At daybreak the next morning, they took a hasty meal, and started again for the plain.  Swinton, having to prepare his specimens, did not accompany them.  There was a heavy fog on the plain when they arrived at it, and they waited for a short time, skirting the south side of it, with the view of drawing the animals toward the encampment.  At last the fog vanished, and discovered the whole country, as before, covered with every variety of wild animals.  But as their object was to obtain the eland antelope, they remained stationary for some time, seeking for those animals among the varieties which were scattered in all directions.  At last Omrah, whose eyes were far keener than even the Hottentots’, pointed out three at a distance, under a large acacia thorn.  They immediately rode at a trot in that direction, and the various herds of quaggas, gnoos, and antelopes scoured away before them; and so numerous were they, and such was the clattering of hoofs, that you might have imagined that it was a heavy charge of cavalry.  The objects of their pursuit remained quiet until they were within three hundred yards of them, and then they set off at a speed, notwithstanding their heavy and unwieldy appearance, which for a short time completely distanced the horses.  But this speed could not be continued, and the Major and Alexander soon found themselves rapidly coming up.  The poor animals exerted themselves in vain; their sleek coats first turned to a blue color, and then white with foam and perspiration, and at last they were beaten to a stand-still, and were brought down by the rifles of our travelers, who then dismounted their horses, and walked up to the quarry.

“What magnificent animals!” exclaimed Alexander.

“They are enormous, certainly,” said the Major.

“Look at the beautiful dying eye of that noble beast.  Is it not speaking?”

“Yes, imploring for mercy, as it were, poor creature.”

“Well, these three beasts, that they say are such good eating, weigh more than fifty antelopes.”

“More than fifty springboks, I grant.  Well, what shall we do now?”

“Let our horses get their wind again, and then we will see if we can fall in with some new game.”

“I saw two or three antelopes, of a very different sort from the sassabys and harte-beests, toward that rising ground.  We will go that way as soon as the Hottentots come up and take charge of our game.”

“Does Swinton want to preserve one of these creatures?”

“I believe not, they are so very bulky.  He says we shall find plenty as we go on, and that he will not encumber the wagons with a skin until we leave the Val River, and turn homeward.  Now, Bremen and Omrah, come with us.”