HISTORY. 225 



by their fears, they discharged their pieces nearly at the 

 same time. The Buffalo, who had just turned his head round 

 as if about to assault the intruders, fell on the discharge of 

 the pieces, but, rising again, ran to the thickest part of the 

 wood. Supposing that the shot was mortal, the travellers, 

 in their hurry and ignorance of the danger, followed the ani- 

 mal into the thicket ; but they found, in the sequel, that the 

 balls had only struck him on the spine and stunned him, and 

 been shivered to pieces on the bones. The travellers, now 

 joined by their Hottentots, endeavoured to find out his re- 

 treat in the vale below ; but the animal, having recovered 

 his surprise, came forth of his own accord to the skirts of the 

 wood, and faced his assailants, who, happily for them, had 

 the advantage of the higher ground. Three shots were in- 

 stantly fired, and one, entering the belly, proved mortal. 

 The Buffalo again retreated to the shelter of the vale, dyeing 

 the ground and bushes all the way as he went with his blood. 

 The hunters followed with the utmost caution through the 

 thin and pervious part of the thicket. Again their victim 

 advanced to make an attack, but one of the party, from the 

 place where he was posted, had the fortune to lodge a shot 

 in the lungs ; yet still the wounded animal had the strength 

 to make a circuit of 150 paces before he fell. " During his 

 fall, and before he died," continues the narration, " he bel- 

 lowed in a most stupendous manner, and this death-song of 

 his inspired every one of us with joy, on account of the vic- 

 tory we had gained : and so thoroughly steeled is frequently 

 the human heart against the sufferings of the brute creation, 

 that we hastened forward to enjoy the pleasure of seeing the 

 Buffalo struggle with the pangs of death. I happened to be 

 foremost among them, and I think it impossible for anguish, 

 accompanied by a savage fierceness, to be painted in stronger 

 colours than they were upon the face of this Buffalo. I was 

 within ten steps of him when he perceived me, and, bellow- 

 ing, raised himself suddenly again upon his legs." The tra- 

 veller was so terrified, that, hastily firing his piece, his shot 



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