The book of antelopes, vol. 4 (of 4)Sclater, Philip Lutley
Science
The book of antelopes, vol. 4 (of 4)
Sclater, Philip Lutley
Antelopes
“On expressing my eagerness to shoot, or at least see, a ‘Mula,’
he did not give me much hope of doing either the one or the other.
A glance at the Chisela River reed-beds from a heap outside the
town did not reassure me. All the same, during two visits to
Mkula’s—one the middle of July, the other at the very end of
October 1892—I did my utmost to effect my object, spending the
greater part of my time in the swamp, wading and wallowing in mud,
water, and reeds, but found it killing work. Scarcely a native
would follow me in a second attempt. The combined rays of the sun,
mosquitos, leeches, and a most sickening stench from the swamp,
proved a severe trial to my patience and perseverance. Ultimately
I gave up without getting a shot at a ‘Mula.’ Luckily such hard
labour earned some reward. I saw two ‘Mula’ and heard others,
besides gaining an insight into their ways and haunts. Were I to
try again for this Antelope under similar conditions, I would
build a platform, 20 feet high or so, in the swamp, overlooking
the feeding-grounds of the ‘Mula,’ and would watch from this
platform say from 3.30 P.M. until dark. The remains of the
‘Mula’s’ head from the Luao River swamp, as also the horns given
me by Mkula, were sent home along with the other Antelopes’
heads.”
So far as we know, only two examples of this Sitatunga have ever
reached Europe alive. Both of these are now living, in good health,
in the Zoological Society’s Gardens in the Regent’s Park. The first
arrival was a young female, received as a present from Mr. James A.
Nicolls, F.Z.S., of Belmont House, Navan, Ireland, on October 14th,
1890. In a footnote to Nicolls and Eglington’s ‘Sportsman in South
Africa’ we are informed that the animal in question was captured by Mr.
Nicolls alongside the dead body of its dam, which had been shot by him
in the Taoke swamp, forty miles from Lake Ngami.
On referring to Mr. Nicolls’s articles in the ‘Field’ newspaper, in
which his “Travels and Sport along the Botletle River and round Lake
Ngami” are narrated, we find the occurrence in question described as
follows:—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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