306 THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO CHAP. 
whole wide stretch of country that met my view. | 
therefore tried another direction, and, taking a half 
turn to my left, made my way carefully through 
some open glades to the top of a little rise not 
far off. 
The sight that now met my eyes fairly took my 
breath away ; for there, not three hundred yards off 
and stalking placidly along at a slow walk, was a 
herd of fully a hundred eland of all ages and sizes. 
The rear of the column was brought up by a magni- 
ficent old bull, and my heart jumped for joy as I 
watched him from the shelter of the bushes behind 
which I lay concealed. The next thing to be done 
was to decide on a plan of attack, and this had to be 
thought of without loss of time, for the wind was 
blowing from me almost in the direction of the 
eland, who would certainly scent me very soon if 
I did not get away. Quickly noting the direc- 
tion in which they were moving, I saw that if 
all went well they ought to pass close to a little 
hillock about a mile or so off; and if I were very 
sharp about it, I thought I could make a circuit 
through the wood and be on this rise, in a good 
position for both wind and cover, before the 
herd could reach it. Accordingly I crept away 
with the object of finding my mount, but to my 
delight—just behind me and well hidden—stood 
the undefeated Landaalu, who in some mysterious 
Bon. 
