"Revelie" 
Oil on Panel 16”x20”
SOLD

     As the day dawns, the air is thin and cool, the smell from last night’s fire on the blackened logs still hangs in the air. Suddenly the silence is broken as an angry cape buffalo charges into the unsuspecting safari camp, dragging one of the tents in the wake of it’s furry. The shape of the cot, perhaps supporting a sleeping hunter, can be seen in the collapsed tent.
The year is 1910, the place is British East Africa (later Kenya). The cape buffalo is known for its unpredictable behavior – seemingly in need of constant anger management - so we do not know what caused this buffalo to make this impromptu visit.
     It was often customary in these times for a bugle to be sounded when raising the tents at camp. Then when the camp was being dismantled, another bugle note would be played to signal the lowering of the tents. In this case, the camp had a rude awakening as it was treated to the unexpected “Reveille” in the form of a rampaging buffalo.