In Such Instances
The Hunters Surrounded The Bush, And Rode Direct Towards Him,
When He Generally Sprang Out Upon Some Man Or Horse; He Was Then
Cut Down Immediately By The Sabre Of The Next Hunter.
The
aggageers declared that, in the event of an actual fight, the
death of the lion was certain, although one or more men or horses
might be wounded, or perhaps killed.
The morning gallop had warmed our nags after their bath in the
cool river, and we now continued leisurely towards the stream,
upon the margin of which we rode for several miles. We had
determined to set fire to the grass, as, although upon poorer
soil it had almost disappeared through the withering of the
roots, upon fertile ground it was almost nine feet high, and not
only concealed the game, but prevented us from riding. We
accordingly rode towards a spot where bright yellow herbage
invited the fire-stick; but hardly had we arrived, when we
noticed a solitary bull buffalo (Bos Caffer), feeding within
about a hundred and fifty yards. I immediately dismounted, and,
creeping towards him to within fifty paces, I shot him through
the neck with one of my Reilly No. 10 rifles. I had hoped to drop
him dead by the shot, instead of which he galloped off, of course
followed by the aggageers, with the exception of one, who held my
horse. Quickly mounted, we joined in the hunt, and in about three
minutes we ran the buffalo to bay in a thicket of thorns on the
margin of the river. These thorns were just thick enough to
conceal him at times, but to afford us a glance of his figure as
he moved from his position. There was a glade which cut through
and divided the jungle, and I wished the aggageers to drive him,
if possible, across this, when I should have a good opportunity
of shooting. To my astonishment, one of the most daring hunters
jumped off his horse with his drawn sword, and, telling me to
look out, he coolly entered the jungle alone to court the attack
of the buffalo. I would not allow him to risk his life for an
animal that I had been the first to wound, therefore I insisted
upon his return, and begging Abou Do to hold my bridle when I
should fire, I rode with him carefully along the skirts of the
jungle along the glade, keeping a good look-out among the thorns
for the buffalo. Presently I heard a short grunt within twenty
yards of us, and I quickly perceived the buffalo standing
broadside on, with his head to the wind, that brought down the
scent of the people on the other side.
I had my little Fletcher No. 24 in my hand--that handy little
weapon that almost formed an extra bone of myself, and,
whispering to Abou Do to hold my bridle close to the bit, as
Aggahr was not very steady under fire, I took a clean shot direct
at the centre of the shoulder. The ball smacked as though it had
struck an iron target. Aggahr gave a start, and for the moment
both Abou Do and myself were prepared for a rush; but the buffalo
had never flinched, and he remained standing as though
immoveable. Abon Do whispered, "You missed him, I heard the
bullet strike the tree;" I shook my head, and quickly
re-loaded--it was impossible to miss at that distance, and I knew
that I had fired steadily. Hardly had I rammed the bullet down,
when, with a sudden thump, down fell the buffalo upon his side,
and, rolling over upon his back, he gave a few tremendous
struggles, and lay dead.
Great caution should be invariably used in approaching a fallen
buffalo and all other dangerous animals, as they are apt to
recover sufficiently, upon seeing the enemy, to make a last
effort to attack, which is generally more serious than any other
phase of the hunt. We accordingly pitched a few large stones at
him to test the reality of death, and then walked up and examined
him. The Reilly No. 10 had gone quite through the neck, but had
missed a vital part. The little Fletcher had made a clean and
minute hole exactly through the shoulder, and upon opening the
body we found the ball sticking in the ribs on the opposite side,
having passed through the very centre of the lungs.
The aggageers now carefully flayed it, and divided the tough hide
into portions accurately measured for shields. One man galloped
back to direct the two water-camels that were following in our
tracks, while others cut up the buffalo, and prepared the usual
disgusting feast by cutting up the reeking paunch, over which
they squeezed the contents of the gall-bladder, and consumed the
whole, raw and steaming.* On the arrival of the camels they were
quickly loaded, and we proceeded to fire the grass on our return
to camp. The Arabs always obtained their fire by the friction of
two pieces of wood; accordingly, they set to work. A piece of dry
nabbuk was selected, about as thick as the little finger. A notch
was cut in this, and it was laid horizontally upon the ground,
with the notch uppermost; into this was fixed the sharp point of
a similar piece of wood, about eighteen inches long, which, being
held perpendicularly with both hands, was worked between the
palms like a drill, with as great a pressure as possible, from
the top to the bottom, as the hands descended with the motion of
rubbing or rolling the stick. After about two minutes of great
labour, the notch began to smoke, a brown dust, like ground
coffee, fell from the singed wood, and this charred substance,
after increased friction, emitted a still denser smoke, and
commenced smouldering; the fire was produced. A rag was torn from
the thorn-brushed drawers of one of the party, in which the fire
was carefully wrapped and fanned with the breath; it was then
placed in a wisp of dry grass, and rapidly turned in the air
until the flame burst forth.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 100 of 149
Words from 101060 to 102098
of 151461
