The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-03-15
THE FIERCE BUI 'FAL0
HE is MORE THAN A MATCH FOR THE
KING OF BEASTS.


XIII mn Elephant
The bulls of all the spec es Of the
genus bos are savage and dangerous
Mt times. The Romans knew no bet
ter sport than to see pON erfll bull
VI the common domestic spC les toss n
Hon unless it was TO see ! IN toss
man, and bullfghts are still the most
loved diversion in all Sp nlsh and
Spanlsh-American countries. rhe Amer
lean bison used TO be Il fine Ighter, the
only Indigenous animal w'Ch could
whip him being the grizzly bear. But
unquestionably the iiercest and most
formidable gladlators 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
enough to kill the so called liking of
beasts, In fact, one buffalo Is almost
match for two lions. Once when Sir
Samuel w. Baker was hunting in Afri-
ca he found the dislocated skeleton Of
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 a
buffalo bull carry on successfully
denly dropped dead from the effects Of
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 its horns into the ele-
plants belly. This may happen some
times, but can hardly take place often,
as the great weight and strength of the
elephant make it when enraged foe
which neither the buffalo nor any 9TH
er 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 bJ falo bulls
are frequent and deadly. The victor in
such contests always rancor nusly pur-
sues the flying vanquished end trles to
hook him in the rear. Sir lmuel w.
Baker once came upon pair Of old
bulls which, while fighting had got
their horns interlocked SO they could
not get loose. Having rife 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
the most ruthless and ferocious.
Rether its antagonist be man or some
Her animal. "Many animals charge
when infuriated," says Sir Samuel w.
Baker, "but they can generally be
turned by the.stunning effect of ri
lie shot even though they may be
mortally wounded, but buffalo is n
devil incarnate when it has once de-
cided on the offensive Nothing will
tIrn 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-
lllHteu TeludluS are ulSHSureu DeyOUu
all recognition" 1t is this ferocity of
the buffalo which makes buffalo hunt
ing SO exciting and so perilous a sport
Experienced hunters are always care
full not to stand in front of a buffalo
which has been felled by bullet and
is apparently dead, for after every sign
Of life is gone is may spring to its feet
and deal destruction in every direction.
Baron Harnier, Prussian, shot buf-
falo on the White Nile several years
ago. His native servant had just tax
en- a position near the head of the ami
NAL, which was apparently dead, when
1t sprang to its feet and knocked the
man headlong Baron Harnier's rife
being unloaded, he courageously club
led the weapon and tried to drive the
buffalo off, The animal turned furi-
ously 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
servant.
4. l.. n.