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It was neither fox, nor fennec, nor earth-wolf, nor wild hound, nor any of his well-known enemies. It was not a Bushman neither, for they are not double-headed as it appeared. What could it be? It had kept its place it had not pursued him. Perhaps it was not at all dangerous. No doubt it was harmless enough. So reasoned the ourebi. His curiosity overcame his fear. He would go a little nearer.
It was neither fox, nor fennec, nor earth-wolf, nor wild hound, nor any of his well-known enemies. It was not a Bushman neither, for they are not double-headed as it appeared. What could it be? It had kept its place it had not pursued him. Perhaps it was not at all dangerous. No doubt it was harmless enough. So reasoned the ourebi. His curiosity overcame his fear. He would go a little nearer.
He was awakened by a sudden jerking at his wrist, and hearing the antelope scream. But he had not quite opened his eyes, before he felt himself dragged violently over the ground. He thought at first it was Swartboy playing some trick upon him; but as he passed the fire, he saw by its light that it was a huge black animal that had seized the ourebi, and was dragging both him and it along.
The buck, on first perceiving the strange object, uttered a sharp whistle, and darted off with the swiftness of a bird for the "ourebi" is one of the swiftest of African antelopes. The doe followed, though not so fast, and soon fell into the rear.
Jan then returned to the wagon, climbed noiselessly up, drew out his own blankets, and brought them to the fire. He then wrapped himself up, and lay down alongside of Swartboy, with the ourebi standing near, and in such a situation that he could still have his eyes upon it, even when lying.
The stein-boc has a similar habit. The Bleek-boc, or Ourebi, is one of those antelopes which have the curious appendages upon the knees called brushes. It is a large animal, and its flesh is eaten by the Kaffirs, in whose country it is chiefly found. A very similar species, called the gibari, exists in Northern Africa Abyssinia and also on the western coast.
He could not have held out long against the strength of the hyena; but it was just at that moment that Swartboy came up with his firebrand, and beat off the ravisher with a shower of blows. When they got back to the light of the fire they found that Jan was all right. But the poor ourebi it had been sadly mangled, and was now of no more value than a dead rat.
But on that very day another pet was added, a dear little creature, not less beautiful than the springbok, and of still more diminutive proportions. That was the fawn of an "ourebi," one of the elegant little antelopes that are found in such variety over the plains and in the "bush" of Southern Africa.
The joy of all was great, at seeing such a fine lot of venison, but Jan's rejoicing was greater than all; and he no longer envied Trüey the possession of her little gazelle. It would have been better that Jan had never seen the little "ourebi," better both for Jan and the antelope, for that night the innocent creature was the cause of a terrible panic in the camp.
But on that very day another pet was added, a dear little creature, not less beautiful than the springbok, and of still more diminutive proportions. That was the fawn of an "ourebi," one of the elegant little antelopes that are found in such variety over the plains and in the "bush" of Southern Africa.
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