The Press., 1905-02-22
8, CONN. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY &C. 1906 Vol ~ No. A.
THE FIERCE BUFFALO
HE IS MORE THAN A MATCH FOR THE
KING OF BEASTS.

Inc bulls of all the species of tn
genus bos are savage and dangerou
at times. The Romans knew no bet
ter sport than to see a powerful bul
OF the common domestic species toss
lion unless it was to see him toss
man, and bullfghts are still the mos
loved diversion in all Spanish an(
Spanish-American countries. The Amer
Hbison used to be fine fighter, tht
only indigenous animal which coul(
whip him being the grizzly bear. Blu
unquestionably the fiercest and mos
formidable gladiators of this genus are
the buffaloes of Asia and Africa.
Experience has taught the lions oi
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 buf-
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 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 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 a 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 fe~O-
cious beast with their massive horns.
1t is said the buffalo sometimes kills
even the elephant, it's mode of attack
being to thrust it's 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 a foe
WHICH neither the buffalo nor any 9TH
er sSpimal can Withstand. Buffalo fights
anG lights between buffaioeS and tigers
are main features In the entertain
ments of Inlian 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 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
so the most ruthless and ferocious.
whether it's antagonist be man or some
other animal Many animals charge
when infuriated," says Sir Samuel w.
Baker, but they can generally be
turned by the stunning effect of a RI
fe Shot even though they may be
mortally wounded, but buffalo is a
devil incarnate when it has once de-
cided Oil the offensive Nothing will
turn it. If not killed it will assurelly
destroy it's adversary. There is no
creature in existence that is so deter
ponent. Should it succeed in over
throwing its antagonist it will not only
gore the body with it's horns, but it
will endeavor to tear # to pieces and
will stand upon it's lifeless form and
stamp it with his hoofs until the mu-
tilated remains are disfgurel 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 felled by a bullet and
is apparently Gead, for after every sign
OF life is gone it may spring to it's 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
Ell position near the head of the ami
NAL, which was apparently dead, when :
it sprang to it's feet and knocked the
man headlong. Baron Narnier's rifle
being unloaded, he courageously club :,
bed 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
Df the buffalo lying near it, and little
farther away was the body of his
servant .. ..'
No land animal except possibly the
elephant loves water so much as the
buffalo. In wild state it frequents
'wampy ground, where it wallows in
he water and plasters itself with mud.
It's coat Of mud when hardened in the
sun afforcs it protection from the great
sadf1ies which, especially in Africa.
,ause it much annoyance The buffalo
loes not lose its love of water when
and it's practice of lying
lown in every stream it comes to even
when hitched to cart gets it many
'udgelings and cursings from its In
liam drivers
The hnffalo's usual way of affording
s.,ort is as the hunted. The Cingalese
Of Ceylon train it to be hunter. A
favorite game of the Cingalese is the
swamp frequenting waterfowl. The
are accustomed to buffaloes
being near and do not fear them. The
Jingalese therefore. teach the buffa-
oes to browse slowly toward the game,
while man with gun creeps undis-
covered behind them until he gets with
n easy shooting distance
Wild buffaloes are highly gregarious.