The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-02-17
THE FIERCE BUFFALO
HE is MORE THAN A MATCH FOR THE
KING OF BEASTS.

Kill an Elephant.
The bulls of all the species of the
genus hos are savage and dangerous
at times. The Romans knew no bet
Ter sport than to see powerful bull
Of the common domestic species toss
lion unless it was to see him toss a
man, and bullfghts are still the most
loved diversion in all Spanish and
Spanish countries. The Amer
lean bison used to be fine fighter, the
only Indigenous animal which could
whip him being the grizzly bear. But
unquestionably the fiercest and most
formidable gladiators of this genus are
the buffaloes of Asia and Africa.
Experience has taught the lions of
Africa discretion, and they never hunt
the buffalo singly, but always in pairs
or companies. The buffalo is far larger
and more powerful than the lion, and
one good toss of his long, sharp, pow
erful horns, which frequently exceed
twelve feet from tip to tip, is usually
enough to kill the so called king of
beasts" In fact one buffalo is almost
a match for two lions. Once when Sir
Samuel w. Baker was hunting in Afri-
ca he found the dislocated skeleton OF
a buffalo lying intermixed with the
broken bones of lion. He concluded
from appearances that two lions had
attacked one buffalo and that the buff
falo had killed one of them, but had
finally. succumbed to the other. Major
Vardon> and Mr.. Oswell once saw
buffalo bull carry on successfully a
fight against three lions until he sud
denly dropped dead from the effects of
a wound which Major Vardon had pre-
viously given him.
The Asiatic buffalo is smaller and
less muscular than his African cousin,
but he has his full share of prowess.
He is more than a match for the tiger,
which declines the combat unless urged
to it by hunger. Even the domestic
bull buffalo usually will whip the tiger.
The Indian driver Of pair of large
buffalo bulls plunges unhesitatingly
into the darkest and most tangled for
est, aware that the tiger probably will
not attack him when thus accompanied
and that even if it should his team
would make short work of the fero-
cious beast with their massive horns.
1t is said the buffalo sometimes kills
even the elephant, its mode of attack
being to thrust it's horns into the ele-
plants belly. This may happen some
ht,t har d1ryt ok 1ll1an nftpn
as the great weight and strength of the
elephant make it when enraged foe
which neither the buffalo nor any 9th
err animal can withstand. Buffalo fights
and fights between buffaloes and tigers
are main features in the entertain
ments of Indian princes.
Most species of wild animals usually
get along pretty well among them
selves, but fights between buffalo bulls
are frequent and deadly. The victor in
such contests always rancorously pur-
sues the flying vanquished and tries to
hook him in the rear Sir Samuel w.
Baker once came upon pair of old
bulls which, while fighting, had got
their horns interlocked so they could
not get loose. Having "a rifle of great
effectiveness, he killed them both at one
shot
The buffalo is not only one Of the
most redoubtable of fighters, but is al
so the most ruthless and ferocious,
whether its antagonist be man or some
other animal MANY, animals charge
when Infatuated" says Sir Samuel w.
Baker,, "but they can generally be
turned by the stunning effect of a ri
fie shot, even though they may be
mortally wounded. but a buffalo is a
devil incarnate when it has once de-
cided ON the offensive. Nothing viii
turn it. If not killed it will assuredly
destroy its adversary. There is no
creature in existence that is so deter
mined to stamp out the life of its OPP
ponent. Should it succeed in over
throwing its antagonist it will not only
gore the body with, its horns, but it
will endeavor to tear it to pieces and
will stand upon its lifeless form and
stamp it with his .hoofs until the mu-
tilated remains are .disigured beyond
all recognition" 1t is this ferocity of
the buffalo which makes buffalo hunt
ing so exciting and so perilous sport.
Experienced hunters are always care
full not to stand in front of a buffalo
which has been felledl by bullet and
is apparently dead, for after every sign
of life is gone it may spring to its feet
and deal destruction in every direction.
Baron Harnier, a Prussian, shot. buff
falo on the White Nile several years
ago. His native servant had just tax
en- position near the head of the ami
NAL, which was apparently dead, when
it sprang to its feet and knocked the
man headlong. Baron Harniers rifle
being unloaded, lie courageously club
bed the weapon and tried to drive the
buffalo off. The animal turned furi-
eusly upon him and stamped and gored
him to death. The missionaries who
found his body also found the carcass
of the buffalo lying near it, and a little
farther away was the body of his