ght, and stringing
themselves out, single file, close in under the shadows of the
overhanging cliffs, where they quickly became so inconspicuous as to be
practically invisible. Then, accompanied by a body of twenty picked
men, who spread themselves out in open order in our rear, the king and I
advanced toward the buffalo at a slow walking pace.

It fortunately happened that the wind was blowing across the basin
directly from the buffalo toward us, consequently it was a long while
before the brutes became aware of our presence; indeed, we had arrived
within about three-quarters of a mile of them before they betrayed any
sign of uneasiness, and even then it was toward the upper end of the
valley, and not toward us, that their attention seemed to be directed.

"It is Bulangu and his party that they scent," said the king, referring
to the squadron of men whom he had sent round outside the basin to bar
the upper exit; and, sure enough, a minute or two later the whole herd
swung round and began to move toward us. But the moment that this
occurred they of course caught sight of us and at once came to a halt,
tossing their heads impatiently, lashing their flanks with their tails,
and emitting low, moaning bellows of annoyance. After a short pause,
however, accompanied by the display of many indications of rapidly
increasing anger, the herd again began to move toward us, first at a
walking pace that rapidly merged into a trot, till finally the whole
herd broke into a gallop as the induna Bulangu and his party appeared at
the far end of the plain.

"Now," said I to the king as the herd rapidly approached within range,
"I will show you what the fire weapon is capable of doing. Watch the
old bull who is leading the herd and see what happens. And perhaps you
had better dismount, for your horse is unused to fire weapons, and when
I shoot he may possibly swerve suddenly and throw you."

"Nay," answered the king, "I will not dismount; for now that you have
warned me I shall know what to expect, and shall not be taken unawares."
And he gathered in the slack of his single bridle, tightly gripped the
animal between his knees, and sat prepared for whatsoever might happen.

The herd, meanwhile, had approached to within about eight hundred yards
of us, and were thundering straight in our direction at a somewhat
ungainly but nevertheless rapid gallop, with heads down and tails up,
giving vent to low, angry bellows as they came. I wa