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dwelling on the two final letters of its Hottentot appellative (gnoooo), the appearance of a furious old bull is abundantly imposing, and 
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is precisely that of a shaggy black-maned lion. But, as is too often the case, “ ‘tis distance lends enchantment to the yiew ;” on nearer 
inspection the dreadful delusion vanishes, and the imposture becomes as palpable as that practised in days of yore upon the wild beasts, 
by the ass in the lion's spoils. Whilst crossing the boundless plains of the Vaal river, we had an opportunity of remarking the very 
similar appearance of the two animals, in twice witnessing the animating but abortive pursuit of a herd of Gnoos, by an enormous 
Lion, rendered perfectly furious by the qualms of hunger, and still more desperately frantic at the disappointment entailed by the 
slippery heels of his intended victims, who, on both occasions, left their grim pursuer far behind, puffing and blowing, to grumble over 
the loss of the morning repast which he had vainly promised himself. 
Extremely vicious and pugnacious amongst themselves, and possessed of that swiftness of foot which might be inferred from their 
compact and yigorous conformation, these ungainly beasts are nevertheless shot from horseback without much difficulty, and can scarcely 
he pronounced formidable, except in external appearance. The eyes are louring, and expressive of great ferocity: the solid casque of 
horn by which their beetling brows are overshadowed, greatly heightening their aspect of suspicion and vindictiveness. Like other 
animals possessing dispositions far more gentle and tractable, the Gnoo is naturally prone to charge in self-defence, when wounded, or 
forced into a corner; but after fracturing its leg, 1 have repeatedly driven a reluctant individual up to the waggons, either to escape the 
trouble of carrying his sirloin, or because I had expended the last bullet in my pouch. In the wild districts bordering on the Colony, 
where a succession of Jevel plains are traversed by low ranges of bare stony hills, prancing troops, consisting of from fifteen to thirty 
Gnoos of various sizes, are to be seen engaged in the most wanton frolics, and may easily be hemmed into a valley and compelled to run 
the gauntlet. At Vogel’s valley, north of the Sneeuwbergen, with the thermometer down to 18°, we first secured three shaggy fellows 
in this fashion, during a heavy fall of snow. Solitary individuals not unfrequently grazed near our drove of oxen, without exhibiting the 
smallest. symptom of uneasiness, and on the arrival of the cafila at some scanty pool—perhaps the only oasis within many a league— 
three or four that appeared to be performing the duty of videttes, after executing the most ridiculous capers, and ungainly flourishes, 
would charge down to the water's edge, as if bent upon disputing to the death, with the thirsty cattle, every drop of so precious 
an element. 
The curious and inquisitive disposition of the Gnoo, often induces the herd to discontinue their giddy gambols, and slowly to 
approach the passing caravan with an air of laughable defiance, formed in a compact square, goring, menacing, stamping with their 
slender fore-feet, and at length halting within rifle range to serutinize the bold intruders upon their lone and hereditary pastures. On 
such occasions they were readily shot from the waggons, which, upon necessity, could invariably produce from ten to a dozen loaded 
barrels, in addition to those which encumbered the brawny shoulders of our followers. Although very indifferent marksmen, not one of 
our Hottentot attendants ever missed an opportunity of warming his flat Chinese nose, by burning a handful of coarse powder under it, 
through the agency of a rude apparatus of flint and steel. On the line of march, therefore, a quarter of an hour seldom elapsed without 
the booming of overloaded fire-arms, each volley being instantly followed by a general retreat of every wild quadraped that happened to 
be within earshot—herds of Gnoos, amongst various other species of game, whisking their long white tails, and seampering off in every 
direction, but rarely leaving any of their number to attest the accuracy of the practice. During bright moonlight nights, also, curiosity 
often prompted a clump of Guoos to approach within a few yards of our bivouac, where they would stand for hours in the same position, 
staring wildly, lashing their dark flanks, and uttering a subdued note resembling the harsh croaking of a frog ;—the shadowy aspect 
they were wont to wear on those occasions being so truly spectral and hobgoblinish, that the stoutest heart might have quailed thereat. 
Unyoking late one evening near a muddy puddle on the plains of the Vaal river, I shot a noble old bull from the box of the pack waggon, 
and following it on foot as it limped away, actually inflicted four more gun-shot wounds without realizing the quarry, although from loss 
of blood it was frequently obliged to sit down. Night closing in, I was fain to return to the camp; but there being no flesh in thie 
larder, I sallied forth again so soon as ‘ bright Cynthia showed her horns,’ and after a tedious moonlight pursuit, was at length enabled 
to perform the last ceremonies of the chase, A dense fog coming on, the Hottentot, Andries, who accompanied me, contrived to lose his 
reckoning, and we both wandered about the wilderness during the greater part of the night, encumbered with a load of meat, and more 
amd more puzzled at every step what course to steer; until, towards morning, after losing each other at least a dozen times, the cracking 
of waggon whips and the reports of musketry, which, owing to the density of the atmosphere, had been transmitted to a very short 
distance only, fortunately enabled us both to stumble upon the encampment. 
The cows, or female Gnoos, seldom produce more than one at a birth; the young calves, which are nevertheless exceeding 
numerous, being at first of a pure white or cream colour, which gradually assumes a tinge of reddish grey. The latter associate with the 
herd apeing all the whims and antics of the adults, uttering a nasal murmur, and looking, if possible, still droller deformities than those 
that gave them birth. We constantly rode them down, as well for the sake of the delicious veal they afforded, as to counteract the 
shyness of the herd to which they belonged, by inducing the skittish mothers to slacken their baffling pace, and take heed to their 
offspring. Dismounting from my horse to administer the cowp de grace to a savage old cow, whose diminutive calf I had previously 
captured and bound, she charged me upon her knees, distending her flabby nostrils, snorting and bellowing so lustily, that my steed 
became alarmed ; and both my hands being encumbered, at the same time that the clumsily patched sole of my untanned leather buskin 
became entangled in the stirrup, I fell helpless on my back. Away gallopped the horse without further ado, the bellowing of the Gnoo 
fresh ringing i his ears ; and being fully impressed with the belief, that a lion at least, was hanging to his heels, he passed the advancing 
caravau at speed—his nervousness yet more increased by the yells and shouts of the followers—and dragged me a sufficient distance 
over the sharp stones, to grind the whole of the clothes, and a very ample portion of the natural coyering also, from my lacerated 
shoulders ; lashing out at intervals, to the imminent peril of my teeth, and kicking me yery severely upon the knee and ancle, before I 
could contrive to extricate myself from my very unpleasant position, 
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