A SUCCESSFUL BUFFALO HUNT 



231 



breaking a couple of the ribs of one animal wliicli liad its flank 

 towards me and the hind leg of another, whilst a cow, struck 

 in the shoulder, fell down bellowing loudly, only, however, to 

 be up again directly. Then there was a regular stampede, and 

 I was in the greatest danger of being trampled down, especially 

 as I had used all the ammunition I had with me. 



' But where was Kharscho ? The zealous fellow, carried away 

 by the ardour of the chase, instead of keeping close to me, had 

 gone of!" on his own account, and was very likely in a worse 

 position than I was. Fortunately, however, he soon appeared 

 with the rest of my men and we were able to follow up my 

 game. First at a distance of some hundred paces we came 

 upon a bull still standing, but bleeding profusely. I fired at 

 him four times as he fled from us, and he only succumbed at 

 the last shot, which broke his spine. He was still alive even 

 now, but he could not get up, so I thought it a good opportu- 

 nity for experimental shots. Two shots from the 500 Express 

 at close quarters just between the horns on the forehead had 

 no result, nor had a bullet from the 8-bore, except that the 

 buffalo's head drooped for a moment, to be raised again the 

 next. I finally despatched him with a shot in the shoulder. 



' The sound of so many shots attracted a number of Masai 

 warriors, and promising them the skins of any further buffaloes 

 we brought down, I got them to help us, and with their aid 

 as guides we soon came upon a suffering cow lying in a 

 thicket. A couple of flying shots from me brought her to her 

 feet. Again and again she fell upon her haunches, but she 

 was always able to get up and struggle on though with 

 ever slower steps. Seeing this, the moran hurried up to 

 despatch her with their spears, but even when she could no 

 longer stir from the spot, she bellowed fiercely at her 

 tormentors. Again and again the spears rebounded from the 

 tough hide ; one was broken, another was bent, but not one 



