xxvir THE FINDING OF THE NEW ELAND 307 



way had followed me up, found the pony where I 

 had left it tied to a tree, and brought it on to me. 

 With a bright grin on his face he thrust the reins 

 into my hand, and I was up and galloping off in an 

 instant. 



I soon discovered that I had further to go than 

 I expected, for I was forced to make a big detour 

 in order to keep out of sight of the herd ; but on 

 halting once or twice and peeping through the trees 

 I saw that all was going well and that they were 

 still calmly moving on in the right direction. The 

 last quarter of a mile had to be negotiated in 

 the open, but I found that by lying flat down on 

 my pony's back I was completely hidden from the 

 advancing herd by an intervening swell in the 

 ground. In this manner I managed to get un- 

 observed to the lee of my hillock, where I dis- 

 mounted, threw the reins over a stump, and crawled 

 stealthily but as quickly as I could to the top. I 

 was in great doubt as to whether I should be in 

 time or not, but on peering, hatless, over the crest, 

 I was overjoyed to find the whole herd just below 

 me. One of the eland, not twenty yards off, saw 

 me at once, and stood still to gaze at me in astonish- 

 ment. It was a female, however, so I took no notice 

 of her, but looked round to see if my great bull 

 were anywhere near. Yes, there he was ; he had 

 passed the spot where I lay, but was not more than 



x 2 



