Its comrades did not pause, but ran over its body in thousands! "I loaded again, and stood right up on my feet.
"Now for the first time it occurred to me to reflect on the strange conduct of the springboks; for, instead of making off at my appearance, they only bounded a little to one side, and then kept on their course.
They seemed possessed by a species of infatuation.

I remembered hearing that such was their way when upon one of their migrations, or `trek-bokens.' This, then, thought I, must be a `trek-boken.' "I was soon convinced of this, for the herd every moment grew thicker and thicker around me, until at length they became so crowded, that I began to feel very singularly situated.

Not that I was afraid of the creatures, as they made no demonstration of using their horns upon me.
On the contrary, they did all they could to get out of my way.

But the nearest only were alarmed; and, as my presence in no way terrified those that were an hundred yards off, the latter made no attempt to give ground.

Of course the nearest ones could only get a few paces from me, by pushing the others closer, or springing up over their backs--so that with the ones thus constantly bounding up into the air there was all the time a ring around me two deep! "I cannot describe the strange feelings I had in this unusual situation, or how long I might have kept my place.