•258 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
much as a trace of blood behind him. From the wood 
on the south-east of the stream, however, I heard loud 
bellowings and cries, and after a few moments’ rapid 
running I saw my companions cautiously keeping 
under the cover of a thick bush, watching the wounded 
buffalo at a little distance off, but not daring to 
approach it. Wounded Bos Caffers are amongst the 
most malignant animals of Africa, and every year some 
accidents happen to hunters in encounters with them. 
Unless they are disabled by their wounds, they make 
furious onsets before death, and their tenacity of life is 
marvellous. 
I had only my heavy single-barrelled gun with me, 
and if the ball hit the right place death would be 
certain and instantaneous; but all depended on that. 
My appearance on the scene revived Ramurpisi’s 
courage, and creeping to within fifty paces of the 
buffalo he threw stones at it, on which the wounded 
creature slowly turned round, lowered its head, and 
•came a little way out of the bush, its small green eyes 
glaring with rage, and its breath coming in short gasps. 
It stood still, staring at the Bushman, and I seized the 
opportunity to advance within forty paces, for there 
was no time to be lost, as an attack might follow at 
any moment. I fired ; the shot took effect behind the 
shoulder, and, as if struck by lightning, the huge beast 
fell to the ground—a long plaintive yell, true music to 
the ears of the hunter, announcing that the wound was 
mortal. No experienced hunter ever approaches a 
dying buffalo until this characteristic cry has been 
heard. We now examined our prey, and found the 
first ball embedded quite high up in the left shoulder, 
and a good deal of inflammation about the wound. As 
I was too far from my camp to be able to make any 
use of the carcase, I gave it to the Bushmen, who 
covered it with bushes, lit huge fires near it, and made 
marks on the trunks of the trees with their spears, to 
call the attention of any of their friends who might 
happen to be wandering about the forest. Four times 
more in the course of the day the unrivalled instinct 
