AFTER BIG GAME

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 439, 3 December 1930, Page 7

AFTER BIG GAME

NEW ZEALANDER IN AFRICA NARROW ESCAPE FROM BUFFALO lSpecial to “Chronicle.”] AUCKLAND, Dec. 2. Thrills sufficient to last most people a lifetime fell to the lot of Air H. Thomas, of Auckland, on his first big game expedition in Africa. He had a miraculous escape from death in an encounter with a wounded buffalo. Air Thomas returned to Auckland by the Mp.rama with Mr J. Holmes, leader of a party of three bportsmen, who made the trip. The third member, Mr A. MacKinnon, of Auckland, returned through Wellington.

Mr Thomas’ encounter with the wounded buffalo was an unenviable experience. “Wo had just entered Mwamba valley,” Mr Thomas said. “One morning AlacKinnon and myself left the 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 fine animals and tho opportunity was too good to miss. One shot killed one bull, but the other was only wounded. We started to track him to finish him off. We followed his tracks for about two hours, traces of blood here and there showing us that he had been hit. But the African buffalo is a fierce animal frith a considerable amount of cunning, and this particular fellow was no exception to the rule. Ho deliberately ambushed us. AlacKinnon had branched off to have a look at the country from the top of an ant hill, and I happened to be nearest to the trackers. Suddenly, as they approached the fallen tree, the buffalo 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 me delayed me a oit and I could only got one shot at the infuriated boast. Then the buffalo made for me. I for a tree but ho was wonderfully quick, and he rushed me away from any cover. He made one vicious hinge and struck me a glancing blow on the side, ripping my clothing and then before I could get clear he lifted me right off tho ground by one log. I managed to hang on to his horns, but while I was on his back MacKinnon could not shoot foi fear of hitting me. Finally the beast shook me off and as I lay o the ground I felt his huge chest pin me Gown. Then I hoard a rifle bark and saw blood spurt from the beast’s shoulder. AfacKinron had had to take careful atm. but his shot made tho buffalo straighten up, and I was able to crawl clear. AlacKinnon fired again, hitting the beast in the face. By this time I had managed to pick up my rifle and with a couple of shots I finished him off.” Mr Thomas had been seriously gored in the thigh. Groat care has to be taken with anv wounds in tropical Africa, and AlacKinnon nnd several native bearers took him 20 miles to a mission station. “I am quite recovered now,” Air Thomas said. “Everything possible was done for mo at the mission station, but I have reason to be thankful for the rest of my days for that shot of AlacKinnon’s that got my friend, the buffalo, in the shoulder.” *