The book of antelopes, vol. 2 (of 4)Sclater, Philip Lutley
Science
The book of antelopes, vol. 2 (of 4)
Sclater, Philip Lutley
Antelopes
Mr. H. A. Bryden, in his ‘Kloof and Karroo,’ devotes a whole chapter
to the pleasures of “Vaal Rhébok-shooting,” which, for some reason
or other, he says, has been unaccountably neglected by hunters and
naturalists, in “their rush to follow the larger and nobler game
of this game-abounding country.” The most peculiar feature of this
Antelope, he tells us, “lies in its coat, which differs essentially
from that of every other South-African species, consisting of a thick
woolly fur, approaching very closely to the texture of that of the
rabbit, but softer, finer, and longer.” The venison, he adds, “although
inferior to that of the Spring-bok and some of the larger Antelopes,
is by no means inestimable, but has the fault, common to much
South-African game, of being somewhat dry.”
Our most recent authorities on the game-animals of South Africa,
Messrs. Nicolls and Eglington, speak of this species as fairly well
distributed, even in these days, throughout the Cape Colony, the Orange
Free State, the Transvaal, the Bechuanaland Protectorate, and portions
of Natal, Zululand, and Matabeleland, but nowhere, at the present time,
to be met with in large numbers.
“Like the Red Rhébuck and the Klipspringer, it is only met with in
very broken country, frequenting the highest points on the mountains
and kopjies, never descending to the valleys or plains except at night
when in search of water. It is generally found in flocks of six or
seven up to a dozen, and is most wary and difficult of approach, one
old ram usually standing on guard while the remainder feed. On the
least sign of danger, the sentry immediately decamps among the rocky
boulders, being instantly followed by the whole herd, springing from
rock to rock with great activity. Driving is the best plan to adopt
when hunting this species, the guns taking up a position in some narrow
valley through which the Rhébuck are bound to pass on being driven by
natives and dogs from one range of hills to another. It is worthy of
remark that at certain portions of the year the entire body of this
animal is often found to be burrowed with a large sort of warble, and
consequently the flesh, at such times, is unfit for food, in addition
to which it decomposes with great rapidity.”
[Illustration: Fig. 44.
Head of Vaal Rhébok, ♂.]
In the Transvaal it appears, from what Dr. Percy Rendall tells us
(see P. Z. S. 1895, p. 360), under present circumstances, to be
growing rather scarce in the mining districts that he visited. It
is still found, however, on the highest ridges of the Makongwe Range
near Barberton. In the less frequented north-eastern portion of the
Transvaal, north of the Crocodile River, Mr. Kirby found the Vaal
Rhébok “throughout the mountain-ranges and near the stony krantzes
bordering the terrace-lands.” They were also occasionally seen amongst
the lower hills, and were observed to run in small troops of from ten
to twelve in number.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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