256 
A COLONY IN THE MAKING 
CHAP. 
there is now a reasonable chance of finding buffalo 
in the open are in the large swamp where the South 
Guaso Nyero disappears, and along the Tana and in 
the Ithanga hills around the shooting box belonging to 
Sisal, Ltd. 
Tracking buffalo in forest or thick bush must always 
be intensely exciting and somewhat risky work. 
Unless single solitary bulls be followed, it is extremely 
difficult to be certain of the sex of a great dark body 
which suddenly crashes away. Solitary bulls, more¬ 
over, bear an evil reputation, and natives are very 
averse to following them into thick cover. They are 
quite capable of making an unprovoked attack, while 
herds of mixed bulls, cows, and calves will invariably 
stampede. If a buffalo charges, he probably does so 
in a very determined fashion, and it is worth bearing 
in mind that it is next door to impossible to give him 
an immediate fatal blow as he comes. The safest 
method is to jump aside, and fire behind his shoulder 
as he passes, if he does pass. A better way is to 
avoid tracking up single bulls in thick bush altogether. 
There will usually be found some small glade 
or similar spot where the herd come out to graze 
during the early mornings or late in the evening. 
When this has been discovered a fine head may be 
selected with fair ease. Following wounded buffalo 
is most dangerous, and should be avoided as far as 
possible by ensuring that the first shot is correctly 
placed, which, with many of us, can only be done by 
firing within, say, 40 yards as a maximum. Horns 
run very large in the Protectorate—far larger than in 
South Africa or along the Nile. The system of 
measurement in vogue, i.e. to take the greatest breadth 
of the outside edges of the horns, is most unreasonable, 
