THE BUFFALO. 411 



suddenly charging in the rear, made the party very cautious. In 

 this manner the brother of the hunter, a year previously, while 

 hunting, was tossed in the air by one of these animals, and 

 trampled to death. The Mandingo, remembering the death of his 

 brother, was most unwilling to go through the thicket until the 

 beast was either discovered again or killed. He was a good 

 performer on a native flute, and proposed to call out the animal 

 with it, which was willingly acceded to. He placed himself under 

 a tree and played a tune, while the party remained on the watch ; 

 but as the buffalo did not show, the others insisted on continuing 

 the route. 



" ' The buffalo is asleep,' said the hunter, ' but my flute will call 

 him out. I must kill him to revenge my brother's death.' 



""With long-drawn-out, monotonous tones he led the way for 

 full two hours, when, suddenly, under a tree, the shining eyes of 

 the buffalo reappeared. The beast's ears were pricked forward, 

 evidently attracted by the music. Nothing indicated fury, and its 

 tail hung motionless. 



" ' Stop ! ' said the Mandingo ; ' don't laugh at my flute. The 

 buffalo belongs to us.' 



" The party concealed themselves again. The bewitcher com- 

 menced with soft, long-drawn notes, broken at intervals. The 

 soft tones were succeeded by shrill and loud ones, followed by 

 trills, and an imitative cry resembling the whispering of the wind 

 among the leaves. The animal raised its head and sniffed round 

 in every direction with anxious looks, then slowly approached the 

 place whence the sounds proceeded. In a few minutes it had 

 come within a distance of forty yards, and though manifesting 

 greater anxiety as it detected the presence of men, showed no 

 incUnation either to attack or to retire. The Mandingo suddenly 

 came out of the bush, giving a very loud, and harsh, grating shout, 

 at which the animal backed. The man renewed his peculiar music, 

 which influenced the animal to such an extent that it remained 

 motionless until the flutist lodged an arrow in its shoulder. The 

 enraged buffalo, foaming at the mouth, with bloodshot eyes, and 

 tail erect, furiously pawed the ground. The Mandingo had just 

 time enough to hide himself behind the tree in front of which he 



