CHAPTER III.
Minneria Lake--Brush with a Bull--An Awkward Vis-a-vis--A Bright Thought--Bull Buffalo Receives his Small Change--What is Man ?--Long Shot with the Four-ounce--Charged by a Herd of Buffaloes--the Four-ounce does Service--The 'Lola'-- A Woman Killed by a Crocodile--Crocodile at Bolgodde Lake--A Monster Crocodile--Death of a Crocodile.
THE foregoing description may serve as an introduction to the hill sports of Ceylon.

One animal, however, yet remains to be described, who surpasses all others in dogged ferocity when once aroused.

This is the 'buffalo.' The haunts of this animal are in the hottest parts of Ceylon.

In the neighbourhood of lakes, swamps, and extensive plains, the buffalo exists in large herds; wallowing in the soft mire, and passing two-thirds of his time in the water itself, he may be almost termed amphibious.
He is about the size of a large ox, of immense bone and strength, very active, and his hide is almost free from hair, giving a disgusting appearance to his India-rubber-like skin.

He carries his head in a peculiar manner, the horns thrown back, and his nose projecting on a level with his forehead, thus securing himself from a front shot in a fatal part.