f its evident suspicion that an enemy
was somewhere in its immediate neighbourhood. I knew that the suspected
enemy could not possibly be myself, for I was dead to leeward of the
animal, and I therefore proceeded to reconnoitre with the view of
ascertaining whether danger was threatening it from some other quarter.
And presently I became aware of certain suspicious-looking movements of
the long grass, about a hundred yards distant, suggestive of the
presence of an animal of some kind approaching the antelope cautiously
along a sort of wavering, serpentine course. When I first discovered
this movement the creature that caused it was at such a distance that it
was completely concealed among the long grass, even from the elevation
which I occupied; but a minute later I was able to catch occasional
glimpses of a darkish grey body, thickly dotted with irregularly shaped
spots of lighter grey, slinking toward the antelope, which still
remained perfectly motionless and expectantly watchful. The course
pursued by the approaching creature was such as gradually to bring it
into full view from where I crouched on the summit of the kopje, and at
length I made it out to be also an animal hitherto unknown to me, about
the size of a half-grown leopard, and of very similar build and shape,
except that its tail was only about a foot long, thick, and of uniform
dimensions right to its extremity; its ears were tufted like those of a
lynx, and indeed in general appearance it greatly resembled a lynx,
excepting that it was very much larger.

It was very interesting to watch the progress of this little drama--was
it a tragedy?--which was rapidly unfolding itself almost at my very
feet, and I was curious to see what steps the threatened antelope would
take to provide for its safety--for it was certain that the creature was
fully conscious of the fact that danger threatened it. Why did it not
seek safety in flight, as most creatures of the antelope species are
wont to do? Or did some subtle instinct warn it that flight could but
prolong its agony, and that the superior endurance of its approaching
enemy would cause it to be run down and brought to bay sooner or later;
and that its best chance lay in facing the danger now, before its
strength should be worn out by a prolonged and exhausting flight?
Apparently some such instinct or conviction must have possessed it, for
the antelope remained standing motionless, as though carved out of
ston