HISTORY OF THE BUFFALO. 



77 



the mouth, being longer, and somewhat resembling a beard. 

 The wither rises high, but not sufficiently to form a rump. 

 The tail resembles that of the common ox, but is much 

 shorter ; and the two spurious hoofs are rather longer in 

 proportion. Its horns turn outwards and downwards, and 

 their points are recurved upwards. The hide is much 

 thicker than that of the ox, and is much valued by the Col- 

 onists and Hottentots for its strength. It is of a fierce and 

 treacherous disposition, which, added to its size and 

 strength, renders it dangerous to be attacked without cau- 

 tion, or without the certain means of escape at hand. 



The frame of this animal is strong and powerfully made, 

 and the species is at once distinguished by the immense 

 mass of horn which defends the forehead. According to 

 Lichtenstein, the rib-bones are of such extraordinary 

 breadth, that they almost unite with one another, so that 

 on the outer side nothing at all is seen of the intercostal 

 muscles. 



The African Buffalo is found in abundance in Southern 

 Africa, and stretches along the east coast as far to the inte- 

 rior as has been yet explored. In the colony of the 

 Cape, it is, however, becoming much less plentiful, from 

 the constant warfare kept up against it as well ae the 

 other wild animals, and travellers now may look in vain 

 for any fine specimens in the places where'-they were 

 seen and hunted by La Vaillant, Sparrman and Daniel. 

 All travellers have agreed in the danger of wounding, or 

 intruding incautiously upon the haunts of the buffalo; he 

 is easily irritated, and rushes towards his object with 

 blind fury, bearing down all before him ; he possesses 

 also great activity, and in some situations considerable 

 swiftness ; and in an attack upon a herd, a place of safe 

 retreat is generally looked for before 'commencing. They 

 are killed in pitfalls, like much of the larger game, but the 

 Dutch colonists or Europeans make use of the rifle alone, 



