El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-05-21

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- I"
The sable antelope has several foes
but perhaps the one which does him the
most harm is the Cape hunting dog, q
curious looking animal Of great strength
and about the size Of tall greyhound
The Cape dogs hunt in packs varying in
number from 10 to CO. 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
docks of the Dutch Beers MI. Selous
describes the pursuit Of a male sable an
telope by a 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 Mr.. 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 YVES about 200
yards from us its pursuer, which we
now saw was a wild dog, was not more
than SO yards behind Us. The noble
looking antelope must just then have
seen US, for it halted, looking toward
us, 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 l should have expected it to have
done, it threw out its limbs convulsive-
ly and came dashing past us at its ut
most speed 1t was, however, to no
purpose. for the wild dog, lying fiat to
the ground as a greyhound, its bushy
tail stretch ed straight behind it. covered
two yards to its one and soon came up
to it Tie dog gave the antelope one
bite in the flank, and. letting go its
hold. instantly fell a few yards behind.
At the bite the sable antelope swerved
toward Us. and upon receiving 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 a cir
Gle round US AS the wild dog was just
going up the third time it scented Us,
and instead oil again inflicting a 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
off one way, while the sable antelope,
delivered from its tormentOr cautered
off in another" MI Selous adds that
this is the only instance known to him
of hunting dog pursuing an animal
by itself
1t has been asserted that the females
of the species, do all the watching, while
the male go es on eating. At the least
alarm the mtelopes are off like the
wind. The Illustration represents doe
attacking a reptile such as is common
to South Aft lea The buck has evident
ly not quite made up his mind what is
to be his shaI Q in the adventure. Scarce
~ gallant, is he?