242 A FIGHT WITH A BIG BULL. 



sent some men to bring my captive home. After breakfast I 

 started again, accompanied by Atley and another man to take 

 up the track of the bison. We soon got on it, but were 

 delayed by a heavy shower ; when it was over Atley showed 

 his " cuteness " by cleverly keeping the true track, and he 

 became very excited when, after half an hour or so, we came 

 on the foot marks not filled with water, and then we suddenly 

 caught sight of the bison just ahead. As we crept on 

 expecting every moment to come upon them, I heard a 

 strange noise to my left ; I asked what it was, and Atley made 

 use of a word I did not know, but from the sound I thought 

 it was a tiger. We turned off in that direction, and I fully 

 expected to come upon the "gentleman in stripes;" I saw 

 some branches move, and on carefully looking perceived a 

 very large bull bison instead, he was amongst thick bushes, 

 and I could only see an indistinct outline. I guessed as near as 

 possible the position of the shoulder and fired the big rifle at 

 him, he gave a bound forward and then stopped sufficiently 

 long for me to give him another shot from the double rifle ; 

 he then dashed onwards, but I had heard the thud. We 

 followed the spoor for some distance without finding a drop 

 of blood, and Atley gave me a most reproachful look, but the 

 next moment I pointed to a bamboo quite red with blood, and 

 just beyond we saw the bull standing on the high ground 

 above us. I fired and hit him well behind the shoulder, but 

 he dashed off, only, however, going about fifty yards, when he 

 stopped, and I walked down to him thinking to give him the 

 finishing shot with my big rifle " Sal " ; suddenly he made a 

 fearful rush at me. Atley put the double into my hand and 

 bolted, and I thought it prudent to retire and bide my oppor- 

 tunity ; he only moved forward a few paces and then stopped, 



