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 of the
hyenas eating up most of it in his absence. Whereas he could save all
this trouble by _driving the eland to camp_; and this was his design.
Without firing a shot, therefore, he galloped on past the blown bull,
headed him, turned him round, and then drove him before him in the
direction of the cliff.
The bull could make neither resistance nor opposition. Now and again,
he would turn and trot off in a contrary direction; but he was easily
headed again, and at length forced forward to the top of the pass.