A COW BUFFALO. 163 



about sixty miles north and east from our starting- 

 place. Large game was then very abundant in that 

 locality, particularly impala. One of our party, a 

 German, shot fairly with loopers (buckshot), but very 

 indifferently with ball, so naturally he preferred using 

 the former when possible. Shortly before sun-down 

 he fired at an impala* which was crossing him, knocked 

 it over, but in a moment after it was on its feet and 

 gained some dense brush skirting a watercourse. 

 Believing that the stricken game could not go far, 

 he called off a couple of Kaffirs from the beaters 

 and went in pursuit. When within twenty yards 

 of the edge of the jungle, he heard the noise of 

 some large animal rushing through it. The German 

 was not aware of what was coming, but the natives 

 were, so they bolted right and left for the nearest 

 accessible tree. My friend was not kept long in doubt 

 of what had caused the alarm, for out of the brush 

 rushed a cow buffalo, head and tail in the air, which 

 charged for him. When she was only a few paces off, 

 and before she had lowered her head to use her horns, 

 he gave her his first barrel into the top of her breast. 

 This reception made the infuriated beast alter her 



* A large bush bok. 



M 2 



