92 THE BUFFALO. 



shot, dropped the bull in mid career with a well directed bullet : he was a fine beast, with 

 horns an inch or two longer than those of my bull of the previous day. 



A few days afterwards we were breakfasting under the shade of some trees on a river 

 bank, and were just about to remount our Elephants, when a large cow Buffalo came to 

 drink on the opposite bank of the river about eight hundred yards off. After slaking her 

 thirst, she walked into the river, and quietly lay down, apparently quite regardless of a number 

 of natives who were resting on the sandy shore opposite her, and not more than three hundred 

 yards distant. 



Taking my double -450 Henry Express, I lost no time in crossing the river on a pad 

 Elephant, and then dismounting, made the best of my way towards where the cow was lying. 

 The walking was very rough, and the only way I could make much progress was by going 

 along the water's edge at the foot of the steep bank of the river. At length I reached a 

 place where the bank dropped perpendicularly to deep water, and here I had to ascend, and 

 with great difficulty force my way through the reeds, which cracked loudly at every move- 

 ment. A little farther on I was able to descend again, and advance under cover of the bank 

 to within a hundred and twenty yards of where the cow was still enjoying her bath, in fancied 

 security. 



Beyond this point the river took a bend, so it was impossible to advance any nearer with- 

 out again passing through reeds. This I accordingly did, and had gained about twenty yards, 

 when, fearing that the unavoidable noise which I made would alarm the Buffalo, I resolved 

 to fire. She was lying facing me with only her head above water, but seeing no chance of 

 a better shot, I fired at her throat ; I believe that my bullet merely grazed her, and she stood 

 up, but did not stir from the spot. My second barrel was quickly fired at her chest, and on 

 receiving the shot she walked slowly out of the water, giving me a chance of a broadside 

 shot, which had the effect of disabling her shoulder. 



She was on the edge of a heavy jungle, so I lost no time in pouring bullets into her 

 shoulder as quickly as I could load and fire, and after receiving seven or eight in all, she 

 rolled over dead. She proved to be a very old cow, thin and covered with scars, but with a 

 remarkably fine pair of horns, measuring ten feet two inches from tip to tip. Most of my 

 bullets were grouped in a very small space behind the shoulder, and it was only by the rapidity 

 with which I was able to load and fire, that I prevented her from gaining the shelter where 

 she might perhaps have escaped, in spite of being crippled by my first shots. 



