74 EXPEDITION INTO [Chap. IX. 



prising, greatly exceeding that, of any other game 

 quadruped with which I am acquainted. The 

 female is smaller and of slighter form, with less 

 ponderous horns. The stoutest of our savage at- 

 tendants could with difficulty transport the head 

 of the eland to the waggons, where one of the 

 Hottentots had just arrived with the carcase of a 

 sassayby that he had dragged a considerable dis- 

 tance, assisted by upwards of twenty savages. These 

 men were no sooner made acquainted with the 

 occurrences of the morning, than tliey set off at 

 speed upon the tracks of our horses, and were 

 presently out of sight. About sunset the party 

 returned, gorged to the throats, and groaning under 

 an external load of flesh, which having been unable 

 to consume, they had hung round their necks. 



About midnight an unusual commotion caused 

 us to start from our sleep. The whole of the cattle 

 had burst through the thorn fence by which they 

 were surrounded, and, panic-stricken, were blindly 

 charging they knew not whither ; oxen, horses, 

 and sheep, tumbling headlong over the waggon 

 poles, and over each other, in indescribable con- 

 fusion. The night was intensely dark, and all the 

 fires had gone out — Coeur de Lion had clambered 

 on to the top of the baofgacre-wao-aon, and was 

 screaming like a woman, whilst each Hottentot was 

 discharging his gun, loaded with ball, in any di- 

 rection that the muzzle might happen to have 

 assumed. The horses were the least alarmed, and 

 after floundering about in the dark for some time, 



