The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-08-01
BvrH. RIDER FIAGGARD.
AUTHOR Of She, "King Solonom's Mines, Etc.

got through it.
AS it was, Gobo. who carried my
eight bore rifle tfor had the $40 ex'
press in my hand), and the other two
men whom I had taken with me
showed the very strongest dislike to
going any farther, pointing out that
there was mo room to run away"
] told them that they need not come
unless they liked, but that I was Ger.
tainly going on. and then, growing
ashamed, they came.
Another fifty yards, and the trail
opened into little glade.
knelt down and peeped and peered,
but no buffalo could see.
! Evidently the herd had broken up
here-l knew that from the spoor-and
penetrated the opposite bush in little
troops.
| I crossed the glade, and choosing one
line OF spoor followed it for some sixty
yards, when it became clear to nae
that I was surrounded by buffalo, and
yet so dense was the cover that could
not sec one.
A few yards to my left could hear
one rubbing it's horns against a tree,
while from my right came an occa-
sional low, throaty grunt which told
me that I was uncomfortabIy near on
old bull.
/ crept on toward him with my heart
in my mouth, as gently as though 1
were walking upon eggs for bet, lift
ing every little, bit of wood in my path
and placing it behind me, lest it should
crack and warn the game.
u, Behind me, in single file. came my
three retainers, and don't know which
of them looked the most frightened.
Presently Gobo touched my leg.
| l looked round, and saw him point
ing slantwise toward the left.
| I lifted my head little and peered
| over a mass of creepers.
Beyond the creepers was a dense
bush Of sharp-pointed aloes, Of that
kind of which the leaves project later
ally, and Oh the other side of the aloes,
not fifteen PAGES from us, ! made out
the horns, neck and the ridge Of the
back of a tremendous old bull.
1 took my eighth bore, and, getting
OH my knee, prepared to shoot him
through the neck, taking my chance
Of cutting his spine.
| had already covered him. as well
as the aloe leaves would allow, when
he gave kind Of sigh and lay down.
| I looked round in dismay.
| What was to be done now?
| I could not see to shoot him lying
down, even if my bullet would have
pierced the intervening aloes, which
was doubtful, and if ! stood up lie
would either run away or charge me-
l reflected, and came to the conclu-
sion that the only thing to do was to
lie down also, for I did not fancy wan
dering after other buffalo in that dense
bush.
II buffalo lies down il is clear that
| he must get up again some time; so
it was only case Of patience-"ight-
ing the fight of sit down." as the Zulus
say.
Accordingly I sat down and lighted a
pipe, thinking that the smell of it
might reach the buffalo ard make him
get up.
But the wind was the wrong way,
and it did not. so when it was done I
| lighted another.
Afterward had cause to regret that
pipe,
Wen we squatted like this for be-
tween half and three-quarters Of an
hour, till at last ] began to grow heart
| lily sick Of the performance.
1t was about as dull q business as
the last hour of comic opera.
| ] could hear buffalo snorting and
moving all round, and see the red
beaked tie birds flying up off their
backs with kind Of hiss something
like that of an English missel-thrusb,
but ] could not see single buffalo.
AS for my old bull, think he must
have slept the sleep of the just, for he
never even stirred.
Just as ] was making up my mind
that something must be done to save
the situation, my attention was at
tracted by curious grinding noise.
At first thought that it must be a
buffalo chewing the cud, but was
obliged TO abandon the idea because
| the noise was too loud.
| / shifted myself round and stared
through the cracks in the bush in the
direction whence the sound seemed to
come, and once ] thought that ! saw
| something gray moving about fifty
yards off, but could not make certain.
J Although the grinding noise still con-
| tinued, ] could see nothing more, SC
| ] gave up thinking about it, and once
again turned my attention to the buf-
| falo.
Presently. however something hap
/ pened
Suddenly from about forty yards
away there came a tremendous snort
ing sound more like that made by an
engine getting heavy train under
way than anything else in the world.
by Jover' ] thought, turning round
| in the direction from which the grind
ing sound had come, that must be a
rhinoceros, and he has got our wind"
! For, as you fellows know, there is
no mistaking the sound made by a
rhinoceros when he gets wind of you.
Another second and there was the
| most tremendous crashing noise.
| Before / could think what to do, be-