294 A HUNTER'S WANDERINGS ch. 



However, I had not much time for speculation, for 

 the old brute, after glaring at me a few seconds with 

 his sinister-looking, bloodshot eyes, jfinally made up 

 his mind, and, with a grunt, rushed at me. I threw 

 my body out flat along the ground to one side, and 

 just avoided the upward thrust of his horn, receiving, 

 however, a severe blow on the left shoulder with the 

 round part of it ; nearly dislocating my right arm 

 with the force with which my elbow was driven 

 against the ground ; and receiving also a kick on the 

 instep from one of his feet. Luckily for me, he did 

 not turn again, as he most certainly would have done 

 had he been wounded, but galloped clean away. 



The first thing to be done was to look after my 

 horse, and at about 150 yards from where he had 

 been tossed, I found him. The buffalo had struck 

 him full in the left thigh ; it was an awful wound, 

 and as the poor beast was evidently in the last 

 extremity, I hastily loaded my gun and put him out 

 of his misery. My Kafirs coming up just then, I 

 started with them, eager for vengeance, in pursuit of 

 the buffalo, but was compelled finally to abandon the 

 chase, leaving my poor horse unavenged. 



When buifaloes have not been thinned out, they 

 are usually found in herds of from 50 to 200 or 300 

 animals. Old bulls are often found alone, but more 

 generally speaking in twos, threes, or fours. Along 

 the Chobe I have seen as many as fifteen old buffalo 

 bulls consorting together, and upon several occasions 

 small herds of eight, nine, and ten old patriarchs. 

 These little herds of bulls are much more easy to 

 approach than a large herd of cows, amongst which 

 there are always a few wary animals on the look- 

 out for danger. I have not found old buffalo bulls 

 more dangerous than herd animals. Unless they are 



