My Last Buffalo.

Manawatu Herald, 24 December 1898, Page 2

My Last Buffalo.

"It's a good twenty years now since ray first and last encounter with a buffalo," said the swarthy Canadiar, tossing overboard the fault of hi* cigar. " And that expertaite® I shall never forget." And this ia the yarn he told. W* were oat shooting one day Iki the ra-ly spring (he continued!), when a solitary boll buffalo sadden* ly appeared on the opposite side of a small stream. The ball was evidently in a state of great excitement for, as we drew near, he faced ins, tore up the tarf with his horns, and looked ad though he meant to charge the lot of as. I carried only a little rifle— a single barrel, which shot a smiill I spherical ball— and had, by the advice of a hunter, doubled my charge of powder. " Aim at the back of the neck if the buffalo lowers bis head." shouted my cbam, at the* same time throwing a hard clod of earth so that it fell into the water at the foot of the bank. The splash caused the animal to look down, exposing his neck. Immediately I fired. The bolt convulsively turned round, and fell upon his side. Two of us then waded across tb-e qtream at a shallow plaoe, and ran •o where the prostrate animal Was lying, apparently dead. I reached the bank first, and, standing in front of the bull's head, revelled in the delight. of my first buffalo. " Never stand at the head of a buffalo, whether dead or alive," ex* claimed the hunter, who had follow* ed me across the stream, and whose experience had taught him to bo cautious. " Stand upon the aide, facing' the back of the animal, well away from its leg-, as I am stanting now." Scarcely hid ho tiered the wor»3c, when th° hull sprang to his feet and blundered ahead, straight at me* I jumped forward ti avoid the horns, but tripped and fell upin my back, right in tin path of th? savage bull. How I felt at that moment, with those gleam in? eyes fixed on iMflp^ you can only faintly gueps. I had given myself up for loss, when, quick as lighting, the old hunter drew his long hunting-knife and plunged is behind the buffalo's shoulder. The animal fell at Ihe blow. He had received his death stroke. "Not hurt?" asked my friend cheerily. 11 N - no," I answered, shaking in every limb; "but— no more buffalo hunting for me."— Chnmt.