THE LAND OF FOOTPRINTS 



head alone. As buffaloes when disturbed or sus- 

 picious have a habit of thrusting their noses up and 

 forward, that position will cling to one's memory as 

 the most typical of the species. 



A great many hunters rank the buffalo first among 

 the dangerous beasts. This is not my own opinion, 

 but he is certainly dangerous enough. He possesses 

 the size, power, and truculence of the rhinoceros, 

 together with all that animal's keenness of scent and 

 hearing but with a sharpness of vision the rhinoceros 

 has not. While not as clever as either the lion or 

 the elephant, he is tricky enough when angered to 

 circle back for the purpose of attacking his pursuers 

 in the rear or flank, and to arrange rather ingenious 

 ambushes for the same purpose. He is rather more 

 tenacious of life than the rhinoceros, and will carry 

 away an extraordinary quantity of big bullets. Add 

 to these considerations the facts that buffaloes go in 

 herds; and that, barring luck, chances are about 

 even they will have to be followed into the thickest 

 cover, it can readily be seen that their pursuit is 

 exciting. 



The problem would be simplified were one able 

 or willing to slip into the thicket or up to the grazing 

 herd and kill the nearest beast that offers. As a 

 matter of fact an ordinary herd will contain only 

 two or three bulls worth shooting; and it is the hun^ 



336 



