CHAP. i. BUFFALO. 7 



instantly the head of the old bull appeared through the 

 smoke, which hung heavily on the thicket. Fortunately 

 the bush was thick and the branches strong, and he was 

 unable to force any more of his body through ; and as he 

 jerked himself clear again, I made a rush to a small thorn- 

 tree close at hand and clambered up. I do not think he 

 saw me, and I was by no means sorry at the time, for I 

 didn't place any very great reliance on the stability of my 

 refuge ; but he was evidently much put out, and made 

 several blind charges before he galloped off, accompanied 

 high in the air by his shrieking bird-followers. 



There was no doubt that I had made about as com- 

 plete a mess of it as I could well have done. The buffalo 

 had gone, perfectly uninjured, and thoroughly roused, and 

 it was impossible to say how far he might go before he 

 stopped, besides which he would be sure to take precau- 

 tions against surprise, and would remain suspicious of the 

 slightest sound during the remainder of the day ; and it 

 was the more annoying that had I only taken time and 

 put a well-aimed ball into or behind the shoulder, I should 

 have been sure, if I did not kill him on the spot, to do so 

 within a circle of a mile or so. However, there was no 

 help for it, and I patiently waited for my Kaffir, who 

 must have heard the shot. 



He soon made his appearance, and then I had to 

 undergo the categorical cross-questioning to which even 

 a native chief, under similar circumstances, would have 

 been equally subject. 



"What did you fire at?" 



" Buffalo," was my curt answer. 



" You missed it," with a grin. " Wau I what a spoor 



