140 
AFRICAN HUNTING. 
been 300, and they came directly for me, at a slow 
trot, making the earth shake, and raising clouds of 
dust. I lay as close as a hare in her form on the 
open plain ; nothing but this little shrub, perhaps 
three feet high and four feet in circumference, until 
the leaders of the herd were within three lengths, 
and I saw every probability of being trampled to 
death. I jumped into the air as high as possible, 
with a tremendous shout. The whole herd, for a 
few seconds, appeared panic-stricken, and remained 
stock still. I selected a sleek, glossy, dumpy cow, 
and fired, and never raised such a commotion in my 
existence. I was almost deafened by the rushing 
noise, and blinded by the dust. I fired, however, my 
other three barrels into the middle of the dust, but 
could hardly hear the report; and not until the 
dust cleared away, some 300 yards, I saw the whole 
herd going away, and my little pet, Smoke, at their 
heels. She picked the wounded cow out of the 
whole herd, stuck to her till she died, a mile ahead, 
and whilst we were trying to hit off her blood-spoor, 
came back to us, and trotted on ahead, and took us 
to the cow, the only one bagged. I relate this to 
show there is very little danger from a large troop. 
A buffalo is a dangerous animal, from being so very 
quick. One day I had stalked close up to some lying 
down in long grass, and had cautiously, by taking 
advantage of every opportunity, got to a forked tree 
within twenty yards, when I whistled low to alarm 
them gently, and they slowly rose. I fired at the 
