Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-10-15
lHUNTERIN EXTREME PERIL.

Il
chase from his youth. In 1907, he was oil
a trapping expedition, with two companions,
on the Washita when they left him TO kill
buffalo, and the larger game, and he re-
NAMED TO trap the streams for beaver. He
had not met with very good success, and
had been without meat for about twenty-four
hours, when, turning small bend in the
river, he espied noble looking old male
buffalo lying down on the beach. Having
secured his canoe, he crept very softly to-
wards him through a cane brake, which lay
between the animal and himself, aud fired.
The shot was an Indifferent one, and only
wounded the animal in the side, bat il
reused him, and having crossed the river,
he soon laid down again. This was about
noon, when the animal having grazed, was
resting himself in a cool place. Percival
now crossed the river in bis canoe, and got
into the woods, which were there very open
aud somewhat broken by little patches oil
prairie land, very frequent occurrence in
these parts Of Arkansas, where forest aud
pruirie often seem 20 be coniendng for the
mastery. But the bull, being suspicious,
rose before tho hunter came near enough
10 him, and took TO the open woods. Per-
cival was an experienced bunter; he had
killed several hundred buffaloes, and knew
their temper in every sort of situation. He
knew that the animal, when IN large herds,
was easily mastered, and was well aware
that when alone he was sometimes logged,
and even dangerous he, therefore, followed
his prey cautiously for about mile, know
ing that he would lie down again ere long.
The buffalo now stopped, and P@rciv Il got
within fifty yards of hun, watching an oppoT-
tunity to strike him mortlIiy; but the beast
seeing his enemy so near, wheeled com
plctcly round, put his huge shaggy head
close to the ground before his fore feet, as
is the custom when they attack each Other,
and rap dly advanced upon the hunter, who
Instantly fired, aud put his BAH through the
bulbs nose but seeing the temper he was
in, and knowing what a serious antagon ST
he was when on the offensive, he also, i'm
medialey turned and fed.
In running down short hill, some brIars
threw hm down, aud he dIePped bis gum
TneIe was a tree not tar fom hun OF about
eighteen inches in diameter, aud every thug
seemed to depend upen his reaching 1t; bui,
as he rose To make push for it, the buffalo
struck him on the fieshy part of the hip With
his horn and slightly wounded him. Be
fore, however, the belst could wheel rounG
sIpon him again. he gained the tree, upon
which all the chance OF preserving IS Il
rested A very few feet from this tree greH
a sIphng, about four or five inches in diam
eIer, most fortunate cigcums ance for tho
hunter, as i contributed materially to save
his life. The butfIlo now doggedy follow
ing TIP his purpose Of desroyjn. his adver
slry, and system of attack and defence
commenced that, perhaps, is without par
aIIel. The buffllo went round aad rouuC
the tree pursuing the mn, jumping al h.H
in the peculiar manner of that AL. IN j, eve =
lime he ,hought there was chance of hlt
ting han; whilst Parcival, grasp ny the tret
with his arms, flung himself round it witt
greater rapidly than the animal coald fl
low him. In this manner the buf 10 hdr
raised him more than f0tr hours, until h.:
hands became SO sore with rubbing ag ius
the rough bark of the oak tree, and bis limbs
SO firySed. that he began to be d sheart.
ened. In going round the tree the bufllo
would sometimes pass between il ard the
saplng; but the distance between then
was so narrow. that it Inconvenience him
especially uhcn he waited to make nj:
Jumps he therefore frequently went rounC
The saplng instead of going inside of it
The time thus consumed was precious tt
Pcrcival-it enabled him to breathe, anC
10 consider how he should defend himself.
After so many hours fruitless labor, the
bull seemed TO have lost his pristine vigor
and became slower in his motiens. H'
would nov make his short start preparation
to his Jump, only at iltervals, and even ther
he jumped doubtingly, as if he saw tina
Perciyal would avoid his blow By swinging
TO the other side. 1t was evident he wa
batfied. aud was considering what he Should
do. Still continuing in his course rogaC
tbc tree, but in this slow manner, he al las
made an extraordinary feint, that does no
nor TO the reasoning powers of the buffalo
family, He made his little start as usual
and when Percival swung himself round
the bull, instead of aiming his blow 10 I'd,
direction he had been accustomed TO do
suddenly turned 10 the side where Perciva
would be brought when he had swung him
self round. and struck with all his might
The fent almost ucceeded-Perclvdl onl,
Just saved his head, receiving severe con
fusion on his arm which was paralyzed 70
an instant. lie now began to despair o
saving his life his limbs trembled nnde
him; he thought the buffalo would wea
him out, and 1t was so nexpress,bly painful
TO him TO carry on this singular defence
that at he at one time entertained the idea
Of leaving the tree, and permitting the ami
nal to destroy him, as a mode of saving
himself from pain anxiety that were iaioler'
able
Bat the buffllo just at that time giving de-
c'ded symptoms of being as tired as himself
now stopped for a few minutes, and Percva
look courage. Remembering that he had
his butchers knife in his breast. he took il
out and began to contrive pl,ns of defence
aud when the bull having rested awhile
recommended his old rounds. Percival
took advantage of the slowEess Of his mo-
lions, aud using grea, deal of ACTRESS ana
management, contriyed in the course Of nal
an hour, TO cut and stab BIN in a dozen
different places. The animal now became
weak from the loss of blood, and althouh he