第34章
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  Iimmediatelydashedintothemonhorseback,accompaniedbyLieutenantBaker,ColonelAbd-el-Kader,andMonsoor,followedbythetroops。Thecattle,seeingtheredshirtsofthe”FortyThieves,”hadgoneoffinaregularstampedethroughtheforest;thisprecipitateflighthadbeenquickenedbythereportoftherifles。Itwasdifficultworktomanagetheherdwithonlyfourhorses。NoonewhohasnothuntedAfrican,andespeciallyBaricattle,canhaveanideaoftheactivityoftheseanimals。Theygoalongatatremendouspace,andneverappeartogetblown:thuswewerespurringhardthroughtheforestinordertoovertaketheherd,whentomygreatsatisfactionwearrivedatthebroadbednearlydryoftheBelinianriver。Thischeckedthepace,andwereinedupourhorses,andquietlywaitedforthetroops,whowereexcellentrunners。

  Afewmenof”TheForty”werethefirstup,andwemanagedtodrivethecattleacrosstheriverontotheopenplain。Hardlyhadwearrivedonthelevelground,whentheystartedoffinanotherstampede,andkeptusgoingforaboutthreemiles,asthoughwewerefollowinghounds。

  Withahorseoneachflankandintherearoftheherdweatlengthmanagedtocontroltheirmovements。Fortunatelywehadbeenrunningtowardsourcamp。

  Aherdofcattlegenerallydependsuponafewofitsmembers,whichareusuallyfollowedbytheothers。Uponthisoccasionthereweretwocowsthatappearedtodirecttheirmovements。Thesewildcreaturesrefusedtoenterourcattlekraaluponarrivalatthecamp,whenthetroops,havingseenourapproach,cameouttorenderassistance。Withskilfulmanagementtheherdwassecuredwithinthekraal,withtheexceptionofthetwoundisciplinedcows,whichstartedoffatfullspeedalongtheplain,followedbyAbd-el-Kaderandmyself。Ablackandwhitecowwasexceedinglyvicious,andbeinghardpressedforaboutaquarterofamile,sheturnedtobayontheopenplain。Iwasridingmybesthorse,named”ThePig,”whowasverypowerfulandfast,andunderstoodcattle-drivingthoroughly。”ThePig,”accordinglyavoidedthechargeoftheinfuriatedcow,whichdashedathimlikeawildbuffalo。I

  immediatelyshotherintheshoulderwitharevolver,whichhadnoothereffectthantoturnhertowardsColonelAbd-el-Kader,whowasridingalarge,clumsychestnutcalled”Jamoos”thebuffalo。Thishorseremainedperfectlystillwhenthecowrushedathim,andAbd-ed-Kaderinsteadoffiringhisrifle,receivedthechargefulluponhisleftleg,intowhichthecowdrovehersharphorn,makingaseriouswoundnearlythroughthecalf。Ithenshotthecowthroughthehead,butAbd-el-Kaderwasingreatpainandquitedisabled。

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