CHAPTER XXVII 
ANIMALS WHICH PROVIDE MEAT OR HIDES 
Of those animals to which the settler looks for meat 
or hides, rather than for sport, the Eland takes pride 
of place. This magnificent animal suffered almost as 
badly as did the buffalo in the rinderpest outbreak, and 
has made almost as satisfactory a recovery. Mr. 
Edward North Buxton describes, in “ Two African 
Trips,” how he made great efforts, without avail, to obtain 
a trophy. Luckily, he would have no such difficulty 
now. The eland is the only antelope which carries 
fat, this being more especially the case with old bulls, 
which are sometimes very heavy. Such old fellows 
are extraordinarily easily galloped down, even by a 
slow pony. At a fast trot they are apparently able to 
go all day, but directly they are pressed into a gallop 
they begin to puff. On foot, however, it is no easy 
matter to stalk a bull, more especially if he has cows 
with him. Not only are the cows very vigilant, but 
the whole herd are nearly always on the move. There¬ 
fore, though not included as an animal likely to afford 
a settler with sport, he is not incapable of its produc¬ 
tion. I am far from being one of those who assert 
that there is no sport or skill in hunting on the plains, 
though I must confess that it is a sport apt to pall 
