THE MAU FOREST 189 



souglit, apparently, was shelter from tlie sun ; for within 

 200 yards they were lying asleep. Even that short 

 crawl involved nnspeakable labour ; but presently I 

 heard stertorous breathing and low grunts apparently 

 not ten yards ahead. It was then that the misgivings 

 alluded to arose in my mind ; but my black companion 

 coolly continued to peer and spy into the mural foliage 

 before us. Another yard or two we crawled forward, 

 prone beneath interlacing boughs and brambles, then 

 slowly raised ourselves beliind a sheltering trunk. Still 

 we saw^ nothing. But the buffaloes either saw, smelt or 

 heard us, for there ensued a mighty crash, a bushy tail 

 whirled aloft, there was one glimpse of a broad black 

 stern, the curve of a huge horn — and they were gone. 



They did not go far, for four times that morning we 

 overhauled them, each time with a similar result — or 

 worse. For never again, though always close up, did I 

 get even so slight a view as on that first approach — 

 and then it was little more than merely a vanishing 

 tail-piece. 



The idea in thus persistently following was the off- 

 chance of finding the game, sooner or later, in more 

 favourable position — that is, being interpreted, that we 

 might see through some lucky crevice in the cavernous 

 foliage sufficient black hide (necessarily almost within 

 arm's length, since we could see no further) to enable 

 aim to be taken. 



We had, as stated, "jumped" buffalo four times. 

 On the first three occasions they were the original trio ; 

 but the last was a single lone bull whose spoor we had 

 cut, and to whom we had transferred attention. Him 

 we followed till noon, and never in my life have I 

 traversed such jungle or undergone more cruel labour. 

 Words are but wasted in attempting to describe the alter- 

 nations of crawling, climbing, wriggling and struggling 

 through, over, or under thorny brakes. 



Wherever light could penetrate, the bracken grew to 

 ten feet in height (measured). The new growth, now 

 coming, was about three feet. 



