Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1908-11-27

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black specks, which proved to be buff
falo-old bulls. Our horses had come
a good distance, under a hot sun, and
as they had had nc water except from
the mud-hole in the morning they
were in no condition for running.
They were not very fast anyhow; so.
though the ground was unfayorable.
we made up our minds to try to creep
up to the buffalo. We left the ponies
in a hollow half a mile from the game,
and started off on our hands and
knees. taking advantage of every sage
brush as cover. After q while we had
to lie fiat on our bodies and wriggle
like snakes; and while doing this !
Numbered into a bed Of cactus, and
filled my hands with the spines. After
taking advantage of every hollow.
hillock, or sage-brush. we got within
about a hundred and twenty-five or
fifty yards of where the three bulls
were unconsciously feeding, and as all
between was bare ground | drew up
and fired. 1t was the first time l ever
shot at buffalo. and, confused by the
bulk and shaggy hair of the beast, |
aimed too far back at one that was
standing nearly broadside on towards
me. The bullet told on his body with
a loud crack, the dust flying up from
his hide; but it did not work him any
immediate harm, or In the least hinder
him from making off; and away went
all three. with their tails up, disap-
pearing over a slight rise in the
ground.
Much Disguised. we trotted back to
where the horses were picketed.
jumped ON them, a good deal out of
breath, and rode after the flying game.
We thought that the wounded
might turn out and leave the others:
and so followed them, though they
had over a miles start. For some
seven or eight miles we loped III
jaded horses along at a brisk pace,
occasionally seeing the buffalo far
ahead: and finally. when the sun had
lust set, we saw that all three had
come to a stand In a gentle hollow
There was no cover anywhere near
them; and, as a last desperate resort.
we concluded to try to run them on
our worn-out ponies.
AS we cantered toward them they
faced us for a second and then turned
round and made off. while with spurs
and quirts we made the ponies put on
n burst that enabled us to close in with
the wounded one just about the time
that the lessening twilight had almost
vanished: while the rim of the full
1900, ,Oco ohnrn fha hnpfHnn Dla
pony | was on could barely hold its
own. after getting up within sixty or
seventy yards of the wounded bull:
my companion. better mounted, forged
ahead, u little to one side. The bull
saw him coming and swerved from his
course. and by cutting across | was
able to get nearly up to him. The
ground over which we were running
was fearful, being broken into holes
and bitches. separated by hillocks; in
the dull light. and at the speed we
were going, no attempt could be made
to guide the horses, n the latter.
tagged out by their exertions, founder
ed and pitched forward at every stride,
hardly keeping their legs. When up
within twenty feet | fired my rifle, but
the darkness, and especially the VIC
lent. labored motion of my pony. made
me miss; | tried to get in closer. when
suddenly up went he bulls tail. and
wheeling, he charged me with lowered
horns. My pony. frightened into mo
mentary activity. spun round and
tossed up his head; | was holding the
rifle in both hands. and the pony's
head, striking it. knocked 1t violently
against my forehead. cutting quite Il
cash, from which. heated as l was.
the blood poured into my eyes. Mean
while the buffalo, passing me. charged
my companion. and followed him as
he made off. and. as the ground was
very bad. for some little distance his
lowered head was unpleasantly near
the tired pony's tail. | tried to run in
on him again. but my pony stopped
short. dead beat: and by no squirting
could l force him out of a slow trot
My companion jumped off and took a
couple of shots at the buffalo. which
missed in the dim moonlight; and to
our unutterable chagrin the wounded
bull labored off and vanished in the
darkness. l made after him on foot.
in hopeless and helpless wrath, until
he got out of sight.
SO far the trip had certainly not been
a success. although sufficiently varied
as regards its incidents; we had been
confined to moist biscuits for three
days as our food; had been wet and
cold at night. and sunburned till our
faces peeled in the day; were hungr,7
and tired. and had met with bad wealth
er. and all kinds of accidents; in al
dition to which | had shot badly Bn;
a man who is fond of sport. and yet is
not naturally a good hunter, soon learns
that If he wishes any success at all he
must both keep in memory and put in
practice Anthony Trollope's famous
precept: ITS logged as does it." And