e, the back of which
was high, and like a stone wall. He stood in the water, and as I
approached could not retreat, as he was in a sort of _cul de sac_, and
did not like coming past me. I left my horse, and came within forty
yards of the antelope, to prevent his getting away, and had another try
at my obstinate bullet. I could not get a move out of it, and therefore
felt inclined to go in at the bull with my long clasp-knife; but a
threatening kind of pawing, and a shake of the head, when I came near,
made me think it more prudent "to keep off."

I now remembered a Dutchman's plan for a "sticks bullet" as they call
it; viz., dropping a little water in the barrel. I went to the stream
and let a few drops trickle down on the bullet. I soon found the good
result, for the ball began to move, and at each blow from the ramrod
went lower and lower, until the clear ring and springing of the ramrod
at length showed it to be home. I then laid my impatient prisoner low
with a shot behind the shoulder; he was a fine young bull about fifteen
hands in height. I off-saddled and sat down near him, as I was not
inclined to follow the remainder of the herd, both horse and self having
done our work. After about half an hour, my heavy friend showed on the
hill-top, and came galloping down and shouting to know where the elands
had gone, with as much eagerness as though he had been but half a mile
instead of half an hour behind. I accounted for one out of the lot,
which he helped me to skin and decapitate (a proceeding that we did not
accomplish before sunset), and we conveyed the head with difficulty to
our outspanning-place for the night. We were welcomed by the Dutchmen,
in whose estimation I found myself considerably advanced. They could
not, however, imagine for what reason I had brought the head and horns,
and I found great difficulty in making them comprehend that they were
considered as ornaments in England and were also rarities. They
inquired if we had no elands in that land, and seemed to think it a very
poor place where no large game was to be found.

I tried to explain to them the glories of a good run with hounds across
a grass country sprinkled with pretty stiff fences, but they could not
realise its beauties. And when I told them that foxes were preserved
merely for the sake of being hunted, they actually roared with laughter,
and assured me that they could not live or breathe in a country so
destitute of game,