Herd of Buffalo 



is chasing you, and his galloping hoofs, bearing 

 down on your rear, is probably the first intimation 

 you receive of any change in the manoeuvres. 



I sent out natives to search overnight, and two 

 of them came to my hut at dawn to report they had 

 been successful. I arose in a sad and sorry frame 

 of mind. I had overstrained myself in the herculean 

 efforts I had made the previous day after the impala. 

 I had not slept, and so my temper and my head 

 were equally bad. My guides led me at first two 

 miles back along- the Kalwano-a road. Then we 

 branched off down a native footpath, which led 

 towards a small hill. This we climbed, and sitting 

 down on the top, we were able to obtain a com- 

 manding view of the country all around. 



My natives now displayed great excitement, and 

 in hushed whispers directed my gaze to what looked 

 like a black blotch in the centre of some light 

 coloured grass. I eagerly scanned them through 

 my glasses. They were a herd of anything over 

 fifty, browsing like tame cattle, at the bottom of a 

 valley, just clear of an extensive jungle of trees and 

 tall undergrowth. My natives informed me that a 

 large herd of elephants inhabited the jungle ; but 

 this time I was after buffalo, and not elephant. I 

 accordingly made my dispositions, which appeared 

 simple enough from my position on the hill top. 

 In fact, what could be simpler than to crawl along 

 the skirt of the trees until close upon the flank of 

 the herd ? Our first little difficulty was the wind. 

 To get into position we were constrained to perform 



265 



