Evening star., 1909-05-09

OF the wounded bull. which he had
marked in his fight through dense
patch of reeds to the right Of the lagoon.
The beast had turned OFF alone. and the
greatest care had TO be taken in follow
ing it through such covert But the
Dutchman had hitherto always had great
luck with buffalo. and was determined
10 finish of his task. AS soon the
reeds were reached the blood spoor was
easily TO he followed. The heavy bullet
had evidently raked the lungs the bull
was bleeding freely. and large patches of
crimson marked its path.
The reeds were very tall-tWelve or
fourteen feet-and thick. and the spoor-
ing seemed so dangerous an operation
that the Hottentot, who was carrying
a second gun-a Martini Henry-fell
behind, leaving his master to take the
first risk with his heavy eight-bore.
At every step-they were wading knee
deep in water-the hunters stopped to
listen. They had not penetrated fifty
yards through the avenue of broken reeds
afforded by the passage OF the bull when
in an instant and without warning, the
beast was upon them The Boer was
knocked fat upon his back by the charge:
the bull had miscaiculated his distance,
had, no doubt. charged for the sound,
and had struck his enemy with his nose.
of these brutes when charging. Gallop-
ing over the PROSTATE Boer. the buffalo
went straight for the Hottentot. few
PAGES behind. This unfortunate the brute
struck with his horn and tossed on one
side some yards into the reeds. Then.
continuing it's career, the bull passed on
out of the .'vlei'' and took shelter in some
thin bush. where it was afterward found
dead. The Boer. all the wind knocked
out of him. and severely bruised. picked
himself up. retrieved his rife, which was
flung yards away, and then sought the
Hottentot. The unfortunate servant lay
among the reeds and water. a terrible
wound gaping just below his chest to the
left-breathing his last. He lived only
a short time. and died pathetic and un-
willing object lesson in the risks and dan
gers of following a wounded buffalo into
thick covert.
Occasionally hunters have been attack
ed by a solitary buffalo which has
charged them before a shot has been
fired and without apparent provocation.
In such instances it has usually been
found either that the animal had been
previously wounded by some other hunter
or had been clawed by a lion, in either
case its naturally morose temper having
been rendered yet more dangerous.
No hunter ought to attempt to tackle
a buffalo with a rifle of lighter caliber
than a 517 double express
Once plentiful all over southern Africa
wherever water was to be found. the
buffalo has now to be sought far in the
interior. There is one singular exception
to this statement. Many years ago the
Cape government passed an act protecting
under severe penalties the buffalo-as well
as the eiephant-in Cape Colony. In the
forest and densly pushed regions bor-
dering the coast line some strong troops
of buffalo are still TO be found between
Massel bay and the koWie river. few
years ago. during a great drought, some
of these fine beasts were to be seen drink
ing IL the river within a few miles of the
town of Citenhage. These animals can
only be shot in Cape Colony by a special
permit from the governor. and on pay
ment of the sum of fl0 for each speci-
men obtained. Beyond Cape Colony
the sportsman has to travel nowadays
several hundred miles before he can hope
TO find buffalo. Perhaps the best coun-
try existing at the present time is the
low and unhealthy region lying in Portu-
Zambes Upon the Busl and Pungue
rivers and their tributaries and about
the tributaries of the Zambesi on its
easterly course. large nerds of buffalo
a-e still to be found. This country
however. is only accessible during the
African winter-Aprl to October-unless
the risk of deadly fever be taken. There
are still buffalo to be found too about
and marshes of the Upper Okavanga
In these regions the tsetse fly is certain to
be found in the buffaloes' haunt, and the
hunter must perforce do all his work on
foot.
AS the African buffalo is one of the
toughest and most difficult of all game
animals to bring to bag. so that hand
some creature. Burchells zebra (Equus
BurchellD. the zebra of the plains. is by
far the most easily destroyed. A single
400 Express or Martini-Henry bullet will
a once turn this fleet and handsome ami
NAL of the troop. an easy victim df not
already killed outright, to the hunters
next shot. With a broken leg the zebra
is instantly helpless: with broken limb
and shot through the body to boot.
enc of the larger African antelopes, such
as hartebeest or brndled gnu. will
often run for miles. and finally escape
the hunter altogether. AS An almost IN
variable rule Burchells zebras are hunted
OF horseback: they are feet and enduring,
and even first-class South African
hunting pony must be in very good form.
and upon hard even ground. 10 carry his
rider within hail of them. Most usually
these animals are to he met with feeding
on open grassy plains, or in open bush.
where large glades and clearings to
he In, toi has