The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-09-25

AS 1T was, GObO, who carried nv
| eight-bore rife .Gfor had the $40 ex-
press in my hand, and the other two
men whom had taken with me
showed the very strongest dislike to
going any farther. pointing out that
there was mo room to run away
/ 7 told them that they need not come
unless they liked. but that was Ger.
tainly going on, and then, growing
ashamed, they came.
Another fifty yards, and the trail
! opened into little glade.
| knelt down and peeped and peered,
but no buffalo could / see.
Evidently the herd had broken ND
here-I knew that from the spoor-and
penetrated the opposite bush in little
troops.
crossed the glade, and choosing one
line OF spoor followed it for some sixty
yards, when it became clear to me
that Twas surrounded by buffalo. ana
yet SO dense was the cover that could
no4 see one.
! "A few yards to my left could hear
one rubbing its horns against tree,
while from my right came an occa-
sional low throaty grunt which told
me that was uncomfortably near an
old bull.
crept on toward him with my heart
in my mouth, as gently as though /
were walking upon eggs for bet, lift
ing every little bit Of wood in my path
and placing it behind me- lest it should
crack ana warn the game.
! Behind me, in single file. came my
three retainers, and don't know which
Of them looked the most frightened.
Presently Gobo touched my leg.
I looked round, and saw him point
ing glantwise toward the left.
II lifted my head a little and peered
oyer a mass Of creepers.
Beyond the creepers was dense
bush Of sharp-pointed aloes. Of that
kind Of which the leaves project later
ally, and on the other side of the aloes,
not fifteen PAGES from us. / made out
the horns, neck and the ridge Of the
back of a tremendous old bull.
! took my .eight-bore, and, getting
on my knee, prepared to shoot him
through the neck, taking my chance
Of cutting his spine.
q | had already covered him. as well
as the aloe leaves would allow, when
he gave kind ofssigh and lay down.
4 looked round in dismay.
What was to be done now?
I could not see to shoot him lying
down, even if my bullet would have
pierced the intervening aloes, which
was doubtful. and if l stood up he
would either run away or charge me.
I reflected, and came to the conclu-
sion that the only thing to do was to
lie down also, for did not fancy wan
dering after other buffalo in that dense
bush.
II a. buffalo lies down it is clear that
he must get up again some time; so
it was only a case Of patience-"fght-
ing the fight Of sit down. as the zulus
say.
Accordingly sat down and lighted a
pipe, thinking that the smell of it
might reach the buffalo and make him
get up.
But the wind was the wrong way,
and it did not, SO when it was done 1
| lighted another.
Afterward had cause to regret that
pipe.
Well. we squatted like this for be-
tween half ana quarters of an
hour, till at last / began to grow heart
| lily sick Of the performance.
1t was about as dull business as
the last hour Of comic opera.
could hear buffalo snorting and
moving an round. and see the red
beaked tie birds flying up off their
backs with kind Of hiss something
like that OF an English missel-thrush,
but could not see a single buffalo.
As for my old bun, think he must
have slept the sleep Of the just, for he
never even stirred. sf
| Just ASH was making up my mind
that something must be done to save
the situation, my attention was at
tracted by curious grinding noise.
At first 1 thought that it must be a
buffalo chewing the cud, but was
0bliged to abandon the idea because
the noise was too loud
shifted myself round ana stared
through the cracks In the bugh in the
direction whence the sound seemed to
come, and once thought that saw
something gray moving about fifty
yards off, hut could not make certain.
Although the grinding noise still con
/ tinued, could see nothing more. SO
| I gave up thinking about IT. and once
again turned my attention TO the bur
falo.
| Presently, however, something hap
| Dened
Suddenly from about forty yards
away there came tremendous snort.
ing sound, more like that made by an
| engine getting heavy train under
way than anything in the world.
@Ry Jove" / thought, turning round
in the direction from which The grind.
ing sound had come, sthat must be a
rhinoceros, and he has got our wind.p
For, as you fellows know. there il
no installing the sound made by a
rhinoeeros when he gets wind OF you.
i Another second and there was the
most tremendous crashing neise.
il Before could think what to do. be-
| fore could even get up, the bush be
hind me seemed to burst asunder. and
there appeared, not eight yards from
rs, the great horn aud wicked twink