A HERD OF BUFFALOES. 255 



hold a magnificent herd of buffaloes quietly pasturing 

 .within half a mile of me on the opposite bank of the 

 Meritsane. This was a first-rate look-out, and exactly 

 what I stood in need of, considering the present low 

 state of my commissariat. I returned to meet the wag- 

 ons, where I saddled another steed, named Brown, which 

 was steady under fire, and once more rode forth, accom- 

 panied by Mr. O., with two after-riders, and a large de- 

 tachment of the dogs, resolved to deal death among 

 the buffaloes. We rode to leeward of the herd to give 

 the dogs their wind, and then galloped in upon them. 

 At first, bewildered, they stood gazing at us until we 

 were within thirty yards of them, when, seeing their 

 danger, a panic spread throughout the whole herd, and, 

 wheeling about, they crashed along through the under- 

 wood in a dense mass, impeding one another's progress. 

 In two minutes I was alongside of the herd, and, dis- 

 mounting, fired right and left into two old cows ; one 

 of these immediately dropped to the rear of the troop, 

 and, staggering for a few seconds, fell over and ex- 

 pired. The herd now left the river and doubled back, 

 passing through a belt of low cover. I halted a mo- 

 ment to load. Following on, I came right upon the 

 other buffalo that I had wounded, standing with a com- 

 rade in a dense bush. I observed her before she could 

 charge me, and three more shots laid her low. The re- 

 ports of Mr. O.'s gun now sounded ahead, and, gallop- 

 ing forward, I observed him to my right actively en- 

 gaged with four old buffaloes, which stood at bay in a 

 large bush in the open country : the herd had vanished. 

 A single buffalo, however, was at this moment making 

 off between me and Mr. O., to which I gave chase. 

 My after-rider was up first, and headed it, when the 

 buffalo charged him furiously, and next moment she 



