in 1849, a massive herd of springbok, amongst which were intermingled wildebeest, blesbok, quagga, and eland, moved through beaufort west. early one morning, the town was awakened to a sound like that of a strong wind, and suddenly the town was filled with animals. they devoured every sprig of foliage in the town and surrounding countryside. the last of the continuously moving herd left the town 3 days later, to disappear towards the west. the karoo looked as if a fire had swept through it. during these migrations, the plains and hillsides on every side were thickly covered by one vast mass of springbok, packed like sheep in a fold. as far as the eye could see, the landscape was alive with them.