BUFFALO 185 



being double-trunked, formed a rude sort of ladder. I 

 now lost no time in reaching- its shelter, nor in scaling it, 

 despite cruel thorns. At one time I was fairly handy at 

 tree-climbing ; nowadays I prefer not to be hurried in the 

 operation, especially among 3-inch thorns. The occasion, 

 however, was one of urgency. 



Of the intrusive bull I saw no .more. Curiosity had 

 given place to the exigency of the moment, and not even 

 explosive grunts within a yard of my legs were allowed to 

 interfere with the instant necessity of climbing a trifle 

 higher. Ere I had gained a safe position he had dis- 

 appeared in the bush. 



From my perch I thought I could distinguish 

 though quite uncertainly the position of both the fallen 

 buffaloes, each point being surrounded by sympathetic 

 fellows, while others lingered in the shades beyond. 

 None saw us in our trees. Few wild animals ever look 

 upwards and, with buffalo, the overhung bosses of the 

 horn form a specific obstacle ; moreover, their foes are not 

 usually arboreal. More than half an hour we had 

 remained aloft myriads of biting tree-ants adding to the 

 torment of the thorns when a burst of loud and con- 

 tinuous bellowing resounded through the forest. This, I 

 felt assured, signified the death-throes of one of the victims 

 fancied I could recollect Selous or Jackson so describing 

 it. Baraka also had rightly interpreted the signal ; for he 

 now rushed up I know not whence seized my rifle 

 (which I had fain left atop of the ant-hill), and urged me 

 to come forward. But I regarded masterly inactivity as 

 a safer policy meanwhile, and ordered him to sit down, 

 adding (what he perfectly understood), J'y suts, fy reste 

 till that bellowing is all over. 



When silence reigned once more, we reassembled and 

 continued a cautious^advance. In a little inset opening 

 close ahead, and within ten yards of each other, lay the 

 pair of ingentia corpora. The survivors had cleared and 

 we saw no more of them. Yet another thrill electric in 



