SCENES IN BUFFALO HUNTING. 2SS 



The buffalo, on the contrary, the moment that the ten- 

 don is severed, falls to the ^iround entirely helpless, and 

 perfectly harmless to one beyond the reach of its horns. 

 A very short chase in company with " Breeches," 

 brought us up to one of the bulls ; he poised his stick, 

 thrust it forward, and the tendon Achilles^ full of life 

 and full of action, was touched by the sharp blade ; its 

 tension, as it sustained the immense bull in his upward 

 leaps, made it, when severed, spring back as will the 

 breaking string of the harp; and the helpless beast, 

 writhing in pain, came to the ground. 



One of our party on witnessing this exhibition, gave 

 an exulting shout, and declared that he would bring a 

 buffalo down or break his neck ; he soon came beside a 

 venerable bull, and as he made repeated thrusts, a thou- 

 sand directions were given him as to the manner of pro- 

 ceeding. The race was a well contested one, and the 

 heels of the pursued animal were strangely accelerated 

 by the thrusts made at him in his rear. 



A lunge was finally accomplished by the " Ta-vra-ki- 

 na," that almost threw him from his horse ; the fearful 

 cut brought the huge bull directly under the rider's 

 feet ; the next instant the noble steed was impaled upon 

 the buffalo's horns, and the unfortunate rider lay in- 

 sensible on the ground. In the excitement, the wrong 

 hamstring had been cut, and, as ^ the animal always falls 

 upon the wounded side, the mistake had caused the bull 

 to become a stumbling block in his path. 



