“They advanced accordingly over the marsh, and being concealed by some bushes, they had the good fortune to bring down, with the first volley, three of the fattest of the herd; and also so severely wounded the great bull, which was the leader of the herd, that he dropped down on his knees, bellowing most furiously.  Thinking that the animal was mortally wounded, the foremost of the huntsmen walked out in front of the bushes from which they had fired, and began to reload his musket as he advanced, in order to give the animal a finishing shot.  But no sooner did the enraged animal see the man advancing, than he sprang up and charged headlong at him.  The man threw down his gun, and ran toward the marsh; but the beast was so close upon him, that he despaired of escaping by that direction, and turning suddenly round a clump of copsewood, began to climb an old mimosa tree which stood close to it.

“The buffalo was, however, too quick for him.  Bounding forward with a roar, which the farmer told me was one of the most hideous and appalling sounds that he ever heard, he caught the poor fellow with his terrible horns, just as he had nearly got out of reach, and tossed him in the air with such force, that after whirling round and round to a great height, the body fell into the fork of the branches of the tree.  The buffalo went round the tree roaring, and looking for the man, until, exhausted by wounds and loss of blood, it again fell down on its knees.  The other hunters then attacked and killed him; but they found their comrade, who was still hanging in the tree, quite dead.”

“Well; I have no doubt but that such would have been the fate of Swanevelt or of me, had the brute got hold of us,” said the Major; “I never saw such a malignant, diabolical expression in any animal’s countenance as there was upon that buffalo’s.  A lion is, I should say, a gentleman and a man of honor compared to such an evil-disposed ruffian.”

“Well, Major, you have only to let them alone; recollect, you were the aggressor,” said Swinton, laughing.

“Very true; I never wish to see one again.”

“And I never wish to be in the way of a hippopotamus again, I can assure you,” said Alexander, “for a greater want of politeness I never met with.”

During this conversation the Hottentots and Bushmen at the other fires had not been idle.  The Hottentots had fried and eaten, and fried and eaten, till they could hold no more; and the Bushmen, who in the morning looked as thin and meager as if they had not had a meal for a month, were now so stuffed that they could hardly walk, and their lean stomachs were distended as round as balls.  The Bushman who had been tossed by the buffalo came up and asked for a little tobacco, at the same time smiling and patting his stomach, which was distended to a most extraordinary size.

“Yes, let us give them some,” said Alexander; “it will complete their day’s happiness.  Did you ever see a fellow so stuffed?  I wonder he does not burst.”