按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
p and in； tossing slowly as the animals walked。 On the flank of the herd was a big gray bull。
It had been agreed that B。 was to have the shot。 Therefore he opened fire with his 405 Winchester； a weapon altogether too light for this sort of work。 At the shot the herd dashed forward to an open grass meadow a few rods away； wheeled and faced back in a compact mass； their noses thrust up and out in their typical fashion； trying with all their senses to locate the cause of the disturbance。
Taking advantage both of the scattered cover； and the half light of the shadows we slipped forward as rapidly and as unobtrusively as we could to the edge of the grass meadow。 Here we came to a stand eighty yards from the buffaloes。 They stood compactly like a herd of cattle； staring； tossing their heads； moving slightly； their wild eyes searching for us。 I saw several good bulls； but always they moved where it was impossible to shoot without danger of getting the wrong beast。 Finally my chance came； I planted a pair of Holland bullets in the shoulder of one of them。
The herd broke away to the right； sweeping past us at close range。 My bull ran thirty yards with them； then went down stone dead。 When we examined him we found the hole made by B。's Winchester bullet； so that quite unintentionally and by accident I had fired at the same beast。 This was lucky。 The trophy； by hunter's law； of course； belonged to B。
Therefore F。 and I alone followed on after the herd。 It was now coming on dusk。 Within a hundred yards we began to see scattered beasts。 The formation of the herd had broken。 Some had gone on in flight； while others in small scattered groups would stop to stare back； and would then move slowly on for a few paces before stopping again。 Among these I made out a bull facing us about a hundred and twenty…five yards away； and managed to stagger him； but could not bring him down。
Now occurred an incident which I should hesitate to relate were it not that both F。 and myself saw it。 We have since talked it over； compared our recollections； and found them to coincide in every particular。
As we moved cautiously in pursuit of the slowly retreating herd three cows broke back and came running down past us。 We ducked aside and hid； of course； but noticed that of the three two were very young； while one was so old that she had become fairly emaciated； a very unusual thing with buffaloes。 We then followed the herd for twenty minutes； or until twilight； when we turned back。 About halfway down the slope we again met the three cows； returning。 They passed us within twenty yards； but paid us no attention whatever。 The old cow was coming along very reluctantly； hanging back at every step； and every once in a while swinging her head viciously at one or the other of her two companions。 These escorted her on either side； and a little to the rear。 They were plainly urging her forward； and did not hesitate to dig her in the ribs with their horns whenever she turned especially obstinate。 In fact they acted exactly like a pair of cowboys HERDING a recalcitrant animal back to its band and I have no doubt at all that when they first by us the old lady was making a break for liberty in the wrong direction； AND THAT THE TWO YOUNGER COWS WERE TRYING TO ROUND HER BACK！ Whether they were her daughters or not is problematical； but it certainly seemed that they were taking care of her and trying to prevent her running back where it was dangerous to go。 I never heard of a similar case。 though Herbert Ward* mentions； without particulars that elephants AND BUFFALOES will assist each other WHEN WOUNDED。
*A Voice from the COngo。
After passing these we returned to where B。 and the men； who had now come up； had prepared the dead bull for transportation。 We started at once； travelling by the stars； shouting and singing to discourage the lions； but did not reach camp until well into the night。
XXV。 THE BUFFALO…continued
Some months later； and many hundreds of miles farther south； Billy and I found ourselves alone with twenty men； and two weeks to pass until C。…our companion at the time…should return from a long journey out with a wounded man。 By slow stages； and relaying back and forth； we landed in a valley so beautiful in every way that we resolved to stay as long as possible。 This could be but five days at most。 At the end of that time we must start for our prearranged rendezvous with C。
The valley was in the shape of an ellipse； the sides of which were formed by great clifflike mountains； and the other two by hills lower； but still of considerable boldness and size。 The longest radius was perhaps six or eight miles； and the shortest three or four。 At one end a canyon dropped away to a lower level； and at the other a pass in the hills gave over to the country of the Narassara River。 The name of the valley was Lengeetoto。
》From the great mountains flowed many brooks of clear sparkling water； that ran beneath the most beautiful of open jungles； to unite finally in one main stream that disappeared down the canyon。 Between these brooks were low broad rolling hills； sometimes grass covered； sometimes grown thinly with bushes。 Where they headed in the mountains； long stringers of forest trees ran up to blocklike groves； apparently pasted like wafers against the base of the cliffs； but in reality occupying spacious slopes below them。
We decided to camp at the foot of a long grass slant within a hundred yards of the trees along one of the small streams。 Before us we had the sweep of brown grass rising to a clear cut skyline； and all about us the distant great hills behind which the day dawned and fell。 One afternoon a herd of giraffes stood silhouetted on this skyline quite a half hour gazing curiously down on our camp。 Hartebeeste and zebra swarmed in the grassy openings； and impalla in the brush。 We saw sing…sing and steinbuck； and other animals； and heard lions nearly every night。 But principally we elected to stay because a herd of buffaloes ranged the foothills and dwelt in the groves of forest trees under the cliffs。 We wanted a buffalo； and as Lengeetoto is practically unknown to white men； we thought this a good chance to get one。 In that I reckoned without the fact that at certain seasons the Masai bring their cattle in； and at such times annoy the buffalo all they can。
We started out well enough。 I sent Memba Sasa with two men to locate the herd。 About three o'clock a messenger came to camp after me。 We plunged through our own jungle； crossed a low swell； traversed another jungle； and got in touch with the other two men。 They reported the buffalo had entered the thicket a few hundred yards below us。 Cautiously reconnoitering the ground it soon became evident that we would be forced more definitely to locate the herd。 To be sure； they had entered the stream jungle at a known point； but there could be no telling how far they might continue in the thicket； nor on what side of it they would emerge at sundown。 Therefore we commenced cautiously and slowly follow the trail。
The going was very thick； naturally； and we could not see very far ahead。 Our object was not now to try for a bull； but merely to find where the herd was feeding； in orde