148 A HUNTER'S WANDERINGS ch. 



loud bellow that followed the shot told me she was 

 hard hit, but I could see nothing, for the whole herd, 

 startled by the report of the gun, rushed together in 

 wild affright, and now stood in a dense mass, facing 

 towards their hidden foe, effectually screening the 

 wounded cow from my view. In another instant, 

 seemingly satisfied that something dangerous was 

 near, they turned about and galloped away across the 

 valley, making for the bush on the opposite side, 

 and on the dust raised by their many feet subsiding, 

 I beheld the one I had wounded still standing where 

 she had been shot, and thought she was about done 

 for ; but on seeing me step from behind a tree, she 

 immediately wheeled round and made for the jungle. 

 When the herd ran together, after I had fired, 

 with several nasty-looking old bulls in their front, 

 my native attendants had all retreated precipitately 

 to the edge of the bush (with the exception of one 

 of the Masaras, who was carrying a small gourd of 

 water slung on an assegai over his shoulder), or I 

 might have given the cow another shot with my 

 second gun before she turned to run. Although 

 evidently severely wounded, she still managed to get 

 over the ground at a great rate, and entered the 

 bush at least 100 yards in advance of myself and the 

 Bushman, who were following at our best pace, the 

 Kafirs carrying my guns being a considerable distance 

 behind. Just within the edge of the jungle was one 

 very thick patch, unlike the greater part, covered 

 with foliage, and behind this the wounded buffalo 

 turned and stood at bay waiting for her pursuers. 

 Not thinking of this stratagem (a very common one 

 with both buffaloes and elephants), and imagining 

 her to be a considerable distance ahead, I ran into 

 her very horns before I saw her, and she at the same 



