HUNTING ADVENTURES WITH WILD BULLS
HUNTING ADVENTURES IN INDIA

Hunting Adventures with Wild Bulls

We had spent a pleasant day at a pretty lake, where we used to rest, and were prepared for a start home, when we observed a heavy storm gathering. The only shelter in the place was an old hut, about as large as a carriage-umbrella, which had been erected by cow-herds. It was constructed of slips of bamboos and teak leaves, and doubtless would have kept off a heavy shower twelve months before. At this time, however, it was rent and torn by the wind, and large patches of the thatch had been blown off. Into it, however, we crept, and covering up the locks of our guns, lit our pipes and waited for the storm to burst. For over an hour the rain came down in a perfect deluge. Our frail protection only seemed to concentrate the heavy drops, which poured through in every direction. The thunder was deafening, and the lightning appeared to strike into the ground all round us. We were somewhat uneasy lest the metal of our guns should attract it; at length we carried them off and laid them down in the open ground at some distance. A shot at a wild bull The storm went off as speedily as it came, and wringing the wet out of our clothes, we dried our rifles and set off home. The morning after rain generally brought game to the bag. All old footprints were of course obliterated, and, the ground being soft, any beasts that had recently passed were easily tracked, and the leaves and grass being wet, enabled us to move noiselessly through the jungle. We were therefore out early on the next day, and, my beat on that morning lying on the other side of the river, I crossed with Emaum in the canoe before daybreak, and by the time that objects were distinguishable we were several miles from the bungalow. As we skirted a fine open glade in the forest, we observed a large herd of cheetul on the far side, and as we were advancing to stalk them we came on fresh marks of a bison - solitary bull, which had evidently fed and lain down at the covert-side during the night. He had not left the spot more than half an hour; so, taking no more notice of the cheetul, we followed on his track. He had moved deep into the heavy forest, and as we followed we came across another herd of cheetul. Catching sight of us, they dashed off from right to left, making much noise. We stuck, however, to the track of the bull, and found he had been lying down close to the line on which the deer had crossed. They had disturbed him, and he had moved ; but we could see by the prints that he was not scared, and had moved slowly, feeding as he went. Proceeding with much caution for a quarter of a mile farther, Emaum suddenly halted, and pointed out the bull about sixty yards in advance. He stood in a small green space, twenty yards in diameter, on the side of a hill. Beyond was a dense thicket. On this side of him was a ravine, from the sides of which grew bamboos, and one straggling clump of these, about twenty yards from us, came in the line of sight for the bull's shoulder. It was a moment of much perplexity. The bull was by far the finest I had seen, and we knew that if he advanced five paces he would be out of sight. He stood broadside on, and as the intervening bamboos were four and, five inches apart, I determined to take aim between them, and, raising the single rifle, I fired. The bull made a start forward, and stood for a few seconds on the verge of the thicket. I told Emaum to fire with the smooth-bore, which he did at once, and the bull disappeared. Emaum was much disgusted, as the bull had shown no signs of being hit. However, I carefully examined the bamboos through which I had fired, and, finding no mark, I assured him that the bull was not unscathed. We had just reloaded when we heard loud snorts from the thicket, and the African features of Emaum relaxed into a broad grin as he sprang behind the nearest tree in expectation of a charge. The ravine, however, was between us and the bull, and I knew that we were tolerably safe. Presently we heard more snorts and a heavy fall, followed by a crashing of bamboos. Emaum shouted that the bull was down, and was lashing out; but we could see nothing, owing to the density of the covert. Soon the kicks seemed weaker, and we advanced, running forward from tree to tree. There lay the mighty bull at his last gasp. He had not run thirty yards from where we had first seen him, but had stood, sending the blood from his nostrils over the bushes, many feet higher than his head. My shot had taken him about half-way up his body, behind the shoulder, and Emaum's farther back. As he lay on the ground we measured him, and made him out to be about seventeen hands high at the shoulder, with fine well-preserved horns. Emaum informed me that he had a narrow escape on one occasion when he had wounded a bull. He was pursued, but succeeded in getting behind a tree. The bull drew up about twenty yards from him, watching his opportunity, for the forest was of large growth, and Emaum could see no tree up which he had any chance of climbing before the bull could overtake him. At length he bethought himself of his blanket, which he carried over his shoulder, and as the bull drew back for another charge he placed the blanket on the end of his long gun, and holding it out from behind the tree, shook it defiantly. Accepting the challenge, the bull lowered his head, and came on with a rush. Catching the blanket on his horn he dashed on through the jungle, while Emaum, bolting off in the Opposite direction, made good his escape. 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