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THE AFRICAN BUFFALO 221 
but most dangerous, and as a rule most unsatisfactory. It is 
exciting because in thick covert the stalker must make up his 
mind that there will be little chance of his seeing a beast until 
he is pretty close up to it, and if he is at all ‘jumpy,’ as he 
steals carefully along, avoiding sticks and dry crackling leaves 
and loose stones, or brushing up against the bush, he has 
ample time to think about and realise the dangers he is possibly 
running. Most men will agree that the deep guttural grunts of 
buffaloes, as they stand and lie about, which can be heard at 
long distances in the stillness of the bush, are not calculated 
to soothe the nerves of even the coolest and most experienced, 
while doubtless a good many have felt their hearts thumping 
against their ribs to an extent which is not conducive to good 
shooting. Again, as the herd is probably scattered about, there 
is a possibility that some of them may be on either side of the 
tracks you are following, and there is also some uncertainty as 
to whether in their first stampede on detecting danger some of 
the buffaloes which have neither seen nor smelt you may not 
be coming towards you instead of rushing away from you. 
This kind of sport is dangerous, as the chances are for the 
most part in favour of the buffalo, should it turn vicious. The 
stalker may not see it until at close quarters, when it has pro- 
bably already seen or heard him, and a beast which has become 
aware of the enemy is far more likely to charge on being fired 
at and wounded (unless of course it is disabled) than it would 
be if it was altogether unaware of his presence. As it is quite 
impossible to tell where beasts may or may not be when the herd 
is scattered, there is the possibility that some of them are on 
either side of the tracks which the stalker is following, and should 
one of these be a bad-tempered old bull, or a cow with a calf, he 
or she might, on being taken by surprise at close quarters, charge 
in self-defence from a quarter from which the stalker least ex- 
pects attack. As I have said before, the charge of an infuriated 
buffalo is very difficult to stop, owing to the position in which 
it carries its head, and if the stalker fails to stop or turn it, 
and has to bolt, he may be so hampered in his movements 
