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CHAPTER XXXI. 



AN UNFORTUNATE CALF. 



The shots I had fired from my rifle, on account of 

 the rapidity with which they had to be delivered, 

 were made from the hip, a system of shooting which 

 it is well to practise, as a fair amount of accuracy can 

 be obtained in this way, with a little practice. It was 

 not the last time that a familiarity with this method 

 has done me good service. The unaccountable con- 

 duct of the beast, after receiving both barrels of the 

 shot-gun, is easily explained — the charges had suffi- 

 ciently spread to destroy both eyes. Altogether it 

 was a narrow squeak, and far from pleasant while it 

 lasted ; but more credit for coolness is due to two of 

 my boys than to myself, for, with nothing but assegais 

 in their hands, they stood to me like regular " bricks." 

 The cutting up process I did not wait for, so 

 hurried on to camp, where I found a half-grown 

 heifer buffalo being dragged up to the cooking place. 

 It had been killed by a lioness close by. The struggle 

 and angry voice of the mother cow had attracted 

 the people's attention, and when they arrived on the 

 scene, the youngster was dead, but the cow had 

 driven the slayer off to some distance. The shouts 

 and formidable appearance of the darkies so discom- 



