its horns, with its muzzle lifted high. It showed no alarm for these
were Park animals, almost as tame as domestic cattle.
Gradually the rest of the herd emerged from the tall grass. Each in
turn scrutinized the vehicle and then resumed feeding once more. There
were forty-three of them, as Sam had predicted, and amongst them were
some fine old bulls standing five and a half feet tall at the shoulder
and weighing little less than 2000 lb. Their horns were massively
bossed, meeting in the centre of the head and curving downwards and up
to blunt points, with a rugged surface that became polished black at the
tips.
Crawling over their heavy trunks and thick short legs were numbers of
ox-peckers, dull-plumaged birds with scarlet beaks and bright beady
eyes. Sometimes head down they scavenged for the ticks and other
blood-sucking body vermin in the folds of skin between the limbs.
Occasionally one of the huge beasts would snort and leap, shaking and
swishing its tail, as a sharp beak pried into a delicate portion of its
anatomy, under the tail or around the heavy dangling black scrotum. The
birds fluttered up with hissing cries, waited for the buffalo to calm
down and then settled again to their scurrying and searching.
David photographed the herd until the light failed, and they drove home
in the dark.
Before dinner David opened a bottle of wine and they drank it together
on the stoop, sitting close and listening to the night sounds of the
bush, the cries of the night birds, the tap of flying insects against
the wire screen and the other secret scurrying and rustling of small
animals.
Do you remember once I told you that you were spoiled, and not very good
marriage material? Debra asked softly, nestling her dark head against
his shoulder.
I'll never forget it. I'd like to withdraw that remark ron-nally, she
went on, and he moved her gently away so that he could study her face.
Sensing his eyes upon her she smiled, that shy little smile of hers. I
fell in love with a little boy, a spoiled little boy, who thought only
of fast cars and the nearest skirt, she said, but now I have a man, a
grown man, she smiled again, and I like it better this way He drew her
back to him and kissed her, their lips melded in a lingering embrace
before she sighed happily and laid her head back upon his shoulder. They
were silent for a while before Debra spoke again.
These wild animals, that mean so much to you Yes?' he encouraged her.
I am beginning to understand. Although I have never seen them, they are
becoming important to me also I'm glad. David, this place of ours, it's
so peaceful, so perfect.
It's a little Eden before the fall. We will make it so, he promised,
but in the night the gunfire woke him. He rose quickly, leaving her
lying warm and quietly sleeping, and he went out on the stoop.
It came again, faintly on the still night, distance muting it to a small
unwarlike popping. He felt his anger stirring again, as he imagined the
long white shaft of the killing lamp, questing relentlessly through the
forest until it settled suddenly upon the puzzled animal, holding it
mesmerized in the beam, the blinded eyes glowing like jewels, making a
