48 SUNDERBUNDS BUFFALO 



caught the buffalo's eye. He raced after the 

 poor man, overtook him, and drove his horn, 

 low down, into his back. I thought my thigh 

 was broken, as I could not rise, so I just lay still 

 in the mud and looked on. My rifle was choked 

 with mud and I could not open it; besides, my 

 eyes, nose, ears, and mouth were literally full of 

 mud and I was terribly shaken. It was a horrible 

 sight. The bull rushed about with his tail in 

 the air, roaring and carrying the wretched man 

 upright on his horns. 



Presently he caught sight of Meyer's rifle 

 carrier, who had bolted, leaving Meyer without 

 cartridges, raced after him and tossed him, but 

 did him no great harm. Then he came back to 

 finish me, but Meyer most pluckily approached 

 and fired at him, and his and my previous shots 

 told ; blood was pouring from his nostrils, and after 

 getting to within a few yards of me, he lay down 

 and died. With the help of some men I managed 

 to crawl to the boat and was lifted on board the 

 launch. I understand I am one of the very, very 

 few men who have been tossed by a wild buffalo 

 and lived to tell the tale. I took two large cups 

 of boiling tea and was lifted into bed. I had a 

 cruel night. The muscles of my back and neck 

 were badly strained, I was bruised all over and a 

 good bit shaken. Periostitis set in in my thigh, 

 and I was in very acute pain for twelve hours. 

 Hot fomentations and Elliman did me a world of 

 good, and in the morning I crept on deck and lay 

 in the sun looking at the three buffalo heads. 

 ' Three buffalo in thirty minutes," said I to my- 

 self, " are worth a tossing." I don't think I am 



