BUFFALO-HUNT. 
151 
Wo notv bciran to ascend tho Lceba. The water is black 
O 
tn color as compared with the main stream, which here 
assumestho name of Kabompo. Tho Leoba flows placidly, 
and, unliko tho parent river, receives numbers ot little rivu- 
lots from both sides. It winds slowly through the most 
charming meadows, each of which has cither a soft, sedgy 
centre, largo pond, or trickling rill down tho middle. 
A largo buffalo was wounded, and ran into tho thickest 
part of tho forest, bleeding profusely. The young men 
went on his trail ; and, though tho vegetation was so dense 
that no ono could have run moro than a few yards, most 
of them went along quite carelessly, picking and eating a 
fruit of the melon-family called mponko. When tho animal 
heard them approach, ho always fled, shifting his stand 
and doubling on his course in tho most cunning manner. 
In other cases I have known them to turn back to a point 
a few yards from their own trail, and then lio down in a 
hollow waiting for tho hunter to como up. Though a 
heavy, lumbering-looking animal, his charge is then rapid 
and terrific. Moro accidents happen by the buffalo and 
tho black rhinocoros than by tho lion. Though all are 
awaro of tho mischievous nature of tho buffalo when 
wounded, our young men went aftor him quito carolcssly 
They nover loso their presence of mind, but, as a buffalo 
chargos back in a forest, dart dextorously out of his way 
bohind a tree, and, wheeling round, stab him as ho passes. 
On tho 28th wo slopt at a spot on tho right bank from 
which had just cmergod two broods of alligators. Wo had 
aeon many young ones as wo came up; so this scorns lo be 
Ihoir time of coming forth from tho nests, for wo saw them 
sunning themselves on sand-banks in company with the 
old ones. Wo mado our fire in ono of tho deserted nests, 
which woro strewed all over with tho broken shells. At 
tho Zouga wo saw sixty eggs taken out of ono such nest 
alono. They aro about tho size of those of a gooso, only 
tho eggs of the alligator aro of tho same diamoter at both 
ends, and tho white sholl is partially elastic, from having a 
