About
three o'clock in the afternoon
These immense troops frequently oppose an impassable barrier to the trains , for they cross the track in close array in thousands and thousands , occupying several hours in their passage . On these occasions the train is brought to a standstill and obliged to wait till the track is clear . In fact , an incident of this kind happened on this occasion . About three o'clock in the afternoon a troop of ten or twelve thousand beasts blocked the line . The engineer slackened speed and tried to proceed slowly , but he could not pass the mass of buffaloes . The passengers could see the buffaloes defiling quietly across the track , and now and then bellowing loudly . They were larger than European bulls , the head and shoulders being covered with a long mane , beneath which rises a hump ; the legs and tails are short .