148 LARGE GAME. chap. iii. 



As it was, I had killed seven head, two of which were 

 great buUs ; but if I had come across the herd early lq 

 the day, and had had a couple of strong-running gun- 

 bearers with me, I have no hesitation in saying that, 

 dependable upon my shooting, I could have got double. 

 I never saw eland run so slowly or take so little notice 

 of my shots ; but the size of the herd, which, though 

 by no means very large to see grazing together, was 

 unusually so to run together, as they generally split 

 up into smaller groups when disturbed, partly accounted 

 for it, while the presence of the young calves had a 

 great effect, though they seemed a good deal more "fit" 

 than their fat-laden mothers. 



The other occasion was once when camped by the river 

 Sutu, I was asked to join two other white hunters who 

 were going to visit a kraal on the outskirts of Swaziland, 

 where some of their native hunters were stationed. I 

 agreed, and we started after breakfast, commencing by 

 wading across the river, which is here nearly a quarter 

 of a mile broad and very picturesque, and then striking 

 across the thorns in the direction of the next stream, the 

 Umsundusi by name, where we were to sleep. No one 

 had brought an extra gun-bearer except myself, there 

 being only one man to each of the others, and he being 

 occupied in carrying their respective sleeping gear both 

 A. and H. were in consequence carrying their own guns. 

 Suddenly, when we were about half way, a small herd of 

 buffalo appeared running straight towards us — a not un- 

 common incident in much-disturbed districts ; and while 

 I made a rush for my gun, my companions both fired, 

 seemingly without effect, and the herd had passed, so 



