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Even if there are a few now living in some remote nook of the Transvaal, or Zululand, or Portuguese East Africa, the chances are as 100 to 1 that they will not be suffered to bring back the species; and so, to Burchell's zebra, the world is to-day saying "Farewell!" Four years ago, when Mr. The species soon will be extinct."
I observe in Burchell's "Travels in South Africa" that he remarks, "Having killed a male ostrich, and the feathers being dirty, it was said by the Hottentots to be a nest bird." I understand that the male emu in the Zoological Gardens takes charge of the nest: this habit, therefore, is common to the family. The Gauchos unanimously affirm that several females lay in one nest.
These species bear such a resemblance to one another in their form, the peculiar markings of their bodies, size, and general habits, that they may be classed together under the title of the zebra family. First, there is the true zebra, perhaps the most beautiful of all quadrupeds, and of which no description need be given. Second, the "dauw," or "Burchell's zebra," as it is more frequently called.
'Why, I should simply die of mortification if my dear mate were to witness me in those, says she when I'm telling her to take a chance for once and get into these here riding pants of mine because it would be uncomfortable going down in that wagon. 'But what is my comfort compared to dear Burchell's peace of mind? says she. "Ain't we the goods, though, when we do once learn a thing?
Whatever might have been Sophia's sensations, the rest of the family was easily consoled, for Mr Burchell's absence by the company of our landlord, whose visits now became more frequent and longer.
It seems to mean "handsome", from the manner in which they use it to indicate beauty; but there is a word so very like it meaning "infirm", or "weak", that Burchell's conjecture is probably the right one. "The different Hottentot tribes were known by names terminating in 'kua', which means 'man', and the Bechuanas simply added the prefix Ma, denoting a nation."
But what perplexed us most was to think who could be so base as to asperse the character of a family so harmless as ours, too humble to excite envy, and too inoffensive to create disgust. All, Mr Burchell's villainy at once detected. The folly of being over-wise
For the rest, all these three species are much alike; and it is more than probable that either "Burchell's" or the "congo dauw", was the species to which the name of "zebra" was first applied; for that which is now called the "true zebra" inhabits those parts of Africa where it was less likely to have been the first observed of that genus.
So loud a report, and so near, startled my daughters; and I could perceive that Sophia in the fright had thrown herself into Mr Burchell's arms for protection. The gentleman came up, and asked pardon for having disturbed us, affirming that he was ignorant of our being so near. He therefore sate down by my youngest daughter, and, sportsman like, offered her what he had killed that morning.
Observa. sobre el Clima de Lima, p. 67. Azara's Travels, vol. i. p. 381. Ulloa's Voyage, vol. ii. p. 28. Burchell's Travels, vol. ii. p. 524. Webster's Description of the Azores, p. 124. Voyage a l'Isle de France par un Officer du Roi, tom. i. p. 248. Description of St. Helena, p. 123.
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