XIV 
THE BUFFALO 
71 
that I have given might appear somewhat superlative ; 
but although many may be shot which offer no 
resistance, and fall unresistingly before the rifle, 
these are not to be depended upon as guides or 
examples. The hunter of buffaloes who follows the 
pursuit for years, will find that the true character 
of the animal is one of stubborn unflinching cour¬ 
age, and unmitigated revenge should it gain the 
ascendant. 
During eight years’ experience in Ceylon I was 
fortunate in escaping from any casualties among my 
followers, although very nearly caught myself; but 
in Africa I lost my best man, only through the fact 
of his being badly armed. 
I shot a bull, late in the evening, upon the marshy 
border of the White Nile; this was knocked over, 
apparently dead, by the first bullet from a No. io 
rifle. My men actually danced in triumph upon its 
body, in the anticipation of a feast, after a long 
absence from fresh provisions during a voyage upon 
the desolate river. Instead of hamstringing the 
lifeless beast, they continued their insane gesticula¬ 
tions, when suddenly the buffalo jumped up, and 
sent them flying into the river, like so many frogs, 
swimming for their lives towards my diahbeeah. 
The buffalo disappeared in the swamp of high reeds 
and aquatic vegetation. On the following morning, 
supposing that the beast must have died during the 
night, about thirty or forty men, armed with double- 
barrelled smooth-bores, went ashore to look for the 
dead animal. They had not been ashore for many 
