“Does he mean a gnoo?” said Alexander.
Omrah shook his head, and, raising his hands up, motioned that the animal was twice as big.
“Come here, Bremen; what print of a hoof is this?” said Swinton.
“Buffalo, sir,—fresh print—was here last night.”
“That’s an animal that I am anxious to slay,” said the Major.
“You must be very careful that he does not slay you,” replied Swinton; “for it is a most dangerous beast, almost as much so as a lion.”
“Well, we must not return without one, at all events,” said Alexander; “nor without a lion also, as soon as we can find one alone; but those we have seen in the daytime have always been in threes and fours, and I think the odds too great with our party; but the first single lion we fall in with, I vote we try for his skin.”
“Agreed,” replied the Major; “what do you say, Swinton?”
“Why, I say agreed also; but as I came here to look for other things rather than lions, I should say, as far as I am concerned, that the best part of valour would be discretion. However, depend upon it, if you go after a lion I shall be with you: I have often been at the destruction of them when with Dutch boors; but then recollect we have no horses to spare, and therefore we must not exactly follow their method.”
“How do they hunt the lions, then?” inquired Alexander.