The Cape Buffalo 1 1 7 



are very sharp of hearing. Their weight is difficult to estimate, but they 

 carry a large amount of flesh ; the ribs overlap each other and are very 

 thin, but as strong as if made of steel. 



The native hunters, although they do not shoot many buffalo, chase 

 them about a good deal, which causes them to be continually on the move. 

 I may give an instance of this. I arrived with my waggon early one 

 morning on the Coporole River, within two days' journey of the coast, 

 and, as I wanted some fresh meat, took a turn up the river. I had not 

 gone very far before I found the ground covered with fresh buffalo spoor. 

 I followed the tracks down to the river, where I found the buffaloes had 

 just been drinking ; the water, which had evidently run out of their 

 mouths, was still lying on the ground. I had not proceeded more than a 

 few hundred yards, when I heard the beasts grunting. Their spoor was 

 everywhere, so I walked straight ahead along one of their paths ; the 

 veldt was chiefly mimosa trees. I presently found myself in the midst of 

 the buffaloes. I could hear the bush crackling all around, but could see 

 nothing ; presently, on my left, I saw about seven buffaloes. The ground 

 was very uneven and I could only see their backs, but one was standing 

 almost facing me, and on higher ground than the others. I fired for the 

 animal's chest ; in the bad light of the thick bush I thought it was a bull. 

 There was at once a grand commotion all around, but fortunately none of 

 the buffalo came my way. I followed the spoor of the troop I had fired 

 at, but, without knowing it, I passed, quite close to theirs, on other spoor. 

 After a time, not finding any blood on the trail, I came to the conclusion 

 that I must have passed my troop. I now returned to take up the spoor 

 again, and presently sighted the buffaloes, all standing clustered together. 

 On peeping through the bush I found they were gathered round the 

 buffalo I had shot, which was lying dead. They very soon saw me and 

 galloped off. I let them go, not wanting more meat. On inspection, I 

 found that I had shot a fat cow instead of a bull. The day after this hunt 



