284 BUFFALO LAND. 



There were indications that a volcano had once 

 existed in this vicinity, and it seemed highly prob- 

 able that the red-hot balls which it projected into 

 air had fallen and cooled in the soft formation ad- 

 jacent, still retaining their original shape. 



We should have lingered longer over these geo- 

 logical curiosities, had not the premonitory symp- 

 toms of a scientific lecture from the Professor 

 alarmed our guide into the remonstrance, " You're 

 burnin' daylight, gents ! " and thus warned, we 

 pushed forward. 



A few hundred yards further brought us to the 

 spot for commencing active operations. Dropping 

 upon hands and knees, we began crawling along the 

 side of the ravine in a line, pushing our guns before 

 us. We knew that the buffalo must be very close, 

 for we could hear the measured cropping of their 

 teeth upon the grass. They seemed to be feeding 

 toward us, as we slowly drew up to the level. I 

 found myself trembling all over, so nervous that the 

 cracking of a weed under our guns sounded to me as 

 loud as a pistol-shot. 



I looked around, and the stories which I had read 

 in my youth of adventures in oriental lands rose 

 fresh to my memory. I almost imagined our party 

 a dozen wild Bedouins, creeping from ambush to 

 fire upon a caravan, the first note of alarm to which 

 would be a storm of musketry. Unshaven faces, 

 soiled clothes, and rough hair, assisted us to the per- 

 sonation, and if aught else was needed to carry out 

 the fancy, it soon came in a low " Hist ! " from the 

 guide, as he pointed to the level above us. Follow- 



