56 LARGE GAME. chap. i. 



all the dogs, and after running half a mile pulled up in 

 the bare open. 



It was anything but a nice position, for a buffalo 

 baited by dogs will come at the first human being it sees, 

 especially an old solitary bull like this ; and when I con- 

 sidered that these same bulls have been known to take 

 over thirty bullets, in good places, before succumbing, 

 I hesitated about attacking it with spears only. How- 

 ever, I did not see how I could get the dogs off, and as 

 there were a few stumps of trees scattered about, one of 

 which was within ten yards of the animal, I thought that 

 if I could reach it I should not have a bad chance ; for, 

 unless it made a headlong charge, when no dogs could 

 stop it, it could not budge far with a pack of thirty 

 baiting him, and I could severely wound most animals 

 at ten yards' distance. So I collected all the heaviest 

 spears which my people had with them, and making them 

 spread round in a circle so as to distract its attention 

 from me, I started towards it, keeping the thorn between 

 us. I had almost gained its shelter when it saw me, and 

 bellowing with rage, charged. I had often been told by 

 older and more experienced hunters what one ought to do 

 under the circumstances in which I now found myself, 

 and, though it was embarrassing, I tried to carry out 

 their instructions. I threw myself flat on my side, taking 

 the longest stabbing spear — a very formidable weapon, as 

 sharp as a razor — into my right hand, and lay still. He 

 came on until he almost trampled upon me, when, pro- 

 bably having just opened his eyes and missed me, he 

 pulled up, and then, suddenly catching sight of my posi- 

 tion, he lowered his head and again came on. With my 



