68 ACCESSIBLE FIELD SPORTS. 



upon him the most devoted attention. However, as 

 long as he is in good health he has little to fear 

 from the marauder; but the moment that accident, 

 sickness, or loss of strength from starvation occurs, the 

 buffalo's unhappy position is known, and half-a-dozen 

 of these robbers will remain by him night and day, 

 watching for an opportunity to complete the wreck ; 

 and should not this occur as soon as desirable, sometimes 

 they will make a simultaneous assault, one pretending 

 to fly at the victim's head, while another attacks in the 

 rear, endeavouring to cut the hamstring, in which they 

 invariably succeed unless the presence of man should 

 disturb them. 



On one occasion, while hunting, I obtained an excel- 

 lent opportunity of witnessing one of these encounters. 

 At the distance of half a mile I perceived an old bull 

 going through a variety of eccentric movements, at the 

 moment perfectly incomprehensible. To know what 

 might be the cause, as well as perhaps to learn some- 

 thing new regarding this species, I left my horse and 

 made a most careful stalk without once exposing my- 

 self, retaining the advantage of wind till within a 

 hundred yards of the old gentleman. The ground in 

 the vicinity was much broken, and before attempting 

 to obtain a survey of the situation, I ensconced myself 

 behind a boulder. I had been eminently successful, 



