ON THE SHORES OF LAKE ALBERT 213 



geese with one shot. They were exceptionally tender and 

 unusually good eating. 



I have often seen pictures of a bull making a hostile demon- 

 stration, but my first personal experience, of what the situation 

 is like, I was to have at Tukwenda's. A magnificent black bull 

 was returning to his kraal past my camp, and was greatly upset 

 by the presence of the tent and the strangers. Uttering loud 

 bellowings he came on in a sharp trot for a visit of inspection. 

 In a moment the camp was empty. I hurriedly snatched up my 

 rifle and loaded it ; but what did the bull know about a loaded 

 rifle or any possible harm from it to himself ! Even Tukwenda's 

 men had bolted, calling out that it was a most dangerous brute. 

 Little knots of men stood at respectful distances, all excitement 

 and curiosity to know what would happen next. It was a strik- 

 ing picture ; this fine animal, standing there in its glorious 

 strength, with its powerful neck, fiercely lashing its tail, occasion- 

 ally pawing the ground with its fore-feet, tossing its proud head 

 and bellowing ; and there was weak humanity, but armed with 

 the loaded rifle, a dangerous foe for the strongest of the brute 

 creation to encounter. I wished myself a few hundred yards 

 farther off; but as I had to face the situation, I held my rifle 

 ready to fire the moment the bull should lower its head and 

 charge. It would never have done to have shot the bull at once, 

 as it would most certainly have severed all friendly intercourse 

 with Tukwenda. 



Fortunately some one had hurriedly sent for the bull's 

 keeper, a six-year old, naked little urchin. He came on the 

 scene, and before the bull was aware — switch ! — gave the brute 

 a whack across the flank with a long lithe reed wand. The 

 effect was magical. The bull became most humble, and with 

 a deprecatory toss of the head in my direction, to draw the 

 urchin's attention to my uncalled-for intrusion on the plain, and 

 with a sort of silent request to be allowed to finish the job in 

 hand, the bull turned away from my camp and slowly and 

 regretfully walked away. The longing to have one more stare at 

 me and my tent was too great ; but, switch ! switch ! a double- 

 hander against each flank drove the last spark of fighting out of 

 the brute, and it fairly galloped off, amid the jeers and laughter 

 of the hundreds who a few minutes before had fled helter- 

 skelter in every direction. 



Outside the village, at a little distance from the "madding 



