"> Buffaloes and Crocodiles 



ledge it I selected one bull that was grazing alone 

 somewhat away from the herd. The distance was about 

 1 20 paces. As I fired it shrank back, tossing up its head 

 and flapping its tail. A second bullet sent it falling 

 forwards, the whole herd taking flight instantly, disappear- 

 ing into the high sedges with lightning speed. The bull 

 rose again, but a third shot did for it. So at last I had 

 killed a buffalo ! 



The skinning of the animal and the carrying of the 

 heavy skin through the marsh into the camp, and then 

 the various processes of preparing it, entailed much labour ; 

 but the joy at the result of my perseverance was great 

 indeed. 



Eight more days on "Heck Island" did not bring 

 me another chance of a shot. Buffalo-hunting in East 

 Africa, it will be seen, is no easy matter. It was otherwise 

 before the year 1890. From this time onward the 

 rinderpest began its ravages in German and British East 

 Africa. The epidemic was spread fast and wide by the 

 tame cattle, and the fine East African buffaloes were nearly 

 all laid low. An English official and friend of mine found 

 on one day in that year about a hundred sick buffaloes 

 in various stages of dissolution. I myself found their 

 bleached horns at that sad time in great numbers all 

 over the place. 



In 1887 Count Teleki shot 55 buffaloes in three 

 months on the Nguaso-Niyuki ; and Richard Bohm 

 relates that in mountainous and clamp Kawenda he met 

 quantities of herds comprised of hundreds of buffaloes,, 

 and that their lowing could be heard by the passing 



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