The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-29
THRILLING FIGHT
 WITH BIG BUFF ALO Kills One Man and Badly
 Wounds Another IS CUNNING ANIMAL Encountered While Travelling by Boat in Africa and Encounter That
 Followed Was Very
 Bloody One
m Wide World Magaz zine.

From Wide World Magazine.
 It was while attempting to cross the African continent in a motorboat that I experienced an encounter with buffalo which I am not likely to forget. The creatures horn has left great scar upon my cheek which I shall carry with me to my grace, but far worse is the Snowl- edge that out on the lonely veldt lie the remains of my unfortunate comrade a young cinematograph operator who was bored to death by the infuriated brute
 I am convinced by actual experience and l think many well seasoned sports men will bear me out-that there is not a more dangerous animal to meet on the dark continent today than the buffalo. His strength is enormous, and his daring and pluck unquestioned. Add to this his deep cunning a quick and masterly brain and you have an opponent difficult to out wit and one worthy the respect of the veteran hunter.
 On the occasion in question my ambi- tion was to cross the continent from Chinde, in Portugese East Africa, to Matadi, at the mouth of the Congo, in West Africa, by boat. l was accompanied by a cinematograph operator from Paris, a fine young fellow, named Octave Fiere We got on well together. He was a good shot, brave and daring, and often took risks in securing his pictures. Every thing had gone well, with the exception of many trials and little adventures in- cldental to African travel, until Kasama, on the banks of the Chambesi, in north west Rhodesia, was reached. It was about midday as we were making our way down the Cbambesi, noting the formation of it's banks, now steep, now marshy and detecting here and there the presence of game, principally antelope, when we were brought to our feet by the cry of "Buffalor' About 50 paces away from us, close to the bank, in a troughlike depres- sion, stood three mighty buffaloes, cycling us in wonderment.
 "Sit still" I shouted to the boys who were all excitement, and l raised my Mauser to my shoulder and fired. aimed at the nearest animal and my shot hit him, but it was far from fatal The animal turned and vanished up the slope out of sight. We watched for a few minutes. and then away down the bank detected two of the animals mak- ing off at a great speed. As the third was not with them we concluded he was badly wounded and perhaps lying dead not far away. We accordingly decided to search for him.
 Pulling the boat into the shore we landed, and soon found trail of froth fresh from the creature's mouth, which we followed slowly and carefully as far as the top of the slope behind which the buffalo had disappeared. Here the wounded animal had evidently broken away from the others and dropped into d slow gait. Knowing that a wounded buffalo is a most dangerous beast, as It has a habit, when pursued, of doub- ling back. returning to tthe spot where it was hit. and unexpectedly taking those following up it's trail in the rear, I determined to act with caution. I ac- cordingly waited half an hour. This would give time for the animal to ex- pire in his hiding place if mortally wounded. or an opportunity of ap- proa ching the bank again if not seri- ously hurt, when we should see him. But our wait was in vain, so, telling Fiere and the boys to act discreetly, we pushed forward. The trail led us
 into dense thicket of marsh grass. We proceeded very slowly. stopping again and again to listen. We had not gone far when a sudden short below and a stamping and rustling in the un- dergrowth told us that we had dis turbed the buffalo in his lurking place. I hastily climbed on the shoulders of one of the boys and saw the mighty animal with his wide spreading horns spring out Of the high yellow grass. For a moment he stood at the top of a slight elevation and glanced back towards us, the very picture of majesty and brute strength. Then he vanished again. We waited for another half hour. and then proceeded to the spot where he had disappeared, but we did not succeed in picking up his tracks, so returned to the trail of froth and be- gan the search again.
 When we were about to give up one of the boys shouted: "Damu!" "Damun' cBloodrD The animal had evidently circled round towards the river for the trail brought us down almost to the banks of the Chambesi. Here, however we again lost the track, and as We had spent some six hours in fruitless search and the inner man was crying out for attention, we returned to the boat and set the boys busy cooking antelope steak. After the meal sent the boys out in various directions to look for the