The Gnus and the Buffalo, on the other hand, rarely fly immediately on their discovering
noises or appearances which excite their surprise or apprehension; and although they manifestly
experience feelings which incline them to escape danger by a retreat, yet they appear so
strongly influenced by a desire to acquire some insight into the nature of the danger, that they
rarely depart without first making strenuous efforts to gain their point. That sort of curiosity
often leads both, but particularly the Gnus, to expose themselves to danger greater than that
from which they might readily escape in the first instance, by its inclining or propelling them
to approach the objects of their fears ere they fly, apparently for the purpose of ascertaining their
real nature and character. From this peculiarity in their disposition we often see a herd whose
curiosity may have been roused by wagons and hunters passing in the vicinity of spots, over
which its members may be browsing, scamper towards them, and even approach within musket
shot of them before they halt to carry out their purpose. The discharge o f guns often proves,
during these advances, the cause of their halting, and it is rarely that they will take a hint, as
is done by most other animals, from the reception they experience, and turn and fly.
Frequently the only result which follows the discharge of muskets is a momentary halt, a gaze,
a confused rush in no given direction, and then a determined attempt to persevere in the direction
they had been pursuing, even though such should carry them nearer to the position of their
assailants. In proportion as the degree of danger increases, in the same proportion does also
their disposition to persevere and manifest fantastic movements and plunges increase; and
every shot which is fired at individuals under such circumstances only calls forth further extraordinary
gestures,, tosses of the head, or wild kicks of the hinder extremities, just such as are
practised by wild cattle similarly situated.
Their gait as they fly bears, a strong resemblance to the gallop of a horse, and in their manner
of arranging themselves during their flight, one upon the heels, of another, they strongly resemble
many o f the larger antelopes.
Both species of Gnu inhabit, during a certain period of the year, the extensive grassy plains
which exist some considerable distance to the northwards of the Vaal River; and at another
period a portion, o f each, at least, advances to the southward to feed upon the vegetation which
occurs in that direction after the fall of the summer rains. Both species advance simultaneously
as far as the southern branches of the Orange River, but on, reaching those, the species
here figured ceases to advance, and the common species ( Catoblepas Gnu) passes by itself
into the Colony. The appearance of the latter is the signal to hunters of all denominations to
prepare for the chase, and though the yearly slaughter is very great, there is apparently no
reluctance in the survivors to< renew their periodical visitations.. From having for a period of
years attentively observed the proceedings of animals which migrate,. I am much disposed to
believe that among them at least two different impulses operate: the one, the result of the will
of the animal ; the other independent of that will, and purely an uncontrollable instinct, which
forces them blindly to follow their inclination even when the doing so necessarily leads to
their destruction. Among the animals of the first description,, I would rank the Elephant,
Hippopotamus, and Rhinoceros; among the latter the' Gnu— the Spring B oh (.Antelope
euchore) the Gems Bok ( Oryx Capensis,) &c. The facts which have led me to form these
opinions, I shall detail, at length hereafter; and although I do, not feel that they are sufficient,
either in number or strength, to establish the point, yet they are sufficient to justify me in
surmising such to be probably the law of nature.