Chap. XXII.] SOUTHERN AFRICA. 195 



denly discharging his gun put every thing to flight. 

 The buffaloes passed me quite close on their way to 

 the hills. I fractured the hind leg of the largest, 

 and mounting my horse, closed with him immedi- 

 ately, and after two gallant charges performed upon 

 three legs, he fell, never to rise again. This was a 

 noble specimen of the African buffalo, standing 

 sixteen hands and a half at the shoulder. His 

 ponderous horns measured four feet from tip to tip, 

 and like a mass of rock, overshadowing his small 

 sinister grey eyes, imparted to his countenance the 

 most cunning, gloomy, and vindictive expression. 

 The savages instantly set to work upon the carcass 

 with their teeth and assagais — Piet providing him- 

 self with portions of the hide for shoe soles, and of 

 the flesh, which, though coarse, is a tolerable imita- 

 tion of beef. 



From the summit of a hill which commanded an 

 extensive prospect over a straggling forest, I shortly 

 afterwards perceived a large herd of buffaloes, qui- 

 etly chewing the cud beneath an umbrageous tree. 

 Creeping close upon them, I killed a bull with a 

 single ball, but the confused echo reverberating 

 among the mountains alarming the survivors, about 

 fifty in number, they dashed panic-stricken from 

 their concealment, ignorant whence the sound 

 proceeded ; and every thing yielding to their giant 

 strength, I narrowly escaped being trampled under- 

 foot in their progress. We moved five miles to the 

 eastward in the afternoon, stopping to take up the 

 head of the buffalo, which Andries could with difli- 



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