Cow Buffaloes. 57 



hip joint, and, continuing its course along his body, it 

 pierced his lungs and lodged in the skin of the throat. 

 The bull immediately fell, but regaining his feet he 

 took to the water and swam to a small island of high 

 grass about thirty yards from the shore. Upon gaining 

 this he turned and faced us, but in a few seconds he fell 

 unable to rise, and received a merciful shot in the head, 

 which despatched him. 



We were just leaving the border of the lake on our 

 way to the village when two cow buffaloes sprung 

 up from one of the numerous inlets and retreated at 

 full gallop toward the jungle, offering a splendid side 

 shot at about a hundred paces. The leading cow 

 plunged headforemost into the grass as the four-ounce 

 struck her through both shoulders. She was a fine 

 young cow, and we cut some steaks from her in case 

 we should find a scarcity of provisions at Minneria, 

 and, quitting the shores of the lake, we started for 

 breakfast. 



It was only 8 a.m. when we arrived. I had bagged 

 five buffaloes, four of which were fine bulls. Our re- 

 venge was complete, and I had proved that the four- 

 ounce was perfectly irresistible if held straight with the 

 heavy charge of twelve drachms of powder. Since 

 that time I have frequently used sixteen drachms (one 

 ounce) of powder to the charge, but the recoil is then 

 very severe, although the effect upon an animal with a 

 four-ounce steel-tipped conical ball is tremendous. 



On our return to the village of Minneria we found a 

 famous breakfast, for which a bath in the neighboring 

 brook increased an appetite already sharpened by the 

 morning exercise. The buffalo steaks were coarse and 

 bad, as tough as leather, and certainly should never be 



