r.

"I think it is springbok," said Bremen the Hottentot.

"Springbok, why, there must be thousands and thousands of them."

"I believe that Bremen is right," said Swinton; "it must be one of the
migratory herds of springboks; I have never seen them, but I have often
been told of them."

The body of antelopes now advanced towards them, keeping on a straight
path; and to state their numbers would have been impossible: there might
have been fifty or a hundred thousand, or more. As far as the eye could
see in any direction, it was one moving mass covering the whole plain.
As they approached the caravan, those nearest huddled on one side and
occasionally bounded away with the remarkable springs made by this
animal, and from which it has its name, alighting not upon the earth,
but, for want of room, upon the backs of its companions, and then
dropping in between the ranks.

A hazy vapour arose from these countless herds as they moved on, and
more than once the Hottentots, who were standing on the waggons, which
had been stopped as the herd came up to them, pointed out a lion which
was journeying with the crowds to feast at his leisure. The animals
appeared very tame, and several were killed close to the wheels of the
waggons, for the evening's supper. Notwithstanding that the herd moved
at a rapid pace, it was more than two hours before the whole had passed
by.

"Well," observed Alexander, "I can now say that I have seen no want of
game in Africa. Where will they go go?"

"They will go directly on to the southward," replied Swinton; "the
migration of these animals is one of the most remarkable proofs of the
fecundity of animal life. Like the ants, they devour everything before
them; and if we journey in the direction they have come from, we shall
find no food for the cattle until after the rains. After the rains
fall, these animals will return to their former pastures. It is the
want of food which has brought them so far to the southward."

"Their track is evidently from the north and eastward," said the Major;
"had we not better change our course more to the northward?"

"No, I should think not; they have probably travelled on this side of
the Nu Gareip or Black River. We shall have neither water nor food for
the cattle to-night, and therefore I think we had better go on as we are
going, so as to make sure of water for them to-morrow, at all events.
It's useless now stopping to feed the cattle, we had bette