We Now Pushed Ahead, And At 5 P.M. We Arrived At The Spot On The Margin
Of The Settite River At Which We Were To Encamp For Some Time.
For many
miles on either side the river was fringed with dense groves of the
green nabbuk, but upon the east bank an island had been formed of about
three hundred acres.
This was a perfect oasis of verdure, covered with
large nabbuk trees, about thirty feet high, and forming a mixture of the
densest coverts, with small open glades of rich but low herbage. To
reach this island, upon which we were to encamp, it was necessary to
cross the arm of the river, that was now dry, with the exception of deep
pools, in one of which we perceived a large bull buffalo drinking, just
as we descended the hill. As this would be close to the larder, I
stalked to within ninety yards, and fired a Reilly No. 10 into his back,
as his head inclined to the water. For the moment he fell upon his
knees, but recovering immediately, he rushed up the steep bank of the
island, receiving the ball from my left-hand barrel between his
shoulders, and disappeared in the dense covert of green nabbuk on the
margin. As we were to camp within a few yards of the spot, he was close
to home; therefore, having crossed the river, we carefully followed the
blood tracks through the jungle. But, after having pushed our way for
about twenty paces through the dense covert, I came to the wise
conclusion that it was not the place for following a wounded buffalo,
and that we should find him dead on the next morning.
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