Litchfield enquirer., 1851-03-13
The Springb0k.

A work has lately been published by the Hampers, entitled. "Fiye Years of Hunters Life, in the Far Interior of South Africa. By R. Gordan Cumming, Esq" The book is filled with the marvellous ad. ventures of hunter of wild beast. and some of the descriptions of scenery are very captivating.
 From notices we have seen of the work. we presume it is to be relied on. We were little surprised, however, to obs serve casually some rather unusual simi. larlty between the language which Mr. c. uses, and that which we find elsewhere in much earlier authors, Such coinci. dences often occur, however, without apy unfairness,
 The following description of a remark eble animal of the South African forest is from Mir. c. book.
 The springbok is so termed by the col- onlst on account of it's peculiar habit of spr'nglng or taking extraordinary bounds rising to an incredible height in tha s;,. when pursued. The extraordinarv n,ar ner in which springboks are capable If sprlnglng is best seen when thev ara chased by dog. On these occasions away start the herd, with succession If strange perpendicular bounds, risinr with curved Joins high into the air, and at tta same time elevating the snowy folds of long white hair on their launches and along their back. which imparts to them peculiar fairy-like appearance, different from any other animal. They bound to the height of ten or twelve feet. with thu elasticity of an India-rubber ball, clear. ing at each spring from twelve to fifteen feet Of ground, without apparently the slightest exertion. In performing the spring. they appear for an instant as if suspended in the air, when down come all four feet again together, and. strikinp the plala' away they soar again, as if about to take flight. The herd only adopt this motion for few hundred yards, when tEey 8 ubside into q ligbt elastic trot. archipg their graceful necks and lowering their noses to the 0round as if in sportive mood. Presently nnll. ing up. they face about. an reccnnoitre the object of their alarm. Ia crossing any path or wagon-road on which men have lately trod, the springbok inyaria. bly, clears it by single surprising bound and when herd of perhaps many thon. sands have to cross track of the sort ;t IS extremely beautiful to see how each antelope performs this feat, SO suspieions are they of the ground on which their er. emy' man, has trodden. They bound in similar manner when passing 10 lee ward of lion. or any other animal If which they entertain an instinc,iye dread
 The accumulated masses of living crea- lures which the springboks exhibit on tho greater mlgrations is utterly astounding, and any traveller witnessing it as have. and giving true description of what he has seen, can hardly expect to Dc belies> ed, so marvellous is the scene.
 They have been we'll and truly com. pared to the wasting swarms of locust.. so familiar to the traveller in this land
 wonders. Like :hem, they consume ever green thing in their course. laying wasts vast districts in few hours, and running in single night the fruit of the farasrs toll. The course adopted by tho ante, loPes Is generally such as to bring them back to their own country by route different fro n that by which they set out. Thus their line of march sometimes forms something like vast oval or an exten. sive square. of which tho