A KAFFIR'S ADVICE. 245 



ray gun, I caught at some wild vine and quickly scrambled 

 up a tree, and sought protection amidst its elevated 

 branches. My position was now quite safe, and I could 

 laugh at my savage adversary. So he also seemed to 

 think, as he took but one look at me and trotted away. 



Of the Kaffirs I had seen nothing since we fired : they 

 had disappeared most miraculously. I gave the usual 

 whistle, and was answered at some distance by them. 

 They came to the tree on which I was perched, looked at 

 me, my gun, and the buffalo's foot-prints; everything was 

 instantly explained to them ; they shook their heads, covered 

 their mouths with their hands, and gave a long w-o-w. 

 After asking one or two questions, Monyosi advised me 

 not to run again towards the direction in which a buffalo's 

 head pointed, but to dart to the right or left. 



We found plenty of blood on the trail, and hoped 

 to come up with our wounded friend. His hardened old 

 constitution did not seem to have suffered much as yet ; 

 for four miles at least were passed over without our at all 

 appearing to gain on this old die-hard. 



We had entered directly into the bush, and had conse- 

 quently to retrace all our steps to get clear again ; it was 

 nearly dark now, and twilight is scarcely a reality near 

 the tropics, darkness following so immediately on daylight. 

 The Kaffirs proposed our stopping on the trail, but I 

 was unfortunately very hungry, and had a very great 

 desire for a bottle of Bass and a beefsteak, which I knew 

 awaited me at home ; I therefore gave up the idea of a 

 leaf bed, and voted for a return. We came along very 

 quickly, and reached the edge of the bush after the moon 



