WE ENCOUNTER THE ANIMAL. 153 



stood gazing around in a menacing attitude, warned us to act 

 with caution,, and to be prepared for a charge like the rush of 

 a steam engine. 



Dismissing our followers we advanced abreast leisurely, 

 keeping the cows as much as was possible between ourselves 

 and the bull, and in this way we approached to within two 

 hundred paces or thereabouts of the former, which now slowly 

 moved aside, leaving us in full view of our adversary, who, 

 after a savage stare, tossed his horns threateningly at us and 

 prepared for action. Both parties now advanced slowly, the 

 riders some twenty or thirty yards apart, in order to distract 

 attention, till they approached within a hundred paces of the 

 bull, which, lowering his head to the earth, delivered his 

 charge at full speed, and the hunters separated right and left, 

 the horses at their fastest, but kept well in hand. 



The bull, selecting the grey horse and his rider, tore 

 headlong after them, and they, I need hardly observe, did 

 not wait to ask his intentions, but galloped away from him 

 at best pace. Meanwhile the rider of the bay turned, and 

 following the bull at racing speed, caught him up after a 

 smart burst, and gave him a shot in the side, turning off 

 rapidly as the wounded beast swerved and endeavoured to 

 close. It became now the business of the bay Arab to save 

 himself and rider by getting well ahead, while the grey 

 ranged up alongside, and his rider delivered his shot into the 

 bull's short ribs, and again in their turn these two became 

 the pursued. This game continued for about as lively a 

 quarter of an hour as ever I spent, by which time the buffalo 

 had received half-a-dozen bullets in his shoulders and ribs at 

 very short ranges, and bleeding profusely, had pulled up to 

 take breath and consider further proceedings, keeping at the 

 same time an eye on each horse and rider. 



The second round then began, and two more bullets, 

 smacking loudly upon his tough hide, brought on a repetition 

 of the performances above described, and the bull once more 

 made a desperate charge, but not at the same headlong speed, 

 nor with the same vigour, though with courage and resolution 



