306 THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO CHAP. 



whole wide stretch of country that met my view. I 

 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 



