gest of the antelope tribe," replied Swinton, "and
the best eating of them all. Sometimes they are nineteen hands high at
the chest, and will weigh nearly 2,000 lbs. It has the head of an
antelope, but the body is more like that of an ox. It has magnificent
straight horns, but they are not dangerous. They are easily run down,
for, generally speaking, they are very fat and incapable of much
exertion."

"We will look out for them to-morrow," said the Major. "See how the
vultures are hovering over us; they know there will be bones for them to
pick this night."

"More than bones," replied Alexander; "for what can we do with so many
carcasses? There is provision for a month, if it would keep. What a
prodigious variety of animals there appears to be in this country."

"Yes, they are congregated here, because the country, from want of rain,
may be considered as barren. But within eight or nine degrees of
latitude from the Cape, we find the largest and most minute of creation.
We have the ostrich and the little creeper among the birds. Among the
beasts we have the elephant, weighing 4,000 lbs., and the black specked
mouse, weighing a quarter of an ounce. We have the giraffe, seventeen
feet high, and the little viverra, a sort of weasel, of three inches. I
believe there are thirty varieties of antelopes known and described;
eighteen of them are found in this country, and there are the largest
and smallest of the species; for we have the eland, and we have the
pigmy antelope, which is not above six inches high. We see here also the
intermediate links of many genera, such as the eland and the gnoo; and
as we find the elephant, the rhinoceros, and Wilmot's friend, the
hippopotamus, we certainly have the bulkiest animals in existence."

Bremen now came up to say that they had discovered a rhinoceros close to
the river-side, concealed in the bushes underneath a clump of acacia.
The Major and Alexander having declared their intention of immediately
going in pursuit, Swinton advised them to be cautious, as the charge of
a rhinoceros was a very awkward affair, if they did not get out of the
way. They rode down to the clump of trees and bushes where the animal
was said to be hid, and, by the advice of Bremen, sent for the dogs to
worry the animal out. Bremen, who was on foot, was desired by the Major
to take the horse which Omrah rode, that he might be more expeditious,
and our travelers remained with a clear space of two hundred yard