The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-04

THE SABLE ANTELOPE on THE DEFENSE
lost ground. and the beautiful creature.
gaining a rocky ridge, was quickly be-
yond my reach and vanished forever
from my view l sought In vain TO close
my eyelids that night, for the image of
the sable antelope was still before me- "
The sable antelope has several foes,
but perhaps the one which does him the
most harm is the Cape hunting dog.
curious looking animal of great strength
and about the size of a tall greyhound
The Cape dogs hunt IN packs varying in
number from 10 to 90 By their extraor-
binary powers of endurance and mode
Of mutual assistance they are able to
run down the swiftest or overcome the
largest and most powerful antelope.
They commit great havoc among the
fiocks OF the Dutch Beers Mr. Selous
describes the pursuit of male sable an.
telope by single hunting dog--a very
rare occurrence The hunter and his
comrades had been for some time watch.
ing the antelope, when suddenly it start
ed off full In their direction On looking
round for the cause of this sudden move
ment, I'VE saw, writes MIR Selous
that an animal was running on its
track and although still distant was
overtaking it fast, for the sable antelope
not being pressed, was not yet doing its
best, SO that when it was about 200
yards from us its pursuer which we
now saw was wild dog, was not more
than so yards behind us. The noble
looking antelope must just then have
seen us, for IL halted, looking toward
rs, and then, turning its head, glanced
at its Insignificant pursuer
THAT glance, however, at the open
mouthed dog. thirsting for its lifeblood,
must have called up unpleasant remi-
niscences. as, instead Of showing fight,
as / should have expected it to have
done. 1t threw out its limbs convulsive-
ly and came dashing past as at its ut
most speed IL was. however. to no
purpose. for the wild dog lying fat to
the ground as a greyhound, its bushy
tail stretched straight behind it, covered
two yards to its one and soon came up
to It The dog gave the antelope one
bite in the flank, and. letting go its
hold, instantly fell few yards behind.
AT the bite the sable antelope swerved
toward us. and upon receiving a second |
in exactly the same place turned still |
more. so that. taking the point on which |
we stood as center. both pursuer and !
pursued had described about half cir
Gle round us AS the wild dog was lust |
going up the third time it scented us,
and instead of again infiicting bite it |
stopped dead and looked toward us, |
while about 100 yards from us the sable |
antelope came also to a stand. The baf- |
fed hound then turned round and made |
of one way, while the sable antelope,
delivered from its tormentor. cantered |
of IN another Mr. Selous adds that |
this Is the only instance known to him |
OF hunting dog pursuing an animal
by itself
IL has been asserted that the females |
OF the species do all the watching while
the male goes on eating At the least
alarm the antelopes are off like the
wind The illustration represents doe
attacking reptile such as is common
TO South Africa The buck has evident.
ly not quite made up his mind what is !
10 be his share in the adventure Scarce 4,
ly gallant. is her