I
Expected To Have Seen The Infuriated Buffalo Among Us.
I peeped over the
horse's back, and, to my delight and surprise, I saw the carcass of the
bull lying within three feet of him.
His head was pierced by the ball
exactly between the horns, and death had been instantaneous. The horse,
having reared to his full height, had entangled his hind legs in the
grass, and he had fallen backwards without being touched by the buffalo,
although the horns were close into him.
I was rather pleased at being so well out of this scrape, and I made up
my mind never again to follow buffaloes into high grass. Turning towards
the position of the tent, I rode homewards. The plain appeared deserted,
and I rode for three or four miles along the shores of the lake without
seeing a head of game. At length, when within about three miles of the
encampment, I saw a small herd of five buffaloes and three half-grown
calves standing upon a narrow point of muddy ground which projected for
some distance into the lake.
I immediately rode towards them, and upon approaching to within sixty
yards, I found they consisted of three cows, two bulls, and three
calves. I had advanced towards them upon the neck of land upon which
they stood; there was, therefore, no retreat for them unless they took
to the water. They perceived this themselves, but they preferred the
bolder plan of charging through all opposition and then reaching the
main land.
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