232 BIG GAME SHOOTING 
This proceeding on the part of buffaloes I have read of, 
though it was the first and only instance in my own experience, 
and as my suspicions were aroused, instead of making straight 
for them along their spoor, I made a détour through the 
low straggling bush and stalked up to a small tree within 
60 yards of the clump they were in. At first I could see 
nothing of them, the clump being too thick, but with the aid 
of binoculars I made out part of the head and the outline of 
the neck of one of them as it stood broadside on. Taking the 
8-bore, I fired at the place where I thought his shoulder 
ought to be, and he fell with a deep groan, which at first led 
me to believe that he was either dead or dying. The other 
one promptly floundered out of the bush and stood broadside 
on, looking in my direction sufficiently long to enable me to 
change rifles and plant a 4-bore bullet in his shoulder ; but it 
was too high and too far back, and off he went. In the mean- 
time the other one in the clump, after kicking and plunging 
about, picked himself up and went after his companion, and as 
I saw that he was very lame, I made so certain that he would 
not go far that I did not fire at him again. Before following 
them I took a hasty survey of the ground and found my 
suspicions confirmed. ‘They had returned on their own spoor 
when I first saw them trotting back, and had I not seen them, 
I should have followed up their spoor, which I found led close 
past the bush they were in, and they might have made them- 
selves disagreeable and taken me at a disadvantage. I then 
hurried after them with the 8-bore, and, outrunning my gun- 
bearers, soon overtook them, as they were both lame, getting 
within 70 yards, when the one which had received the 4 bore 
bullet, and was a trifle behind the other, evidently heard me 
coming along behind him, as he whisked round and stood 
staring at me, broadside on, whilst the other continued to re- 
treat. Sitting down (my favourite shooting position, and as I 
was much blown after my run with a heavy rifle), I took a 
steady shot at his shoulder, and distinctly heard the bullet 
strike, but it had absolutely no effect, and the beast never 
