THE BUFFALO 89 



published in Lisbon in 1609, and doubtless 

 written many years before, tells of the buffaloes 

 which at that period overran the country of 

 which the once busy and important seaport of 

 Sofala was then the outlet. He states in chapter 

 xxdi. of Ethiopia Oriental that these animals 

 were exceedingly fierce and numerous, and that 

 the greater part of the native hvmters sooner or 

 later died upon their horns. He quaintly de- 

 scribes them as being very jealous of the cows and 

 calves, so much so that at sight of a human being 

 they would follow him and charge more furiously 

 than the most savage bull of the arena. * Thence- 

 forward, as without doubt they had done for 

 centuries, the vast herds went on increasing, their 

 only enemy the lion; for man, with his rude 

 weapons and wholesome respect, must have oc- 

 cupied in this majestic animal's estimation but 

 a negligible, disregarded place. Some dim idea 

 of the mortahty which ensued on the appearance 

 of the rinderpest can therefore be formed. I 

 have been told by Portuguese long resident in 

 the forests of Shupanga, in the district of Sena, 

 and on the plains of Luabo, that for many months 

 after the appearance of the disease the whole 

 face of the country stank. I myself have seen, 

 deep in the forest fastnesses of these districts, 

 wide expanses of snow-white bones where the 

 great herds, overtaken by the fatal malady, lay 

 down and perished by scores. 



^ Ha muitos bufaros mui bravos em cnjos comos morrem 

 ordinaiiamente os cagadores d'esta terra, porque sao mui cicsos 

 das femeas e filhos, e em vendo qualquer pessoa logo a vao 

 btiscar e accommeter com mais f uria que um bravo touro. 



