CHAP. in. ELAND. 147 



one at least afterwards dropt behind. There were about 

 one hundred and twenty, I calculated, exclusive of some 

 thirty calves, which were considerably in their seniors' way, 

 and the pace they went at was so slow as to enable me to 

 keep within two hundred yards, and to fire occasional shots 

 without losing ground. I had a native with me, luckily 

 a long legged and winded one, and we ran very steadily 

 together for about five miles, during which time I had 

 finished off one of those already wounded, and brought 

 down two others. We felt convinced that so large a 

 herd, with their progress so much impeded by the calves, 

 would soon run themselves out under this scorching sun, 

 but as, in the meantime, they kept on, I tried to aim 

 at several of the great bulls, which, distinguishable by 

 their dark colour and superior size, trotted amongst the 

 front ranks. My efforts were rewarded with only very 

 moderate success, merely wounding one and causing him 

 to lag behind, so, thinking that if I pushed him he 

 would probably separate, I made a spurt and ran in 

 within a hundred yards, when, pulling up, I fired another 

 four barrels in succession. One of the foremost fell on 

 the spot, and the wounded bull, accompanied by a cow, 

 dropt astern, while the herd trotted on to the top of the 

 next ridge, where they halted for a few minutes, and, 

 on resuming their flight, left another bull standing, 

 unable to go further. Unfortunately, my native had got 

 himself badly spiked on one of those tremendous thorns, 

 sometimes as much as nine inches long, which are scattered 

 so dangerously on the ground ; and as all these eland 

 had to be finished off, and camp, fifteen miles distant, had 

 to be reached, I was forced to leave the rest in peace. 



