The buffaloes are as it were the marshmans lifeline and they are cherished accordingly At each dawn the buffaloes who have been sleeping on the buffalo platform or quite frequently round the fire with their owners leave infinitely slowly and wearily their wallowing progress continually punctuated with despairing groans for the distant reed beds beyond the open water For a long time they stand on the edge of the platform groaning to each other of the infinite fatigue of the coming day until at last the leader takes a ponderous pace forward and subsides into the water