THE CAPE BUFFALO. 515 



bellowed furiously, and at last charged in a body directly into a neighboring covert, crushing 

 everything that impeded their progress. 



The Arnee lives in large herds, arranged after the manner of all bovine animals, the females 

 and young being always placed in the safest spots, while the males post themselves in all posi- 

 tions of danger. These herds are never seen on elevated ground, preferring the low, marshy 

 districts where water and mud are abundant. In this mud they love to wallow, and when sud- 

 denly roused from their strange pastime, present a most terrible appearance, their eyes glaring 

 fiercely from amid the mud-covered dripping masses of hair. Sometimes the Buffalo is said 

 to fall a victim to its propensity for wallowing in the mud, and to be stuck so firmly in the 

 oozy slime, as it dries under the scorching sunbeams of that burning climate, that it can be 

 killed without danger. They generally chew the cud while they are lying immersed in mud 

 or water. 



Captain Williamson, in his work on " Oriental Field Sports," speaks thus of the Buffalo, 

 and its mud-loving propensities : — 



' ' This animal not only delights in the water, but will not thrive unless it have a swamp to 

 wallow in. Then rolling themselves, they speedily work deep hollows, wherein they lie 

 immersed. No place seems to delight the Buffalo more than the deep verdure on the confines 

 of jeels and marshes, especially if surrounded by tall grass, so as to afford concealment and 

 shade, while the body is covered by the water. In such situations they seem to enjoy a per- 

 fect ecstasy, having in general nothing above the surface but their eyes and nostrils, their horns 

 being kept low down, and consequently hidden from view. 



"Frequently nothing is perceptible but a few black lumps in the water, appearing like 

 small clods, for the Buffaloes being often fast asleep, all is quiet ; and a passenger would hardly 

 expect to see, as often happens, twenty or thirty great beasts suddenly rise. I have a thou- 

 sand times been unexpectedly surprised in this manner by tame Buffaloes, and once or twice by 

 wild ones. The latter are very dangerous, and the former are by no means to be considered as 

 innocent. The banks of the Ganges abound with Buffaloes in their wild state, as does all the 

 country where long grass and capacious jeels are to be found. Buffaloes swim very well, or, I 

 may say, float. It is very common to see droves crossing the Ganges and other great rivers at 

 all seasons, but especially when the waters are low. At a distance one would take them to be 

 large pieces of rock or dark-colored wood, nothing appearing but their faces. It is no unusual 

 thing for a boat to get into the thick of them, especially among reedy waters, or at the edges 

 of jungles, before it is perceived. In this no danger exists ; the Buffaloes are perfectly passive, 

 and easily avoid being run down, so the vessel runs no danger." 



The Cape Buffalo is quite as formidable an animal as its Indian relation, and much 

 more terrible in outward aspect. The heavy bases of the horns, that nearly unite over the 

 forehead, and under which the little fierce eyes twinkle with sullen rays, give to the creature's 

 countenance an appearance of morose, lowering ill-temper, which is in perfect accordance with 

 its real character. 



Owing to the enormous heavy mass which is situated on the forehead, the Cape Buffalo 

 does not see very well in a straight line, so that a man may sometimes cross the track of a Buffalo 

 within a hundred yards, and not be seen by the animal, provided that he walks quietly, and 

 does not attract attention by the sound of his footsteps. This animal is ever a dangerous 

 neighbor, but when it leads a solitary life among the thickets and marshy places, it is a worse 

 antagonist to a casual passenger than even the lion himself. In such a case, it has an unpleas- 

 ant habit of remaining quietly in its lair until the unsuspecting traveller passes closely to its 

 place of concealment, and then leaping suddenly upon him like some terrible monster of the 

 waters, dripping with mud, and filled with rage. When it has succeeded in its attack, it first 

 tosses the unhappy victim in the air, then kneels upon his body, in order to crush the life out 

 of him, then butts at the corpse until it has given vent to its insane fury, and ends by 

 licking the mangled limbs until it strips off the flesh with its rough tongue. 



Many such tragical incidents have occurred, chiefly, it must be acknowledged, owing to the 

 imprudence of the sufferer : and there are few coverts in South Africa which are not celebrated 



