their numbers are still incalculable. Should it, how- 
ever, ever come to the extermination of these animals, 
then the whole of this country must necessarily assume 
some other shape; for to the inhabitant here the buf- 
falo is more important than is his camel to the Arab. 
It supplies his prime necessities: food, dwelling and 
clothing. 
The hunt for buffalo is one of the grandest and 
most interesting of which I know. The hunting is 
done either a-foot by stalking, or on horseback by 
running. In both cases one must seek to be on the 
windward, to get as near as possible. For stalking, 
a hilly country is most favorable; but it is possible to 
get within shooting distance on the plain, if one does 
not find it too troublesome to creep on hands and 
knees, often for a mile. Even if the buffaloes see the 
hunter at this unusual locomotion, they often let him 
get near enough to shoot, provided his motion is quiet 
and regular. At the first shot they usually run away; 
but at times, when they do not see the hunter, they 
simply become restless, and permit him several shots. 
A wounded buffalo attacks the hunter only when he 
approaches too close; but then he uses his horns as a 
terrible weapon. The best place to give a buffalo a 
deadly wound is behind the shoulder blades, where 
the thick coat of hair stops. Shots back of that 
through the body trouble him little. A bullet on the 
head either glances off from the thick hair and firm 
skull, or at best does not penetrate far. Rarely does a 
buffalo collapse at the first shot. Usually they drag 
The Buffalo 
