AX EXPLORATIOX IX THE FAR EAST. 115 



front of him rang in my ears. Next moment I saw B. 

 fall spinning to one side, while the bull came down on 

 his knees, Tinker, who had dashed past along with him, 

 clinging nobly to his nose. Neither spare gun, gun- 

 bearer, nor dog-boy was in sight, as I dashed about, 

 looking for the wherewithal to finish the struggling bull. 

 At last I saw them, shrunk into nothing, in a shallow 

 hollow in the black soil, and, seizing a couple of the 

 guns, was hurrying up to the scene of action, when I 

 met B., safe and sound, though rather pale, and at the 

 same time heard the report of a rifle, and saw the bull 

 fall over dead. My Mahomedan shikari, a man ac- 

 customed to shoot, had fortunately ensconced himself, 

 with my spare rifle, close to where the bull stopped after 

 knocking B. over ; and, putting the muzzle to his head, 

 had pulled the triggers of both barrels at once ! Tinker 

 was covered with mire and blood from the bull, but 

 otherwise uninjured, while the nose of the buff'alo 

 showed how determined had been his grip. B. had 

 been caught fortunately with the outside edge of his 

 horns, and but slightly, in the arms and ribs, and was 

 not hurt beyond loss of wind and the shock of his ftdl. 



The next day B. had fever, and was so shaken as to 

 require a rest, and I went out alone in another direction. 

 I came on a herd of about forty, grazing in an open 

 plain some two miles south of the camp, and proceeded 

 to stalk them. I had an elephant with me, and sent 

 him round a long circuit to attract their attention while 

 I crept in. Getting within about a hundred yards, I 

 saw that the buffaloes had a bull nilgai along with them, 

 which maintained a sharp outlook all round, while the 

 buffaloes gazed stupidly at the elephant. I was crouched 

 in grass about three feet high, and could not get any 

 .nearer for this singular sentinel. So I remained still, 



