American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-12-07
VOLUME 2.
A Bufalo-Tiger Story.

"Ono very hot day, shouldering his
chronological net, and with his bottle OF
cyanide of potassium in his pocket for
the purpose of killing his specimens, he
had succeeded in taking several species
of moths and beetles, when, suddenly
emerging on an open space, gigantic
female buffalo charged right down upon
him. Quick az lightning the narrator
sprang up tree which fortunately hap
peped to be near, and almost before he
had comfortably settled down upon one
of the branches buffalo calf appeared
nnop the scene, and both mother and
offspring sat down at the foot Of the tree
directly under his position. IN order to
attract the attention of his friends, who
were in the neighborhood, or ofany native
who might happen to be near, he shout
ed until he was hoarse. Ever and anon,
by way of variation, with the vain hope
of frightening away the buffalo, he awak-
ened the EXTREMIST echoes Of the jungle
with his yells, and perpetrated the most
hidcous noises ever produced by the hui
man voice.
All was of no avail; no friendly hand
came to aid him. and the brute still lay
placidly licking and caressing its calf.
He was about to assume n standing attl-
tude in the tree, when suddenly his left
hand. with which he had seized branch
above his head was severely stung or bit
ten by some insect or animal Starting
with the acute pain as the fear OF whip
or tree snakes flashed through his mind,
he involuntarily Tossed his hold of the
bough, apd thus deprived of support, he
lost his balance and fell from his place OF
refuge. He dropped on the buffalo's back,
and in another instant was carried away
at a tremendous pace through the long
thick grass of the jungle 1t was diff
cult matter to keep his seat, when all at
once the buffalo sprang into large tank,
and he was immersed up to his neck in
water Unable to swim, he was obliged
to cling to the brute, which for time
swan round and round the pool at her
pleasure. He only hoped his legs would
not be seized by one Of the alligators, OF
which he hal seen several in the water
during the day. Then, to his infinite
horror, a singing sensation in his leg
made him feel sure he had again been
bitten by another kind of serpent. And
still the buffalo showed no signs OF re-
turning towards the land, when just as
he thought she was preparing toiic down,
he dug his heels into her side and deliv-
cred random blows with his fists on her
head and neck Then, striking out for
land, the brute speedily reached the
shore, on gaining which she commenced
her mad gallVp. a few minutes brought
shem to the spot from which the animal
had started, where the cali was still stand
my.
Ihe animal was preparing to lie down,
when seizing the branches o1 the tree
from which he had ialien ON The brute
neck, he swung himself up in his old
IL Ia,
very long there when the smarting IN has
hand and legs caused him to remember
that he had been bitten by sna,es, The
very idea of this, and the knowledge that
one Of those venomous reptiles was in the
tree on which he was perched, caused a
deadly faintness, from which it was some
time before he rallied.
Alternately taipting and reviying, hour
after hour passed away, night darkened
down upon the jungle, and the buffalo
still kept watch aud ward at the foot of
the tree. At length, at an advanced hour
of the night, he suddenly became con-
scious that struggle was going on be-
&een the buffalo and some large wild
animal, which he judged to be tiger.
The growing of the latter he continues,
the groans of the buffalo, the noise of
their struggles, and the ncessant bleat-
ing of the calf, combined in producing a
series of sounds, which, in the darkness
of night appeared worthy of the inhabi-
tants of Pandemonium. For full five
minutes, which appeared hours to me,
the dreadful struggle continued, until at
length groans of the buffalo subsidized into
a series of convulsive grasps and snorts.
and the sounds of struggling on the ground
almost ceased. | could, however, hear
the tiger growing. snarling, and splitting
like an immense cat OF course descent
was now quite out of the question. l
therefore determined to remain where l
was until daylight, if did not die from
the effects of thesnake bites before morn
ing appeared So strong was the inter
I I;..aro1 a, 4 ad ms.