his mud-bath and come
on, I found it was of no use; he was not disposed to be a fighter, as
he saw my strong position upon some open rising ground among some large
trees. I therefore took a rest upon the branch of a tree, and gave him
a shot from the four-ounce rifle through the shoulder. This sent him
to the thick jungle with ears and trunk drooping, but produced no other
effect. I therefore returned towards the tent, fully expecting to meet
my old enemy, the bull, whom I had left master of the field. In this
I was not disappointed; he was standing within a few yards of the same
spot, and, upon seeing me, he immediately advanced, having a very poor
opinion of an enemy who had retreated from him an hour previous.

Instead of charging at a rapid pace he trotted slowly up, and I gave him
the four-ounce when within fifty yards. This knocked him over; but, to
my astonishment, he recovered himself instantly and galloped towards me.
Again he stopped within twenty yards of me, and it was fortunate for me
that he did; for a servant who was carrying my long two-ounce rifle had,
in his excitement, cocked it and actually set the hair-trigger. This
he managed to touch as he handed it to me, and it exploded close to
my head. I had only a light double-gun loaded, and the buffalo was
evidently prepared to charge in a few seconds.

To my great satisfaction I saw the bloody foam gathering upon his lips,
and I knew that he was struck through the lungs; but, nevertheless, the
distance was so short between us that he could reach me in two or three
bounds. Keeping my Moorman with the light gun close to me in readiness,
I began to load my two big rifles. In the mean time the bull was
advancing step by step with an expression of determined malice, and my
Cingalese servant, in an abject state of fright, was imploring me to
run--simply as an excuse for his own flight. 'Buffalo's coming, sar!
Master, run plenty, quick! Buffalo's coming, sar! Master, get big tree!'
I could not turn to silence the fellow, but I caught him a fine backward
kick upon the shins with my heel, which stopped him, and in a few
seconds I was loaded and the four-ounce was in my hand. The bull, at
this time, was not fifteen yards from me; but, just as I was going to
fire, I saw him reel to one side; and in another moment he rolled upon
his back, a dead buffalo, although I had not fired after my first shot.
The ball, having entered his chest, was sticking in the skin of his