xxv MAD BUFFALO AND FAITHLESS WIFE 231 



fortunately, as we afterwards discovered, without 

 injuring it, though the stock still bears the 

 marks of the rude encounter. Before my tracker 

 had time to rise, the animal had turned, and was 

 about to gore him, when Malingum, with frantic 

 determination and admirable coolness, plunged his 

 knife into the beast's right eye. This temporarily 

 disconcerted the animal and gave my tracker 

 time to roll aside, but, feeling that his victim 

 was about to escape, the brute returned to the 

 fray and, making a savage lunge at my man, 

 fortunately missed him, and smashed his right horn 

 on the ground. Next moment, Malingum had 

 nimbly regained his feet and was flying headlong 

 in my direction, pursued by the enraged buffalo. 

 At this critical juncture, Hyiah, having recovered 

 from his fright, reappeared and handed me my 

 heavy rifle, but as Malingum, disregarding my 

 shouted orders to jump aside, only came on all the 

 quicker, straight as a die to where we stood, it 

 was quite impossible for me to get a shot at his 

 pursuer. Next moment, the beast overtook the 

 poor fellow, and with a sharp blow of his gigantic 

 horns tossed him several yards away to the right. 

 As he turned to finish his victim, I seized the 

 opportunity for which I had been waiting and 

 brought the brute down with a bullet through the 

 shoulder, and ere he could rise, my second barrel 



