Identifier: wildbeaststheirw00bake (find matches)
Title: Wild beasts and their ways : reminiscences of Europe, Asia, Africa and America
Year: 1890 (1890s)
Authors: Baker, Samuel White, Sir, 1821-1893
Subjects: Baker, Samuel White, Sir, 1821-1893 Animal behavior Hunting
Publisher: London New York : Macmillan
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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nd in those distant days it was of course a muzzle-loader,therefore I could not afford to miss, in the event of danger; Iaccordingly got into the habit of shooting straight, having a thoroughconfidence in the crushing power of the rifle. Upon one occasion a single bull, which had evidently beenfighting, as it showed the white scores of an adversarys horns uponits black hide, was venting its rage by pawing the green turf, andploughing the soft ground with its angry head, when I dismountedfrom my pony, and advanced upon the open plain. Seeing me, itmade hostile demonstrations, and marched slowly and determinedlyforward, as though determined to settle the dispute at the closestquarters. When within 100 paces it stopped, and, after tearingup the ground most viciously for a few minutes, it started at fullspeed in as direct a charge as it could take; I met it in the chestwith a bullet from the 3-oz. rifle, and the bull was killed sosuddenly, that the momentum of its attack turned the body a
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CO xiv THE BUFFALO 273 complete somersault, aud it lay motionless upon the ground, withinabout 30 yards of my position. The bullet had entered the chest,and, after passing through the heart and viscera, I found it beneaththe skin of the hind-quarters, having completely raked the animalfrom stem to stern. Upon two occasions, on the plain of Minneria, I killed twobuffaloes with one bullet from the deadly 3-oz. rifle. There was agreat commotion among a large herd of these animals, and upon myapproach I discovered that a fight was going on between two verylarge bulls. When I drew near, the herd departed in fall gallop,and left me alone with the two bulls, which were far too muchengaged in their contest to notice my presence. I accordinglycontinued my approach until, when within about 50 yards, theycondescended to observe me, and they at once resolved upon retreat;but their strongly curved horns were hooked together in theircombat, and when attempting a departure, they pulled in vain todis

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