544 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Attack upon a herd of buffoles. 



buffalo turned suddenly round, and gallopped 

 away. 



Some time after this our author and his party 

 discovered a large herd of buffaloes grazing on a 

 plain. Being now sufficiently apprised of the 

 disposition of these animals, and knowing that 

 they would not attack any person in the open 

 plains, they approached within forty paces, and 

 fired amongst them: upon which, the whole 

 troop, surprised by the sudden flash and report, 

 turned about, and retreated towards the woods. 

 The wounded buffaloes separated from the rest 

 of the herd from inability to keep pace with 

 them. Amongst these was an old bull, which 

 ran furiously towards the party. They knew 

 that, from the situation of the eyes of these ani- 

 mals, they could see in scarcely any other direc- 

 tion than straight forward ; and that, in an open 

 plain, if a man darted out of the course and 

 threw himself flat on the ground, they would 

 gallop forward to a considerable distance before 

 they missed him. These circumstances pre- 

 vented their suffering any material alarm. The 

 animal, from this contrivance, passed close by 

 them, and fell before he appeared to have disco- 

 vered his error. Such, however, was his strength, 

 that notwithstanding the ball had entered his 

 chest, and penetrated through the greatest part 

 pf his body, he ran at full speed several hundred 

 paces before he fell. 



