HUNTING BIG GAME

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 133, 3 December 1930, Page 17

HUNTING BIG GAME

FIGHT WITH BUFFALO

AUCKLA2sTDEE'S EKCOUNTEK

(By Telegraph.) ■'. . (Special to "The Evening' Post.") AUCKLAND, This Day.' Thrills sufficient to last, most people a lifetime fell to the lot'of Mr. H. Thomas,1 of Auckland, on. his first big game expedition in Africa. He had a miraculous, escape, from death in an encounter with; a wounded' buffalo, and then on Ms way-back to the;coast from the Mission Station, where he had been recuperating, he had an encounter .at close quarters with a.-ferocious bull hippopotamus. ■ . ... . ..r ■ Mr. Thomas returned to Auckland by the Marama- with Mr. J. Holmes,; the leader of a 'party of three. sportsmen who made the trip. The third member, Mr. A. MacKinnon, of Auckland, re-, turned through Wellington. Mr. Thomas's encounter with a wounded buffalo was an unenviable experience. '• . . , "Wo had just entered Mwamba Valley, one of the finest game districts in the whole of Africa," Mr. Thomas said "One morning MacKinnon,and myself left camp together to follow the trail of an elephant. For a while-we tramped through typical" African bush country, fairly open, with our' gun boys and native trackers, and suddenly came upon two buffalo bulls. They were lino animals, and the opportunity was too good; to miss.-One shot killed one bull, but the other was only wounded,; and we started-to track-him to finish him off. ON THE ANIMAL'S BACK. "Wo-followed.- his. tracks for about two hours, traces,'. of blood hero and there showing us that ho bud. boon .hit. But the ■'.African. ■ .buffalo ;'.is • ra- fierce animal, with a considerable" amount of cunning, and this, fellow wiis nu exception to: tho rule., He clelibcYa,tc,ly.,. ambushed us. "MacKinnon" had'"Branched oil to have a look at tho country from tho top of an anthill, and I happened to be nearest to the trackers. Suddenly as they approached a fallen tree the buft'alo sprang up and came at us at close quarters. Tho trackers had almost walked on top of him. They dashed in all directions, but their presence in front of mo delayed me a bit, and I .could only get one shot at the infuriated beast. Wo discovered afterward that this hit him on the top of the head, ■serving only to make him more fierce. Then the buffalo made for me. I ran for a tree, but ho was wonderfully quick, and he bustled me away from nay cover for which I made. He made 0110 vicious lunge and struck me a glancing blow on tho side, ripping my clothing, and then before I could get clear he lifted me right off the ground by one leg. I managed to hang on to his horns, but while I was on his back MacKinnon could not shoot for fear of hitting me. Finally the beast shook me off, and as I lay on tho ground I felt his huge chest pin me down. Then j -I. heard a rifle bark, and. -saw blood spurt from the beast's shoulderi1 MacKinnon had had to take: careful aim, but his shot made the b'iiffald straighten I up, and I was able to ciaw-V'cleaf. MaeiKinnon" fired'again, hitting the: beast in the face. - By this time I'had:managed to pick: lipmy-'rifle'rand with'a. couplo of shots I finished- him off:" > A TIMELY SHOT. With the danger.removed, an inspection' was made of/Mr. Thomas ?s in- ■ juries, .;ind. it.;.waf.i'oiiJ(d that he had been" seriously gored "in the thigh.Great care has to be taken with any wounds in tropical Africa, and Mr. MacKinnon and several native bearers I took him 20 miles to tho Lubwa Mission Station. "I am quite Teeovored now," Mr. Thomas said. "Everything possible was done for me at the mission station, but,' I have reason to be thankful for the rest of my days for that shot of Mac--Kinnou's that got my iriencl the buffalo in the shoulder." Mr. MacKinnon obtained two fine elephants, and Mr. Holmes had a few exciting minutes when he fired at and wounded a bull elephant, and was attacked by five'eows. The promptness of his gun boys enabled him to escape "One of my most interesting trophies was a three-horned rhinoceros," Mr. Holmes. said.,-j:';The. ; rhiHo.qeros,generally has only two horn's,'arid I know of only two other three-honied heads in existence, both in England." Both Mr. Holmes and Mr, Thomas are enthusiastic over the results of their trip. ''.Altogether they obtained 21 distinct varieties of gamey.and Mr. Holmes obtained tho. few specimens needed to complete what is.probably the finest collection: of big game"trophies in New Zealand. : . '' ; •