28 



AT NYEMPS 



always swerved aside in time. To fulfil our promise to the 

 traders, we now went off hunting in different directions ; but 

 we were not as successful as we had expected to be, for the 

 game had nearly all disappeared. However, the Count secured 

 on the hill he chose two elands and one kaama antelope, whilst I 

 brought down near the swamp one buffalo, a bull, and one zebra. 

 The former, which had a cow with him when I discovered him, 

 gave me a lot of trouble, and did not succumb till he had 

 received ten bullets from the 500 Express rifle and two shots 

 from the 8-bore rifle, which proved that the 500 Express is 



not a sufficiently powerful 

 weapon for old animals. 

 It was interesting and 

 touching to note that the 

 cow would not leave her 

 wounded mate, but fol- 

 lowed him into the bush 

 to which he dragged him- 

 self. I had only one 

 charge left for my Express 

 rifle, so I now returned 

 to camp, leaving the men 

 with the buffalo. I was 

 hurrying along, never doubting that the noise of the firing 

 would have scared away all the game, when all of a sudden 

 the head of a buffalo appeared amongst the rushes. I confess 

 that, remembering I was alone with but one charge in my 

 rifle, I felt hot and cold all over. I hastened on, obeying 

 necessity rather than my own wishes, and passed the buffalo, 

 who stood still with proudly reared crest. How eagerly I 

 listened to every sound which might tell that he was about to 

 charge, for it was quite beyond my power to look the terrible 

 beast hi the face, and now he was behind me, and the moments 



HORNS OF A MALE AND FEMALE ELAND. 



{a, male ; b, female). 



