A DANGEROUS MOMENT 



235 



that, uses a bunch of leaves. If the flies of Masailand were 

 as lively as those at home, the country would be a very hell, 

 but fortunately they are content to bide perfectly quiet. 



The next morning Count Teleki devoted to hunting, and 

 very nearly met with a serious accident. He went with his 

 usual followers and a few Masai to follow the spoors of the other 

 buffaloes he had wounded. Now this following up of wounded 

 buffaloes is a most dangerous operation, as they are always 

 extremely fierce, and charge everyone they see at once. 1 



The traces of the hunt of the day before were very soon 

 found, including the spoor of an animal which was apparently 

 wounded in one of the hind legs, the limping gait being quite 

 clearly marked in the sand. As the day before, the people all 

 lingered behind, even Maktubu, whom the Count generally 

 relied on in buffalo hunting, and soon only Kharscho and one 

 moran remained with the leader. The brave warrior stalked 

 on in front, with his spear uplifted, ready to fling it. To him 

 was assigned the task of noting everything about him, whilst 

 the Count and Kharscho followed the spoor, which was now 

 and then lost amongst the many footprints. This one led in 

 and out amongst the bushes, now to the right, now to the left, 

 now back again, and presently the incorrigible Kharscho 

 went off again. Count Teleki had just realised that he was 

 alone with the Masai, when the latter gave a cry of warn- 

 ing and fled. A hundred paces only from the Count was a 

 buffalo charging full upon him. What was to be done ? To 

 take refuge in the thicket would be fatal, for the buffalo would 

 be invisible, and might charge him in the rear. The only 

 chance was to go to meet it in the open, and this the Count 

 fortunately decided to do, for nothing else could have saved 

 him. With the long strides of desperation he advanced 



1 It was probably near here that, a year and a half after our visit, the bold 

 sportsman, the Hon. Guy Dawney, was killed by a buffalo. 



