come too near them. They are represented indeed to be so
wild and ferocious, that this people seldom venture to attack
them like other deer with the hassagai, but take them generally
by digging pits in the ground and covering them over
with sticks and eatth. This animal appeared to be near five
feet high, the colour a cinereous blue, and shape notunlike
that of the Nil-ghau of India, the Antelope picta. Its mane
is black, long, and flowing over each shoulder; its beard is
long and pointed ; the tail short and naked; the horns from
fifteen to eighteen inches long, pointing backwards, and bent
into a circular curve, embracing about a fifth part of a whole
circumference, annulated from the root to about two thirds of
the length. Several of these horns were brought by the party
to the Cape. The Takheitse is generally found in pairs, and
when disturbed they usually take to the wooded heights, which
were here very finely covered with the common mimosa and
that on which the Camelopardalis feeds. Numbers of both
kinds were loaded with the nests of the gregarious finch.
The woods and thickets being well stocked with buffalos,
whose flesh is savoury and good and hide particularly valuable
to the boors, as being the best and toughest for traces and
otherwaggonfurniture,a party went out with a determination to
spend the day in the chase after these huge animals. They
presently started a whole herd, and at the first volley succeeded
in bringing down a large cow. The herd dispersing
in every direction, three of an enormous size with a young calf
were observed to rush into a thicket close to the spot where
the waggons and the tents were placed. Daniell the secretary
and Schultz the overseer of the waggons having marked the
exact spot where they had retreated for shelter and, thinking
the opportunity too favourable to allow them to escape,
crept close to the thicket with their dogs and their muskets.
Schultz having the same day shot an ostrich had
ornamented his hat with its waving plumes. Elate with
the hope of success, he hastened without stopping towards
the opening into which the animals had retired, when
suddenly, and quite unexpectedly to him, a huge bull buffalo
came rushing out of the thicket and, eying for a moment
the white plume waving in his hat, bolted directly
towards him. Schultz petrified with fear remained motionless
on the spot; and the buffalo, taking him up on the
points of his horns, tossed him over his head many feet
into the air, from whence he fell among the branches of a
thorny mimosa. Daniell, having observed the fate of his
companion, had just time enough to escape a similar encounter
by climbing into a tree. The buffalo being baited
by the dogs, and observing the whole party coming up,
thought fit to retire. Poor Schultz returned to the waggons,
bloody, pale, and almost lifeless with terror; persisting,
however, that he was not in the least hurt nor intimidated at
what had happened; but while he was speaking he fainted,
and it was several days before he recovered from the effects ,
of his wounds and his fright. This, says Mr. Truter, was the
last attempt he made to be thought a sportsman, having now
learned by experience that it was not the province of every
one to turn buffalo hunter.
On this occasion the buffalo, as well as the lion which
bestrode the Hottentot, seems to have been actuated by a
sense of injury and a spirit of retaliation. The elephant,
3 H