A BULL ELAND SHOT. 147 



buck, very nearly as good as the last. Imagining our 

 horses were some beasts of the forest, he turned to look 

 at us, when I shot him in the heart. The wagons being 

 close at hand, the buck was deposited in my larder, and 

 I once more rode forth. 



After proceeding many miles along the borders of the 

 river, on emerging into an open space running parallel 

 with the stream, I came upon large herds of pallahs, 

 blue wildebeests, zebras, and, to my utter astonish- 

 ment, a herd of about ten bull elands. I was not aware 

 that they were met Vv'ith in these parts. I gave chase, 

 and soon selected the best bull in the herd, a ponder- 

 ous gray old fellow ; he began at once to trot, though 

 all the rest were still at a gallop. After a sharp ride 

 of a few miles I turned this eland, and brought him 

 back close on the river, when I shot him in the shoul- 

 der, holding out my rifle with one hand like a pistol. 

 I then rode back to seek my wagons, which I failed to 

 find, they not having come on as I had ordered. I fan- 

 cied that the natives had led them some short cut, and 

 that the river might have a great bend; so, being faint 

 and hungry, I rode back to the eland, where I had left 

 my Bushman, kindled a fire, and roasted and ate flesh 

 and liver of the eland. As night was coming on, I 

 skinned his side which lay uppermost that I might have 

 some covering, as I had neither coat nor waistcoat. 

 When, however, the sun went down, signal shots dis- 

 closed to me the position of the wagons ; they had como 

 oit within half a mile of where the eland died. 



On the 21st I rode some distance down the river 

 with Ruyter in quest of sea-cow and serolomootloo- 

 ques ; we found fresh spoor of the former, and I shot 

 one doe of the latter. Ruyter drove her up to me by 

 beating the reeds ; he also started a fine old buck, which 



