214 A MISCHANCE. 



worm on the hook wriggled ever so indefatigably, 

 and then return home with a stickle-back and three 

 bites as the result of his day's sport. 



Soon after starting, a buffalo cow in excellent 

 condition came out of the bush in the vicinity of 

 our path, and at a good pace went off to the east- 

 ward. As the ground was sound I thought to 

 procure some beef for change in our diet. At first 

 the pursued fairly ran away from me, but getting 

 into very heavy ground, which I avoided by making 

 a detour, she soon found me close alongside her 

 flanks, which, in consequence of the violence of her 

 struggle through the morass, were heaving from 

 fatigue. Depressing the muzzle of my gun, I was 

 just about to pull the trigger, when my horse put 

 his foot into a hole and sent me, sky-rocket fashion, 

 over his head, the concussion causing the hammer of 

 each barrel to fall and explode their respective 

 charges. Fortunately I was not hurt, and, more 

 lucky still, did not break the stock of my faithful 

 Dougal gun. On gathering myself together, I found 

 my nag quietly feeding as if nothing had happened, 

 and the. buffalo cow still going at her best, and so 

 far off that I was compelled to give up pursuit. 



From the margin of this elevated piece of table- 

 land, we struck off into woods which became more 

 dense and sombre the further we advanced. The 

 ground was now so rough that it was deemed more 

 prudent to walk than ride. From this period, 

 indeed, our quadrupeds were comparatively useless. 



