XIV 
THE BUFFALO 
61 
(about 3 drams), as the breadth of water which 
divided us from the opposite bank was not more 
than 30 yards. There was no danger, as the 
vertical bank, upon which the angry bull was 
standing in a menacing attitude, was at least 12 
feet high, therefore it was impossible for the animal 
to cross over. I told Dick to be ready, and to 
aim at the back of the neck should the buffalo 
lower its head. To effect this, I threw a hard clod 
of earth across the creek ; this splashed loudly 
in the water immediately beneath the buffalo’s 
position. It looked down, and exposed its neck ; 
at the exact moment Dick fired. The bull turned 
round convulsively, and fell upon its side. “Well 
done, Dick ! ” I exclaimed, “ the double charge has 
done it; ” and we hurried round the creek, wading 
through a shallow place as a short cut. Upon 
arrival at the spot, we found a mighty specimen 
of a bull buffalo ; in the exact centre of the massive 
neck a minute hole, that was hardly perceptible, 
denoted the position of the tiny bullet which had 
overthrown this colossal animal. Dick stood in 
front of the bull’s head, and revelled in the delight 
of his first buffalo, which he had killed by a neat 
shot from so insignificant a weapon. 
“ Never stand at the head of a buffalo, whether 
dead or alive,” I exclaimed to my excited and 
delighted friend; “ but always stand upon the side 
facing the back of the animal, well away from the 
legs, as I am standing now.” 
The words were hardly uttered when, to our 
