THE BUFFALO. 35 



eight buffaloes, which were to be conducted to the ships by ropes, 

 put through their nostrils, and round their horns. But when 

 these were brought within sight of the ship's people, they be- 

 came so furious, that some of them tore out the cartilage of their 

 nostrils, and set themselves at liberty ; and others broke do\\ n 

 even the shrubs to which it was frequently found necessary to 

 fasten them. All attempts to get them on board would have 

 proved fruitless, had it not been for some children whom the ani- 

 mals would suffer to approach them, and by whose puerile man- 

 agement their rage was quickly appeased : and when the animals 

 were brought to the beach, it was by their assistance, in twisting 

 ropes about their legs, that the men were enabled to throw them 

 down, and by that means get them into the boats. And what 

 appears to have been no less singular than this circumstance, 

 was, that they had not been a day on board before they became 

 perfectly gentle. 



The wild buffalo is found in India, and in many parts of Af- 

 rica, especially towards the Cape of Good Hope. These are a 

 formidable tribe, and it is impossible to escape their fury, other- 

 wise than by climbing into some large tree, as they will break 

 down one of a moderate growth. Many travellers have been 

 instantly gored to death, and trampled to pieces under their feet. 

 They run with amazing speed, and cross the largest rivers with- 

 out difficulty. Professor Shemberg tells us, that when travelling 

 in Caffraria, he and his companions had just entered a wood, 

 when they discovered a large old male buffalo, lying alone, in a 

 spot that, for the" space of a few square yards, was free from 

 bushes. The animal no sooner observed the guide, who went 

 first, than with a horrible roar he rushed upon him. The man, 

 turning his horse short round, behind a large tree, the buffalo 

 rushed straight forward to the next man, and gored his horse so 

 dreadfully in the belly, that it died soon after. The two men 

 climbed up into trees, and the furious animal made his way to- 

 wards the rest, of whom the Professor was one, who were ap- 

 proaching, but at some distance. A horse, without a rider, was 

 in the front : as soon as the buffalo saw him, he became more 

 outrageous than before, and attacked him with such fury, that 

 he not only drove his horns into the horse's breast, but even out 

 again through the very saddle. This horse was thrown to the 

 ground with such violence, that he died instantly, having many 

 of his bones broken. Just at this moment, the Professor hap- 

 pened to come up ; but, from the narrowness of the path, having 

 no room to turn round, he was glad to abandon his horse, and 

 take refuge in a tolerably high tree. The buffalo, however, had 

 finished ; for after the destruction of the second horse, he turned 

 suddenly round, and galloped away. 



