234 BIG GAME SHOOTING 
to slip, and he tripped up and fell forward flat on his face 
into the grass, which was some 24 feet high under the shade 
of the tree. The buffalo, being so close to him at the 
time, overshot him, but whipped round, and I twice saw it 
give a vicious dig at him with its head and then kneel down 
two or three times, when I could only see its stern above the 
grass. By the time I got close up the buffalo was in a kneel- 
ing position ; and, thinking the man was probably dead, I 
raised my rifle to fire, when the man, whom I could not see in 
the longish grass, raised his head and shoulders from under- 
The buffalo was close upon him 
neath the beast’s stomach directly in the line of fire, obliging me 
to divert the muzzle until he wriggled himself out of line, when 
a couple of bullets at close quarters settled this cunning, 
savage, yet plucky beast. The man’s back and the calves of 
his legs were covered with blood from the buffalo’s mouth 
and nostrils during the run, showing how very clese it had 
been to him allthe time. He told me afterwards that when he 
fell he turned over on to his back, and the buffalo made a bad 
shot each time it lunged at him with its head, or tried to 
kneel on him, owing perhaps to the fact that it was weak and 
