The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1844-11-11
A HUNTER IN EXTREME PERIL.

The most interesting hunters story that have ev-
CT heard was told mo by oar host, SIr Perolyal who
has followed the forest chase from his youth In Is
OF, he was on trapping expedition, with two
pnnions, on the Wnshia, when they eIt him TO kill
buffalo, bear, and the larger game, and he remained
10 trap the streams for beaver lie had me, with
very good success, uid had been without meat for
about twenty -four hours, when, turning smallbend
Of the river, he espied noble looking old male buffalo
lying down on tho beach Having secured his ca
noe, he crept softly through act brake, which lay
between the animal and himself, and fired The sho,
was an indifferent one, and only wounded the animal
in tho side, but it reused him. aud having crossed tho
river he soon laid down. This was about noon,
when the animal, having again grazed, resting
himself in cool place. Percival now crossed the
river IN his canoe, and got into the woods, which
&rTe i'-re veTy open and sofneNgh, broken by Tho
Little patches of prairie land, very frequent occur
renee in these parts of Arkansas, where forest and
prairie seem con,cnding for the mystery. Bot the
bull, being suspicious, rose before the hpper came
near enough to him, and took TO the green woods.
Percivnl an experienced hunter; he had killed
several hundred buTaloes and knew their tompes in
every sor, Of situation. lie knew that the animal,
whom in large herds, was easily mastered s. was well
aware that when alone he was sometimes logged
and even dangerous, he, therefore, followed his prey
cautiously for about n mile, knowing that he would
lilo down again ere long. The buffalo now stopped,
and Percva got within fifty yards of him, watching
I'M opportunity 10 strike him MORALLY; but the beast,
seeing his enemy sc near wheeled completely round
put his huge shaggy head close to the ground before
his fore feet, is their custom when they attack
each other, and rapidly advanced upon tho hunter,
who instantly fired. and put his bah through the
bulls nose; but seeing the temper he in, and
knowing what serious antagonist he when
the offensive he, also, Immediately turned and fed.
In running down n short hill, briars threw him
down, and he dropped his gun. There was tree
not far 'iom him Of about eighteen inches in dame
ter and every thing seemed TO depend upon his reach
ing ii; but, he to mako push for it, the bua
10 struck him on the Heshy part Of the hip with his
horn, and slightly wounded him. Rn(oer, however,
the beast could wheel round upon him again. he gain
ed the tree, upon which all the chance he had Of pre-
serving his life rested. very few feet from this
tree grew supling about four five inches in diam
eter, most fortunate circumstance for the hunter
i, contributed materiallyto his life. The buff
rulo doggedly followed up his purpose of destroy
ing his adversary, and system of attack and defence
buffalo went round and round the tree in pursuing
the man, jumping at him in the peculiar nurner Of
that animal, every time he thought there chance
ofhttng him, whilst PercivuI, grasping the tree with
his arms. flung himself round the tree with greater
rapidty than tho animal could follow him. In this
manner the buffalo harrassed him more than four
hours, until his hands became by rubbing
ganst the roughbark of the oak tree, and his limbs
so fatigued, that he began to be disheutened.
In going round the tree the buffalo would some
times pass between it and the sapling; but tho dis
lance between them was so that it inconven-
onced him, especially when he wanted TO make his
Jumps he, therefore, round the sapling instead
of going inside of it p The time thus consumed was
precious to Percival--t enabled him to breathe, and
consider how he should defend himself o.. " ,-'H d.
After many hours Of fruitless labor, tho bull
seemed to have lost his pristine vigcr, and became
slower in his motions lie would now make his
short starts, preparatory to his jump, only at intervals,
and, even then he Jumped doubtngly, asif he saw
that Perciyal would avoid his blow by swinging TO tho
other side. II was oyden; he was bafled. and was
considering what he should do. Still continuing in 4
his course round, the tree but in this SLOW manner
he ut length made an extraordinary fent, that does
honor TO the reasoning powers Of the buffalo family: