34 Wild Life in Central Africa. 



crawling up close. By the time I had got to within 

 150 yards the elands were beginning to think all was not 

 right, for some of them faced in my direction with their 

 horns laid back. I fancy they heard an occasional leaf 

 crack, as all the vegetation was very dry and brittle. 

 Suddenly they ran, and I saw a very large blue bull trotting 

 clear of the others and fired twice at him, hearing both 

 bullets tell. Then I lost sight of him for a time, but, 

 seeing another bull with the herd which had a fine pair 

 of horns, I waited for them to slow down, which they 

 soon did. 



I fired at him, and he went off looking very groggy. I 

 ran after him, telling Kadango to go after the big bull and 

 keep it in sight if possible. I soon got closer to my animal, 

 which had stopped after running about 300 yards and 

 looked back, and I fired a steady shot at its shoulder at a 

 range of seventy yards or so. It did not move, but I saw 

 it shiver slightly, so I immediately fired again for the same 

 place, and it fell on its side, and was soon dead. On going 

 up to it I found that it had three bullets all within 6in. 

 of each other, just about right for the heart, except that the 

 first one was about 4in. too far back. As I was looking at 

 this fine animal, I heard Kadango calling me, so I went 

 towards the sound and soon saw him running. He said 

 the big eland was lying down, but was still alive, so I went 

 back and soon saw it sitting with its forelegs under it ; but 

 one hind leg stretched out in an unnatural position, and I 

 knew this limb was broken. It had probably been 

 splintered by my first shot and then broken under the 

 great weight of the animal. I soon put the poor beast 

 out of its misery, and then sat down to rest and have a 

 smoke. 



This was by far the heaviest eland I had ever shot, or 

 seen, but I foolishly allowed him to lie as he was, and so I 

 could not get an exact measurement of his height, as 

 the muscles and sinews had stiffened up by the time 

 the men had returned with the villagers I had sent them 

 back for. 



