculiar fashion. 
By careful stalking, Kermit got some good pictures of 
the wildebeest, in spite of their wariness. Like other 
game, they seem most apt to lie down during the heat 
of the day; but they may lie down at night too. At 
