Year: 1861

A Wild Bull at the Cape Of Coed HOPE.


One night about sunset, had just reached
the hut where | intended to sleep, but found
it deserted, and so full Of aeas. though. it
better TO camp out so I hobbled cid Graytail
to the best piece of grass | could find, which
was very poor indeed. The next morning,
when | went to look for my horse, be was no
where TO be found. | put the saddle on my
head and tracked him for hours it was evil
dent the poor creature had been travelling away
in search of grass. / walked until my feet
were one mass of blisters at length when
about TO give up the search in despair, having
quite lost the track on stony ground, came
upon the marks quite fresh in bit of swampy
ground, and few hundred yards further saw
Master Graytai rolling IN the mud of a nearly
dry water hole, as comfortable as possible |
put down the saddle and called him; at that
moment I heard q loud roar and crash III
scrub behind me, ard out rushed, at terrific
pace, black His Inland bull, charging straight
at me- l had just time to throw myself on
one side Hat on the ground as he thundered by
me. My next move was to scramble among
small clump of trees, one of great size, the rest
were mere saplings.


The bull. having missed his mark, turned
again, and first revenged himself by tossing my
saddle up in the air, until, fortunately, it
lodged in some bushes then, having smet me
out, he commenced a circuit round the trees,
stamping, paving and believing frightlolly.-
With his red eyes and long, sharp horns, he
looked like demon; | was quite unarncd,
having broken my knife the day before; my
pistols were in my holsters, and | was wearied
to death. My only chance consisted in dodg-
ing him round the trees until he should be
tired out Deeply did | regret having left my
faithful dogs, Boomer and Bouuder, behind


The bull charged again and again, some
times coming with such force against the tree
that he fell on his knees, sometimes bending
the saplings behind which | stood until his
horns almost touched me- There was not
branch | could lay hold of to climb up How
long this awful game of " Touchwood lasted
| know not it seemed hours after the first
excitement of self preservation passed of, wea-
riness again took possession Of me, and it re-
quired all the instinct of self preservation to
keep me on my feet; several times the bull
left me for few seconds, pacing suddenly away,
believing his discomfort but, before | could
cross over to a better position, he always came
back at full speed. My tongue clave to the
roof of my mouth, my eyes grew hot and misty.
my knees trcmbled under me, felt it impos
sible TO hold out until dark. At length l grew
desperate and determined to take run for the
opposite covert the moment the bull turned
towards the waterhoe again. / felt sure |
was doomed, and thought of it till grew in
different The bull seemed to know | was
worn out and grew more fierce and rapid in
his charges; but just when ! was going TO SIT
under the great tree and let him do his worst,
| heard the rattle Of horse among the rocks
above, and shout that sounded like that of
an angel Then came the barking of dog
and the loud reports of a stock whip but the
bull, with his devilsh eyes fixed on me, never
moved


Up came the horseman at full speed; crack
fell the lash on the black bull's hide out
spirited the blood in a long streak. The bull
turned savagely and charged the horseman.-
The horse wheeled round just far enough to
battle him-no more; again the lash descended,
cutting like a long, flexible razor but the
mad bull was not to be beaten off by a whip;
he charged again and again, but he met his
match; right and left, as needed, the horse
turned, sometimes piyoting on his hind, some
times on his fore legs.


The stockman shouted something, leaped
from his horse and strobe forward to meet the
bull with an open knife between his teeth
As the beast lowered his head to charge he
seemed to catch him by the horns. There was
struggle, cloud OF dust, stamping, like
two strong men wrestliog-I could not see
clearly-bnt the next moment the bull was on
his back, the blood yelling from his throat,
his limbs quivering in death.





The stranger, covered with dust, came to me,
saying, as unconeernedly as if he had been
killing a calf in a slaughter-housc


He is dead enough, young man he won't
trouble anybody any more"


walked two or three PAGES towards the
dead beast my senses left mel tainted.


When l came to myself my horse was sad
died, bridled and tied up to bush. My new
friend was busy faying the bull.


"I should like to have pair of boots out of
the old devil he observed, in answer to my
inquring look, before the dngoes and the
eagle hawks dig into his carcass


We rode out of the flats up gentle ascent,
as night was closing in. was not in talk
ing humor, but | said


g You have saved my life."


"Well l rather think have :" but this was
muitered in an undertone ; its not the first !
have saved, or taken either, for that matter"


was too much worn out for thanking much
but pulled out a silver hunting watch and
put it into his hand. He pushed it back, al
most roughly saying