THE BUFFALO 



by occasional open glades and many dense thickets. 

 So eager were we to win what had by now developed 

 into a contest that I refused to shoot a lioness with 

 a three-quarters-grown cub that appeared within easy 

 shot from some reeds below us. 



Time passed as usual until nearly sunset. Then 

 through an opening into one of the small glades we 

 caught sight of the herd travelling slowly but steadily 

 from right to left. The glimpse was only momentary, 

 but it was sufficient to indicate the direction from 

 which we might expect them to emerge. Therefore 

 we ran at top speed down from our own hill, tore 

 through the jungle at its foot, and hastily, but with 

 more caution, mounted the opposite slope through 

 the scattered groves and high grass. We could hear 

 occasionally indications of the buffaloes' slow ad- 

 vance, and we wanted to gain a good ambuscade 

 above them before they emerged. We found it in 

 the shape of a small conical hillock perched on the 

 side hill itself, and covered with long grass. It 

 commanded open vistas through the scattered trees 

 in all directions. And the thicket itself ended not 

 fifty yards away. No buffalo could possibly come 

 out without our seeing him; and we had a good half 

 hour of clear daylight before us. It really seemed 

 that luck had changed at last. 



We settled ourselves, unlimbered for action, and got 



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