The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-05-12

1
the latter caused the involuntary ride
to turn as perfect back summerset a
was ever Witnessed; and as he role
over it's tail, he actually fell upon hi
net, where he staggered con,usedl
about for q second, and tumbled to tn
| ground, his faculties having been daze
by his severe handling.
| By this time the bull had got enoug
of charging upon vacancy, and wheeling
about with q readiness surprising il
such bulky creature, it came for tn
native again. whose mind was quick
cleared by the sight of that immens
front bearing down upon him.
| Directly above him was the stump o
the limb that had been snapped of b.
his weight, and although the jump wa
such as few athletes would have at
tempted, yet the Kaffir, seeing that i
was his only hope, gathered himself an!
by an almost superhuman effort succeed
ed, catching it with one hand, and quick
ly drawing his body up out of reach o
the most gigantic buffalo that eve
tramped the forests.
This secured his safety, and effectually
ruled him out Of the business, as his gur
was upon the ground, and all he coult
do was to sit astride the limb and watcl
the performances below.
The second Kaffir was prudent enough
to keep in the background. He had ap
preached nigh enough to learn what was
going on, which he concluded was az
near as was justifable, when he selected
his tree and deliberately climbed to the
very top, taking his gun with him, and
fully decided, III case the buffalo offered
him chance, to Jet 1t have the contents
This the brute was not likely to do, and
80 this gentleman remained perched alott
through the entire proceedings that fol
lowed.
/ The bull, finding itself without foe
to Charge upon, dashed into the under
growth, where the crashing suddenly
ceased, much to the surprise OF Captain
Drum, who was lying fiat upon the
The wood at this place was so dense
that it was impossible to see any dis.
tance with distinctness, and he there.
fore reserved his fire untilhe could make
certain; for he had already received a
taste of the consequences Of throwing
away charge. He caught glimpses ol
the nuge body tumbling and plunging
through the shrubbery, but it was mel
satisfactory.
"That must mean it has stopped rum
ning," muttered the captain, as he no.
ticed the cessation in the racket; "and
why should it stop unless it was because
it was mortally wounded by my first
'shotW
This seemed a reasonable proposition.
and yet there was enough doubt Of its
being c2frect to compel the hunter to be
very careful in his movements.
In crouching position, he stole noise
lessly forward, until he judged he was
near the spot; but upon pausing and
looking around, he could see nothing OF
his game.
A little distance further, however, he
deserted the buffalo standing as motion.
less as o statue, head down, and side
toward him. The sagacious animal
knewit had an enemy somewhere in the
aud was listening, Gas still
as mousse" with the hope OF detecting
his whereabouts. s'l
Had the captain betrayed his presence
by the least noise, he would have had
the infuriated old fellow down upon him
in all instant; but fortunately the latter
had not made his presence known.
AS the officer looked upon the animal,
he saw that it was wounded, the blood
down its dark 'front.',
Once The buffalo turned its head and
looked nearly in the direction OF the
crouching Drum, whose heart gave a
great bound as he suspected he had been
detected by the enraged bull.
But the latter did nOts him, although
the animal kept its gaze fixed for min
ute or two, in that direction, during
which the sportsman saw the large eyes
from the blood which flowed in
TO and over them, and dropped upon the
leaves beneath.
The bull was as formidable beast as
could be imagined, and yet the hunter
made up his mind that if he meant to
try his skill upon it, he could have no
better opportunity than the present.
Accordingly he brought his gun round
to the front, and without removing his
gaze stealthily raised the hammer aud
sighted the beast.
Some slight disturbance must have
been made, Tor at that moment the bull
"winded" him, and wheeling its fore
quarters around, came down upon him
with all the vim and fury that can be
imagined; but for ell this, the captain
had a Ialr view Of the head, and could
not have wished a better target as be
pulled trigger.
He knew, too, that it. struck the ami
NAL, although it failed to check the
beasts terrific momentum, and the cap
vain oSA "hDAOA w LAO A0Ct, uuu IudAlt u
desperate effort to. crouch behind some
bushes, out Of sight, in the hope that the
creature would pass him; but despite the
blood, and the lead that it al
ready carried in its head, it saw its man,
and was not to be diverted.
Captain Drum was still struggling for.
ward, when the animal struck him with
its lowered head. The blow was "cor-
nering"-that is, not square and direct
but such as twas, it thre W him headiong
upon his face, partly stunned and badly
but his senses did not desert
him, and well aware that the brute
would be upon him before be could get
out of the way, he lay perfectly motion
less.
Returning instantly, with half grunt
and halt below, tie animal pushed its
nose beneath the body of the man for the
purpose OF tossing him in the air; but
this was what the stricken hunter was
expecting, and he had only to lie still in
the same way to prevent 1t. And thus
he lay, with his face fiat upon the earth,
rigidiy resisting that bloody snOut pok.
ing his ribs, ana almost turning him over
upon his back.
The captain was wondering why the
Kaftirs did not come to his assistance,
when there was an instantaneous crash,
and it seemed TO him that tree OF the
forest had fallen across his back. He
strove to free himself, but the weight
was like that OF mountain; and while
still struggling, his consciousness de-