kind of creature was
coming towards them; but stood for a long while gazing at Hendrik and
his quagga with feelings of curiosity, and of course some little alarm.

They, however, permitted the hunter to get within five hundred yards
distance--near enough for him--before they broke off in their heavy
lumbering gallop.

Hendrik now rose in his saddle, put spurs to his quagga, and followed
the herd at full speed.

As he had designed, so it came to pass. The elands ran straight in the
direction of the cliff--not where the pass was, but where there was
none--and, on reaching the precipice, were of course forced to turn into
a new direction, transverse to their former one. This gave Hendrik the
advantage, who, heading his quagga diagonally, was soon upon the heels
of the herd.

It was Hendrik's intention to single out one of the bulls, and run him
down--leaving the others to gallop off wherever they wished.

His intention was carried out; for shortly after, the fattest of the
bulls shot to one side, as if to escape in that way, while the rest ran
on.

The bull was not so cunning as he thought himself. Hendrik's eye was
upon him; and in a moment the quagga was turned upon his track.

Another burst carried both game and pursuer nearly a mile across the
plain. The eland had turned from a rufous dun colour to that of a
leaden blue; the saliva fell from his lips in long streamers, foam
dappled his broad chest, the tears rolled out of his big eyes, and his
gallop became changed to a weary trot. He was evidently "blown."

In a few minutes more the quagga was close upon his heels; and then the
huge antelope, seeing that farther running could not serve him, halted
in despair, and faced round towards his pursuer.

Now Hendrik had his loaded rifle in his hand, and you expect to hear
that he instantly raised it to his shoulder, took aim, fired, and
brought down the eland.

I must disappoint you, then, by telling you that he did no such thing.

Hendrik was a real hunter--neither rash nor wasteful of his resources.
He knew a better plan than to kill the eland upon the spot. He knew
that the animal was now quite in his power; and that he could drive him
wherever he pleased, just like a tame ox. To have killed the creature
on the spot would have been a waste of powder and shot. More than that,
it would have rendered necessary all the trouble of transporting its
flesh to camp--a double journey at least--and with the risk