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Specimens of Bushman Folklore, by W.H.I. Bleek and L.C. Lloyd, [1911], at sacred-texts.com


TACTICS IN SPRINGBOK HUNTING.

This man [who stands at 5], he has ostrich feathers upon sticks.[1] Therefore, he sticks (into the little bushes) a large stick with ostrich feathers (upon it) here [at 6], because he wants it to look like a man who stands, so that the springbok may see it, when they go towards the (lesser) feather brushes. For, the springbok would (otherwise), turning back, pass behind him, when he was driving[2] the springbok for the other people, the springbok would, turning back, pass behind him, at the place where he

[1. The !Xui!Xui are three in number; of these he sticks two (a longer and a shorter) into the ground at 6 and 7; the smallest of the three he holds in his hand, waving it over his head to make the springbok afraid of him. He had been calling the springbok; but is now silent; because the springbok have come into the curve of the feather brushes.

2. (He) drives the springbok, that they may run in among the other people. He does not a little run along, for, he passes the foremost springbok, while he desires that the springbok may not pass by on one side of the man who came to lie on this side.]

had stood, calling them. He runs forward from it. Therefore, he sticks in a feather brush at it [at 6]. He goes, also to stick in a little feather brush, which is short [at 7]; while he intends, with the little feather brush which is very small to drive the springbok, as he wishes that the foremost one may run, passing through, may run passing by the man who lies between [at 9]; he is the one to whom he (the man who drives the springbok) intends the foremost to run.[1] Therefore, the springbok do thus, when this man shoots the springbok which follows the leading one, they divide nicely; because, the springbok which was following the other turns aside, it darts aside, while the springbok which had been following it turns aside [in an opposite direction], while they, springing aside, divide at the noise of the arrow on the other one's skin, that and (the noise of) the feathers, which went so quickly.

[1. [At 8 is] the man who lies...; the man who lies to leeward. He lies "with a red head".]

 


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