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 i