the hide; they had about half finished the operation,
when we were disturbed by a peculiar sound at a
considerable distance in the jungle, which, being
repeated, we knew to be the cry of buffaloes. In
an instant the tdtel was neglected, the aggageers
mounted their horses, and leaving my wife with a
few men to take charge of the game, accompanied
by Florian we went in search of the buffaloes. This
part of the country was covered with grass about
nine feet high, that was reduced to such extreme
dryness that the stems broke into several pieces
like glass as we brushed through it. The jungle
was open, composed of thorny mimosas at such wide
intervals that a ,horse could be ridden at considerable
speed, if accustomed to the country. Altogether
it was the perfection of ground for shooting,
and the chances were in favour of the rifle.
We had proceeded carefully about half a mile when
I heard a rustling in the grass, and I shortly perceived
a bull buffalo standing alone beneath a tree, close to
the sandy bed of a dried stream, i about a hundred
yards distant between us and the animal; the grass
had been entirely destroyed by the trampling of a
large herd. I took aim at the shoulder with one of
my No. 10 Reilly rifles, and the buffalo rushed forward
at the shot, and fell about a hundred paces
beyond in the bush. At the report of the shot,, the
herd that we had not observed, which had been lying
upon the sandy bed of the stream, rushed past us
with a sound like thunder, in a cloud of dust raised
by several hundreds of large animals in full gallop.
I could hardly see them distinctly, and I waited for
a good chance, when presently a mighty bull separated
from the rest, and gave me a fair shoulder shot.
I fired a little too forward, and missed the shoulder;
but I made a still better shot by mistake, as the
Reilly bullet broke the spine through the neck, and
dropped him dead. Florian, poor fellow, had not
the necessary tools for the work, and one of his light
guns produced no effect. Now came the time for
the aggageers. Away dashed Jali on his fiery mare,
closely followed by Abou Do and Suleiman, who in
a few instants were obscured in the cloud of dust
raised by the retreating buffaloes. As soon as I could
mount my horse that had been led behind me, I
followed at full speed, and spurring hard, I shortly
came in sight of the three aggageers, not only in
the dust, but actually among the rear buffaloes of
the herd. Suddenly, Jali almost disappeared from the
saddle as he leaned forward with a jerk, and seized
a fine y oung buffalo by the tail. In a moment Abou
Do and Suleiman sprang from their horses, and I
arrived just in time to assist them in securing a
fine little bull of about twelve hands high, whose
horns were six or seven inches long. A pretty fight
we had with the young Hercules. The Arabs stuck
to him like bull-dogs, in spite of his tremendous
■struggles, and Florian, with other men, shortly arriving,
we secured him by lashing his legs together
with our belts until impromptu ropes could be made