4/14 About midday he went out--having fancied that upon a large grassy meadow near the camp he saw some animal. After walking about half a mile, and keeping among bushes, around the edge of the meadow, he got near enough to be sure that it _was_ an animal he had observed, for he now saw _two_ in the place he had marked. They were very small creatures,--smaller even than springboks,--but, from their general form and appearance, Hendrik knew they were either antelopes or deer; and, as Hans had told him there were _no deer in Southern Africa_, he concluded they must be some species of antelope. They were a buck and doe,--this he knew because one of them only carried horns. The buck was _under two feet_ in height, of slender make, and pale tawny colour. |