THE AFRICAN BUFFALO 221 



but most dangerous, and as a rule most unsatisfactory. It is 

 exciting because in thick covert the stalker must make up his 

 mind that there will be little chance of his seeing a beast until 

 he is pretty close up to it, and if he is at all 'jumpy,' as he 

 steals carefully along, avoiding sticks and dry crackling leaves 

 and loose stones, or brushing up against v the bush, he has 

 ample time to think about and realise the dangers he is possibly 

 running. Most men will agree that the deep guttural grunts of 

 buffaloes, as they stand and lie about, which can be heard at 

 long distances in the stillness of the bush, are not calculated 

 to soothe the nerves of even the coolest and most experienced, 

 while doubtless a good many have felt their hearts thumping 

 against their ribs to an extent which is not conducive to good 

 shooting. Again, as the herd is probably scattered about, there 

 is a possibility that some of them may be on either side of the 

 tracks you are following, and there is also some uncertainty as 

 to whether in their first stampede on detecting danger some of 

 the buffaloes which have neither seen nor smelt you may not 

 be coming towards you instead of rushing away from you. 

 This kind of sport is dangerous, as the chances are for the 

 most part in favour of the buffalo, should it turn vicious. The 

 stalker may not see it until at close quarters, when it has pro- 

 bably already seen or heard him, and a beast which has become 

 aware of the enemy is far more likely to charge on being fired 

 at and wounded (unless of course it is disabled) than it would 

 be if it was altogether unaware of his presence. As it is quite 

 impossible to tell where beasts may or may not be when the herd 

 is scattered, there is the possibility that some of them are on 

 either side of the tracks which the stalker is following, and should 

 one of these be a. bad-tempered old bull, or a cow with a calf, he 

 or she might, on being taken by surprise at close quarters, charge 

 in self-defence from a quarter from which the stalker least ex- 

 pects attack. As I have said before, the charge of an infuriated 

 buffalo is very difficult to stop, owing to the position in which 

 it carries its head, and if the stalker fails to stop or turn it, 

 and has to bolt, he may be so hampered in his movements 



