150 LARGE GAME. chap. hi. 



wards told mine that they only found one wound, and that 

 that had broken the hind-leg, which his bullet could not 

 have done, as the buffalo were facing him when he fired ; 

 besides which, a piece of the ball which they had found in 

 the splintered bone retained some scratches I was accus- 

 tomed to make on mine, although it was so flattened as 

 not to be otherwise recognisable. We had not got far 

 on our way back when we were met by a native of A.'s, 

 asking us to hurry and help him to kill his buffalo, which 

 had also separated ; and, while complying, a few ques- 

 tions enabled us to discover, as we expected, that it was 

 one of those we had all fired at, but which we two, 

 intent upon the one already killed, had not noticed. A. 

 had, however, and seeing it lie down in the open had 

 fired two shots at its stern, which made it rise and betake 

 itself to some thickets beyond, into which, particularly as 

 he had but lately been caught and well bruised by an old 

 bull, he did not care to follow it alone, and indeed, having 

 had no practice at spooring, he probably could not have 

 done so, had he attempted it. 



On our arrival, both H. and A. went towards the spot 

 at which it had entered, while I was still giving directions 

 about bringing some of the meat of the one killed to 

 where we intended to sleep, and as I was running for- 

 ward to overtake them I heard a shot and saw the 

 buffalo break to the left, giving me a stern shot, which 

 did not do much towards stopping her. However, H.'s 

 dogs were good, and they brought her to bay while I 

 was loading, and H., who had fired, but was again ready, 

 ran in and dropt her with a shot in the shoulder, while I, 

 getting up as she fell, went up close, and on her trying 



