Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-21
Animal Stories.


hunter in South Africa tells the
following story of an adventure with
buffalo: Il was in the act of descend
ing the bank when Prinsloo, Dutch
hunter, who was lower down the slope
saw the dark outline of the buffalo
standing ut bay behind the screen OF
reeds. Next instant. seeing it about to
charge, he shouted, Daar kom hlJ
("There he ccmesO, and fired, rather at
random, l am afraid. Then, rushing
down the path by which he had adj
yanced. he threw himself headlOng into
the reeds on the left. This all happened
i'm a few moments, but l had sufficient
time to raise my rifle to my shoulder
and fire as the enraSed bull rushed
straight at me through the reeds with
nose thrown forward and horns back.
AS fired | endeavore1 to jump aside TO
escape the charge, but my feet got en-
tangled in the matted grass and l fell
on my back, luckily, however, retaining
my hold on the stock OF my rifle. MY
first shot seemed to check him Tor
moment but the next he was rushing
up the slope at me. [ shall never for
get the look in his fierce eyes. 1t was
but q moments work to draw back the
bolt Of my MauScr and to close 1T
again, thus pushing another cartridge
into the breech. l had no time to raise
the rifle to my shoulder. There was
barely time, just before he was within
striking distance, to Full the trigger,
with the stock under my arlnpit, While
| lay OH my back on the top of the STOP
ing ground. Without 50 much as a
~roan he fell in his tracks and rolled
over into the muddy water two yards
below with great splash, shot through
the BRAIN"
In the arid northwest regions of Cape
Colony. in the huge district known OF
old as Bushmanland, myriads OF
springbucks still trek periodically from
wild to wild of this little known Veldt.
In July, 1896, Mr.. Cronwright-Schr
cr Travelled nOrthwaru toward the
Orange river specially to witness an
immense trckbollkcn-plo bably one OF
the last of the mgrations on the grand
scale OF these prolific antclopes. In the
district of Iricsla alone at that time,
says the writer, hundreds of thousands
of springbucks had been shot, amt
nearly as many wounded, and the little
kids were dying in thousands; vet
there was no apprcciablc diminution Ill
their numbers" The whole country
was laid waste by this mighty stream
of antelopes. From one point OF view
alone the number of springbucks in
sight. moving over the plain. was cs-
timated by Cronwright Schrciner ami
other competent judges at not less than
SOC, 900 head.
Sir Harry Johnston, the English OK
plorcr, once Travelled Oh Il ship with Il
pet ape. 1t was Il great favorite with
all the passengers until there came
aboard at Madeira a lady with an in
FAINT. The latter received Il good deal
of attention and the ape in consequence
became neglected and jealous. Sir
Harry Johnston followed it OH deck one
day Just in time to prevent tragedy.
The child had been left unguarded for
q moment in it's cradle. The ape had
made for it. pulled it from the cradle
and was in the act of throwing it over
board when the traveller bounced upon
it Says Sir Harry: 1T would GER
tainly have hurled it into the sea had
not my arrival caused the guilty ape to
drop the child on the deck and scramble
away" The ape was relegatcd to a
strong iron cage for the rest of that
voyage.