Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 22, 2025
Presently I was startled by the fierce growl of some animal at no great distance. I stopped; and looking round, I saw to my horror a huge lion and lioness at a short way off, just above me. It was evident that they had been following the gnus, who had only at that instant begun to suspect their presence.
They live in extensive herds on the karoos; and are hunted by the natives for their skins out of which the Kaffirs make their karosses. Their flesh is eaten; though it is not so much esteemed as that of some other antelopes. The Oryx, or Gemsbok, is a middle-sized species, dwelling in the same neighbourhood with the gnus.
I observed the dam picking out insects from the bark and leaves of the baobab, keeping on the wing the while: it would thus appear to be insectivorous as well as a honey-bibber. Much spoor of elands, zebras, gnus, kamas, pallahs, buffaloes, reed-bucks, with tsetse, their parasites. 13th December, 1866.
There were elephant-races and rides upon the camels free to all ladies who would make the venture. In addition to the zebras, gnus and Shetlands, there was that species of race-horse which never wins and never spoils a course, being of wood and constructed to go round in a tent, and never to arrive anywhere or lose any prizes.
They kept their eyes about them for any signs which might indicate water. Though here and there shrubs, and even trees of some size, grew out of the sandy soil, yet no moisture could be discovered. Fewer animals than usual were seen, but occasionally a herd of gnus or antelopes bounded across their path, but too far off for a shot.
Boosey of it at the Gnus' dinner. He laughed very much, and when I said that a good many of the faces were sadly stained, he said in his droll way, "You ought to call it L'Opera di Bordeaux; Le Domino rouge." I supposed it was something funny, so I laughed a good deal. He said to me later: "Shall I pour a little claret into your book I mean into your glass?" Wasn't it a pretty bon-mot?
My boat was then hauled up on shore, and covered with palm-leaves, the sails and oars brought indoors, a hanging-stage for drying my specimens erected outside the house and another inside, and my boys were set to clean their gnus and get all ready for beginning work. The next day I occupied myself in exploring the paths in the immediate neighbourhood.
We must enumerate the elephant, three species of rhinoceros, and probably, according to Dr. Smith, two others, the hippopotamus, the giraffe, the bos caffer as large as a full-grown bull, and the elan but little less, two zebras, and the quaccha, two gnus, and several antelopes even larger than these latter animals.
My honey-bird led me in the interval to more bees' nests, and I got an ample supply of mushrooms; but they, as may be supposed, were not sufficient to support life. The birds, getting an abundance of water elsewhere, no longer visited the pool, and I became greatly afraid of starving. One day I had gone to the ant-hill in search of mushrooms, when I saw a troop of gnus coming across the plain.
Then forming a circuit for miles around, they drove the game buffaloes, zebras, gnus, antelopes, and the like into the mouth of the hopo, and along its narrowing lane, until they plunged pell-mell in one confused, writhing, struggling mass into the pit, where they were speared at leisure. The precarious mode of life occasioned by the long drought interfered sadly with the labors of the mission.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking