234 



RIG GAME SHOOTING 



to slip, and he tripped up and fell forward flat on his face 

 into the grass, which was some 2^ feet high under the shade 

 of the tree. The buffalo, being so close to him at the 

 time, overshot him, but whipped round, and I twice saw it 

 give a vicious dig at him with its head and then kneel down 

 two or three times, when I could only see its stern above the 

 grass. By the time I got close up the buffalo was in a kneel- 

 ing position ; and, thinking the man was probably dead, I 

 raised my rifle to fire, when the man, whom I could not see in 

 the longish grass, raised his head and shoulders from under- 



The buffalo was close upon him 



neath the beast's stomach directly in the line of fire, obliging me 

 to divert the muzzle until he wriggled himself out of line, when 

 a couple of bullets at close quarters settled this cunning, 

 savage, yet plucky beast. The man's back and the calves of 

 his legs were covered with blood from the buffalo's mouth 

 and nostrils during the run, showing how very close it had 

 been to him all the time. He told me afterwards that when he 

 fell he turned over on to his back, and the buffalo made a bad 

 shot each time it lunged at him with its head, or tried to 

 kneel on him, owing perhaps to the fact that it was weak and 



