THE AFRICAN BUFFALO 231 
besides buffalocs, which were generally found feeding in the 
early morning before the sun became too hot. 
As I walked over the plain on the left bank of the river I 
passed great quantities of game—including eland, water-buck, 
impala, and a troop of thirteen ostriches (which I had tried 
manytimes to circumvent, but always unsuccessfully until I drove 
them, when I got a fine old cock bird), besides the everlasting 
zebra and ‘kongoni’ (hartebeest). After going about three 
miles up the river, I at last saw two old bull buffaloes on the 
opposite side of the plain, quietly feeding close to an isolated 
patch of bush which stood some little distance from the main 
belt out in the plain. As buffaloes have rather poor sight, 
and as there were two or-three big trees between the beasts 
; and myself, about 400 yards from them, I told my men, 
some twenty-five in number, to follow me in single file, and 
we all got up to a tree without the least trouble. At that 
: moment a herd of zebras, which had hitherto taken no notice 
: of us, suddenly took fright on getting. our wind, and galloped 
: round between us and the buffaloes. The latter, being thus 
i disturbed, lumbered off into the isolated clump of thick bush 
- close by. After giving them time to settle down and forget 
their fears, I proceeded more cautiously with my two gun- 
: bearers, leaving the rest of the men under the tree with orders 
to come on when they heard a shot or other signai. The 
E buffaloes, however, were evidently on the alert, and as they 
; were standing in the shade, they discovered us when we were 
still 100 yards off as we crossed the open, and bolted out 
on the opposite side, making for the main bush. Running 
round the clump to try and keep them in sight, I was just in 
time to see them enter the open bush and disappear from view. 
This made it necessary for us to take up their spoor, and 
while the gun-bearers were so engaged I kept a look-out ahead. 
After going a short distance, I suddenly saw one of the brutes 
trotting back towards us, and when about roo yards off it dived 
into a small dense clump of bush some 20 yards square, 
followed almost immediately afterwards. by the other one. 
Ni ae renee Te et ae ES See we ey? 
