114 SPEED OF THE ELAND. 



ance in that confined space. Give them a good run, and 

 they would nearly leap over the palings that there 

 surround them. Their usual pace when alarmed, is a long 

 trot, at which they can go sixteen or seventeen miles in 

 an hour. It is easy to ride up to them on a level and 

 unbroken plain ; but when a steep hilly country with 

 large loose bits of rock, or heavy ground, happens to be 

 the hunting line, it is a far different matter ; they rush 

 down the steep hills like an avalanche, making prodigious 

 leaps to clear the large stones in their course. On rising 

 ground the horseman has the advantage over them, but 

 not enough to enable him to regain what he loses during 

 the descent. 



We were all riding along a little ridge which gradually 

 sloped into the plains to our right, and dipped precipitously 

 into a valley on our left ; when a cry of ' ( Look, look ! 

 eland's bull !" brought us all to a stand. In the plain to 

 our right a large animal was seen pounding away, kicking 

 up the dust in clouds as he went. If he continued his present 

 course, I saw that he would pass over the ridge on which 

 we then were, and at about half a mile in front of us. 

 Taking a look at my gun, therefore, to see that all was right, 

 I let drop the spurs into my pony and galloped forward. 

 One of the Dutchmen then called to me to stop, and, 

 fearing I might be infringing some rule, I pulled up, but 

 soon found that the Boers had been obliged to wait until 

 their after- riders could bring up their guns ; and it was to 

 obtain a fair start that they had detained me. 



In consequence of this delay we were all fully two 

 hundred yards distant when the eland crossed the ridge 



