78 HISTORY OF THE BUFFALO. 



while the Hottentot prefers following this course on foot, 

 being more active than the animal in seeking a retreat from 

 his pursuit. Mr. Pringle relates the following incident of 

 a buffalo hunt, which we extract as characteristic of the 

 animal and the sport. 



" A party of boors had gone out to hunt a herd of Buffa- 

 loes, which were grazing on a piece of marshy ground, inter- 

 spersed with groves of yellow wood and mimosa trees, on 

 the very spot where the village of Somerset is now built. 

 As they could not conveniently get within shot of the game 

 without crossing a part of the valei or marsh, which did not 

 afford a safe passage for horses, they agreed to leave their 

 steeds in charge of their Hottentots, and to advance on foot, 

 thinking that if any of the Buffaloes should turn upon them, 

 it would be easy to escape by retreating across the quag- 

 mire, which though passable for man, would not support the 

 weight of a heavy quadruped. They advanced accord- 

 ingly, and under covert of the bushes, approached the game 

 with such advantage, that the first volley brought down 

 three of the fattest of the herd, and so severely wounded 

 the great bull leader, that he dropped on his knees, bellow- 

 ing furiously. Thinking him mortally wounded, the fore- 

 mosttof the huntsmen issued -from the covert, and began 

 reloading his musket as he advanced to give him a finishing 

 shot ; but no sooner did the infuriated animal see his foe in 

 front of him, than he sprang up and rushed headlong upon 

 him. The man throwing down his heavy gun, fled towards 

 the quagmire ; but the beast was so close upon him, that 

 he despaired of escaping in that direction, and turning sud- 

 denly round a clump of copse wood, began to climb an old 

 mimosa tree which stood at the one side of it. The raging 

 beast, however, was too quick for him, bounding forward 

 with a roar, which my informant described as being one of 

 the most frightful sounds he ever heard ; he caught the un- 

 fortunate man with his terrible horns, just as he had nearly 



