192 SPORTING ADVENTURES 



bounded with joy on seeing the shaggy creatures, looking 

 like so many black dots in the distance, scattered over a large 

 area. We discerned by their movements that there was some 

 commotion among those further south, and after watching 

 them attentively for an hour or more, we saw the dots unite 

 in larger numbers and come towards us at a rapid pace. We 

 inferred from this fact that they were fleeing before a large 

 body of hunters, and that they would, in all probability, 

 be so close to us the next day that we need not leave camp 

 to enjoy all the hunting we wanted. In order to avoid their 

 heedless, headlong rush when stampeding, we concluded to 

 pitch our tents in a grove of willows near the bank of the 

 river, and not to picket our horses, but to tie them up to 

 trees and cut grass for them, as we were afraid they might be 

 injured by the advancing columns, should they approach our 

 quarters. 



After the camp was erected we cleaned our arms, dined, 

 and laid in a large store of wood with which to build fires 

 at night to the leeward of the tents, in order to terrify the 

 buffaloes should they attempt to enter the coppice in our 

 vicinity. Everything being carried out according to the 

 programme, we appointed sentinels, who were to remain on 

 duty two hours each, and their business was to announce 

 any danger to our position from the advance of the shaggy 

 multitude, and to keep the fires burning. I was on duty 

 about two a.m. when I heard the muffled roar produced by 

 many hoofs galloping over grass, but as I could see nothing, 

 although the moon was bright and the fires burned fiercely, 

 I did not like to awaken my sleeping companions until I 

 knew which way the columns were coming. 



In about fifteen or twenty minutes I saw a black mass 

 emerge from the horizon and come thundering towards our 

 position with measured pace, and a few moments later I could 

 detect the outlines of the buffaloes. Not knowing which way 

 they were really heading, owing to the broad front of the 

 column, and fearing they might be down upon us unless I was 

 prompt in action, I fired my rifle, and in two minutes there- 

 after every member of the encampment was out, dressed and 



