thirtieth part of its weight o f fait. Another river, with little
current, called the Karooka, joined the fait river at the head of
the valley, the water o f which was perfectly freih, but combined
with earthy matter. The furface of the valley was
entirely covered with two or three fpecies of coarfe rufhy
graffes ; and all the fwamps and lprings were buried in large
clumps of the arundo phragmites or common reed. The
ftreams that fell into the valley were finely Ikirted with tall
mimofas, which, at their confluence, fpread out into a foreft
o f evergreens.
Such a delightful fpot in the midft o f a barren defert, affording
fhelter, and food, and water, could not fail o f attracting to
it the native inhabitants o f the furrounding country; and here
accordingly we met with vail variety of game, particularly of
the antelope family, three different fpecies o f which we had not
before obferved. Thefe were the fpring-bok or leaping antelope,
the pygarga o f the Syftema Naturae, the gems-bok or pafan
o f Buffon, the Egyptian antelope of Pennant, and the oryx o f the
Syftema Natures, and the koodoo the Jlrepficeros of Pallas.
The fpring-bok is a gregarious animal never met with but in
large herds, fome of which, according to the accounts o f the
peafantry, will amount to the number of ten thoufand. The
Dutch have given a name to this beautiful creature indicative
of its gait. The flrength and elaflicity of the mufcles are fo
great that, when clofely purfued, he will fpring at a fingle leap
from fifteen to five-and-twenty feet. Its ufual pace is that of
a conftant jumping or fpringing, with all the four legs ftretched
out,
out, and off the ground at the fame time, and at every fpring
the hair on the rump divides or iheds, and, falling back on
each fide, difplays a furface of fnowy whitenefs. No dog can
attempt to approach the old ones ; but the young kids, which
were now numerous, were frequently caught after a hard
chace. Both old and young are excellent venifon ; and vail
numbers are deftroyed by the Dutch farmers, not only for the
fake of the fleih, but alfo for the ikins, of which they make
facks for holding provifions and other articles, clothing for
their flaves, and, at the time of the capture by the Englilh, for
themfelves alfo and children. The poverty and miferable condition
of the colony were then fo great,, that all their numerous
flocks and herds were infufficient to procure them decent
clothing.
The gemibok is alfo a very beautiful animal, and of a fize
much larger than the fpringbok. It has none of that timidity
which generally marks the character of the antelope ; but, on
the contrary, if clofely purfued o r . wounded, will coolly fit
down on its haunches, and keep both fportfman and dogs at
bay. Its long, ftraight, iharp-pointed horns, ufed in defence
by ftriking back with the head, make it dangerous to approach.
Dogs are very frequently killed by i t ; and no peafant, after
wounding the animal, will venture within its’ reach till it be
dead, or its ftrength at leaft exhaufted. The fleih of the gemf-
bok is reckoned to be the beft venifon that Africa produces.
The koodoo is ftill larger than the gemibok, being about the
heighth of a common-fized afs, but much longer. Its ftrong
p fpiral