256 A COLONY IN THE MAKING chap. 



there is now a reasonable chance of finding buffalo 

 in the open are in the large swamp where the South 

 Guaso Nyero disappears, and along the Tana and in 

 the Ithanga hills around the shooting box belonging to 

 Sisal, Ltd. 



Tracking buffalo in forest or thick bush must always 

 be intensely exciting and somewhat risky work. 

 Unless single solitary bulls be followed, it is extremely 

 difficult to be certain of the sex of a great dark body 

 which suddenly crashes away. Solitary bulls, more- 

 over, bear an evil reputation, and natives are very 

 averse to following them into thick cover. They are 

 quite capable of making an unprovoked attack, while 

 herds of mixed bulls, cows, and calves will invariably 

 stampede. If a buffalo charges, he probably does so 

 in a very determined fashion, and it is worth bearing 

 in mind that it is next door to impossible to give him 

 an immediate fatal blow as he comes. The safest 

 method is to jump aside, and fire behind his shoulder 

 as he passes, if he does pass. A better way is to 

 avoid tracking up single bulls in thick bush altogether. 

 There will usually be found some small glade 

 or similar spot where the herd come out to graze 

 during the early mornings or late in the evening. 

 When this has been discovered a fine head may be 

 selected with fair ease. Following wounded buffalo 

 is most dangerous, and should be avoided as far as 

 possible by ensuring that the first shot is correctly 

 placed, which, with many of us, can only be done by 

 firing within, say, 40 yards as a maximum. Horns 

 run very large in the Protectorate — far larger than in 

 South Africa or along the Nile. The system of 

 measurement in vogue, i.e. to take the greatest breadth 

 of the outside edges of the horns, is most unreasonable, 



