THE BUFFALO 199 



during the last thirty years. In South Africa it has 

 been destroyed chiefly by hunters. But in East and 

 Central Africa it has suffered eclipse mainly from the 

 ravages of that fell disease, the rinderpest, which, 

 entering Africa from Asia by way of the Red Sea, some 

 seventeen years since, traversed the continent slowly 

 from north to south, not only destroying domestic 

 cattle, but sweeping away enormous numbers of wild 

 game. Buffaloes especially suffered most severely, 

 and perished by thousands. In the good days 

 buffaloes were found all over South Africa wherever 

 water, bush, and grass were to be found. South of 

 the Zambesi they have been in most places exter- 

 minated, and except between the Chobi and Benguela, 

 and in the country between the Pungwe and the lower 

 Zambesi, are now very scarce. Curiously enough, 

 these animals have been for years preserved in the 

 dense jungles of the Eastern Province of Cape 

 Colony, and, in the Addo and Kowie Bush, the Fish 

 river thickets, and the vast stretch of bush east of 

 the Sunday's river, are still to be found in consider- 

 able herds. To shoot a buffalo here, however, a 

 Government license, costing 20, has to be obtained. 

 A buffalo at this price may be considered somewhat 

 of a sporting luxury, when it is remembered that the 

 gunner, if he goes to the right country, may bag a 

 score or so of these grand beasts for the mere 

 expenditure of powder and shot. 1 



Probably some of the best buffalo shooting now 



1 He would, of course, have to pay the usual sportsman's license, which, 

 however, entitles him to shoot many other kinds of game. 



