FIRST BUFFALOES SEEN. 99 to be obtained by digging, unless a small quantity appears above the level of the bed. I do not think that during the dry season it flows even far up in Abyssinia, although the water there, no doubt, appears more frequently on the surface.

The country improved in appearance as we travelled on, and gave more promise of game ; there were not nearly so many d/ioum-p3.\ms, and the trees fringing the river's bank were often of an immense size and in full leaf, affording the most perfect shade ; then, again, these trees would disappear for a time, and give place to acres of very high, thick grass. On Feb. 4, while on the march, we saw our first buffaloes; we came upon them suddenly while riding in the river's bed. They were in the tall grass, and the first intimation we received of their whereabouts was hearing a great stampede as they rushed out into the river's bed and across to the other side, where they again disappeared into thick covert. There were three of them, and Aylmer and my brother William started in pursuit. They had not been gone for more than an hour when we saw a fine bull buffalo cross over about two hundred yards in front of us. Two of our party eagerly started after him, and one of them got a snap shot in very thick covert at about seventy yards ; he went crashing through the jungle, and, though they followed his footprints for some distance, they saw no more of him. The others were not so fortunate as to see any-thing of their buffaloes, though they only gave up the chase when twilight made it necessary to seek the camp.

Probably the single bull that was fired at was one of the three buffaloes we had seen crossing the river's bed together. The same day I killed a poisonous snake about four feet long : this was the first we had seen. We never came across any tree-snakes : the previous winter, we had found them not uncommon, and the natives declared them to be very venomous,