130 
TRAVELS IN 
are generally diftant from each other about three feet. About 
the height of a common-fized ox, the African buffalo is at leaft 
twice its bulk. The fibres of its mufcles are like fo many 
bundles of cords, and they are covered with a hide little inferior 
in ftrength and thicknefs to that of the rhinofceros It is pre- 
ferred by the peafantry to the fkin of all other animals for cut- 
ting into thongs to be ufed as traces and harnefs for their carts 
and waggons. The flefh is too coarfe-grained to be good ; yet 
the farmers generally fait it up as food for their Hottentots, It 
is curious enough that the teeth of this fpecies of buffalo fhould 
at all times be fo perfedly loofe in the fockets as to rattle and 
ftiake in its head. 
The lion frequently meafures his ilrength with the buffalo^ 
and always gains the advantage. This, however, he is faid to 
accomplifh by flratagem, being afraid to attack him on the open 
plain. He lies waiting in ambufh till a convenient opportunity ''4 
offers for fpringing upon the buffalo, and fixing his fangs in his 
throat ; then flriking his paw into the animal's face, he twifls 
round the head and pins him to the ground by the horns, hold- 
ing him in that fituation till he expires from lofs of blood. 
Such a battle would furnifh a grand fubjed for the powers of a 
maflerly pencil. 
If the Dutch have been too indolent to domefticate the qua- 
cha and the zebra, it is lefs a matter of aflonifhment that no at- 
tempts have been made on the fierce and powerful buffalo. 
Any other nation, pofTefTmg the Cape for one hundred and fifty 
years, would certainly have effeded it. A male, if taken very 
young, 
