roots, upon fertile ground it was almost nine feet high,
and not only concealed the game, hut prevented us
from riding. We accordingly rode towards a spot
where bright yellow herbage invited the fire-stick;
but hardly had we arrived, than we noticed a solitary
bull buffalo (Bos Cajfer), feeding within about a hundred
and fifty yards. I immediately dismounted, and,
creeping towards him to within fifty paces, I shot him
through the neck with one of my Reilly No. 10 rifles.
I had hoped to drop him dead by the shot, instead of
which he galloped off, of course followed by the agga-.
geers, with the exception of one, who held my horse.
Quickly mounted, we joined in the hunt, and in about
three minutes we ran the buffaloo to bay in a thicket
of thorns on the margin of the river. These thorns
were just thick enough' to conceal him at times, but
to afford us a glance of his figure as he moved from
his position. There was a glade which cut through
and divided the jungle, and I wished the aggageers to
drive him, if possible, across this, when I should have
a good opportunity of shooting. To my astonishment
one of the most daring hunters jumped off his
horse with his drawn sword, and, telling me to look
out, he coolly entered the jungle alone to court the
attack of the buffalo. I would not allow him to risk
his life for an animal that I had been the first to
wound, therefore I insisted upon his return, and begging
Abou Do to hold my bridle when I should
fire, I rode with him carefully along the skirts- of
the jungle along the glade, keeping a good look-out
among the thorns for the buffalo. Presently I heard
a short grunt within twenty yards of us, and I
quickly perceived the buffalo standing broadside on,
with his head turned to the wind that brought down
the scent of the people on the other side.
I had my little Fletcher No. 24 in my hand—that
handy little weapon that almost formed an extra bone
of myself, and, whispering to Abou Do to hold my
bridle close to the bit, as Aggahr was not very steady
under fire, I took a clean shot direct at the centre of
the shoulder. The ball smacked as though it had
struck an iron target, Aggahr gave a start, and for
the moment both Abou Do and myself were prepared
for a rush ; but the buffalo had never flinched, and he
remained standing as though immoveable. Abou Do
whispered, “ You missed him, I heard the bullet strike
the tree I shook my head, and quickly re-loaded—it
was impossible to miss at that distance, and I knew
that I had fired steadily. Hardly had I rammed the
bullet down, when, with a sudden thump, down fell
the buffalo upon his side, and, rolling over upon his
hack, he gave a few tremendous struggles, and lay
dead.
Great caution should be invariably used in approaching
a fallen buffalo and all other dangerous animals,
us they are apt to recover sufficiently, upon seeing the
enemy, to make a last effort to attack, which is
generally more serious than any other phase of the
hunt. We accordingly pitched a few large stones at
him to test the reality of death, and then walked up