STALKING WATER-BUCK. 121 



however, upon a very fine old cow buffalo, newly kill- 

 ed by a lion, and was astonished to find that it was my 

 friend of the morning, with the splintered horn. The 

 lion, ever prowling about, had detected her, and, after 

 a long chase, had knocked her over. She bore the most 

 fearful marks of his teeth on her throat, and all her 

 back was marked by his terrible claws. I thought that 

 there had been a long chase, as the buffalo was covered 

 with foam from the lion's mouth. 



Having inspected the buffalo, I held on up the bank 

 of the river for a couple of miles — banks densely wood- 

 ed — and then turned my face for home, having had a 

 good bathe, and been saluted by a crocodile, who popi)cd 

 up his nose close beside me. I rode out a little dis- 

 tance from the river's bank, and presently came upon 

 four water-bucks. The dogs at once gave chase, and 

 broke a buck from the herd, which in one minute was 

 standing at bay in the river, when I galloped up, and, 

 dismounting, shot him. Soon after this, while skirting 

 some rocky hills bordering on the river, I detected a 

 very fine old water-buck standing high up on the sum- 

 mit of one of these. I stalked him in true Highland 

 fashion ; and when within seventy yards, I sent my 

 right ball through his shoulder. The buck bounded 

 over the ridge, and was out of sight in a moment. On 

 gaining the ridge, with my gun at the ready, I came 

 once more within range, when I sent a second bullet 

 through his ribs. While following his bloody spoor, I 

 heard groans on the bank a little above me, and, going 

 f(ji"ward, found a noble water-buck lying dying, with 

 the blood streaming from his mouth. When the life 

 was gone I cut off his head, which was borne to camp 

 before my after-rider. 



The morning o' the 27th was extremely hot, but T 



Vn... M.- r" 



