shouting:

"They come! They come! Charge, buffalo folk, if you will. The
Eater-up-of-Elephants awaits you!"

"You etceterad old fool!" I shouted, but got no farther, for just at
this moment the first of the buffalo, which I could see was an enormous
bull, probably the leader of the herd, accepted Umbezi's invitation and
came, with its nose stuck straight out in front of it. Umbezi's gun
went off, and next instant he went up. Through the smoke I saw his
black bulk in the air, and then heard it alight with a thud on the top
of the rock behind which I was crouching.

"Exit Umbezi," I said to myself, and by way of a requiem let the bull
which had hoisted him, as I thought to heaven, have an ounce of lead in
the ribs as it passed me. After that I did not fire any more, for it
occurred to me that it was as well not to further advertise my presence.

In all my hunting experience I cannot remember ever seeing such a sight
as that which followed. Out of the vlei rushed the buffalo by dozens,
every one of them making remarks in its own language as it came. They
jammed in the narrow roadway, they leapt on to each other's backs. They
squealed, they kicked, they bellowed. They charged my friendly rock
till I felt it shake. They knocked over Scowl's mimosa thorn, and would
have shot him out of his eagle's nest had not its flat top fortunately
caught in that of another and less accessible tree. And with them came
clouds of pungent smoke, mixed with bits of burning reed and puffs of
hot air.

It was over at last. With the exception of some calves, which had been