MY RECORD BISON 117 



shoulder was damaged, and the bull was bleeding 

 internally, owing to the shot being from above. A 

 still greater surprise awaited us, for, on emerging 

 from the forest into the open, to our astonish- 

 ment we saw from the cropped grass that the 

 bull had been grazing, but only a nibble here 

 and there. 



We had followed the tracks only a few yards 

 when my sharp-eyed shikari pulled up, pointing 

 to some twitching grass, and whispered, " There 

 he is," and there he undoubtedly was, waiting 

 head on for our reception. 



After a bit I clearly made out his horns 

 shimmering in the sunlight above the grass, 

 while a continued switching of his tail had first 

 shown us his close proximity. He moved a 

 step or two towards us, so, making out his body, 

 I fired, and on his jumping to one side I gave 

 him the left, loading up as quickly as possible,' 

 and none too soon, as he charged right at us, 

 pulling up immediately above me. The front 

 man shinned up a tree ; I do not know what 

 the other did, as I was sufficiently concerned at 

 my own position, with an angry bull glaring down 

 at me within a few yards ! 



I loosed off both barrels at something, but 

 just at what part of his anatomy I was by no 

 means sure, though it relieved me immensely 

 to see he did not like such rude play, as he 

 staggered back, and eventually reeled out of 

 sight. I here made a fatal mistake, against 

 the wishes of the shikari, who gesticulated to 

 his companion to hurry me up the face of the 

 hill to cut the bison off. I was so cocksure 



