Conclusion of the Buffalo Story

The hunt had now been in session for more than 6 hours. Charlie fired a shot at the bull Cape buffalo and wounded him. So Charlie, Laban, Toma, the chief and his men followed his trail of blood until they came upon the herd: face to face!

The herd in front of them standing in the forest was a total surprise. They were expecting to see the wounded bull, but instead they stared into the faces of the whole herd of bulls and female Cape. What were they going to do? If they change, most certainly they would have to look for a tree and, very quickly if they could, would need to climb that tree. To everyone's surprise, without a lot of noise, the herd turned tail and ran back out into the plans. What a relieving stock! Thank the Lord that several were not killed, or wounded, or trampled. That was God protecting them all. Also, other buffalo were not killed or wounded, or trampled. That was God protecting them all. Also, other buffalo were not killed or wounded.

Charlie was a different hunter now: anxious, uneasy, on edge. He was also determined to find the buffalo.

The hunt for the bull began again. The young brothers were good at following the blood path. Now, even more, listening for the great surprise of the bull rising, closely searching the bushes with they eyes. Toma was at his best.

The trail was leading in a semicircle. The fluttering of a bird taking off from a branch or the scattering of a running forest rat swung everybody's head in the direction of their flying or running. Laban knew any moment could mean life or death. Could this be a moment before entering eternity: The blood spots were getting further and further apart. The quiet but determined steps continued.

Finally, Toma told Dad that the buffalo was heading out of the forest and into the plains. Following the blood trail had been going on for at least 2 hours. As the cape broke out of the woods and into the taller grass, Laban thought everyone should stop and take a rest. Everyone was hungry and tired. Being out of the forest and into the grasslands, the chief was very adamant about calling off the hunt. Somebody would get hurt and very possibly killed. "Imene. Beto vutuka. That's enough. Let's go back." he told Toma. "Let's return the way we came into the forest because we didn't meet up with him, so let us go back the same way we came to be safe."

But laban would not leave that buffalo because of the danger and threat he imposed on the nearby villagers. Looking at the chief, Laban once again offered him a ittle money to continue the hunt. He could not leave the wounded buffalo. The chief agreed, and he and a couple of his warriors went off, following the path of the buffalo through the tall grass, looking for more blood.

Time for a little break and to mentally size up the situation. Laban raised his belt-worn canteen to his mouth to drink some water. To his right was a tree that he could lean his savage 300 rifle against. It was a good gun that brought down antelope for meat, as there were no grocery stores nearby in the bush where they lived. He certainly would not use this gun on an elephant. A lot of hunters want to have a larger caliber, even for buffalo, but Laban was satisfied with the savage 300. He knew from his experience on the farm in New York where to lay the shot. While everyone else rested for a little bit, Charlie went down into a little lower depression of grassland by himself.

Charlie was a good distance to the left of Dad. Toma said that Charlie needed to stay with him and Laban. Dad asked him to come over with them and follow the trail with them as they followed the chief and his men. But Charlie was Charlie and wanted to do this on his own. Charlie's previous fear now became a blazaing of boldness which was foolishness. The chief was not too far ahead of the rest of the men off to the right. But Charlie was off to the left.

Separated now from the rest of the group, an explosion in the grass took place in front of him, as the wounded cape stood and charged Charlie. Charlie had no time to aim his gun.

He could only hold it in front of him with his left hand on the barrel and his right hand near the trigger.

As the buffalo charged, he bellowed in anger and rammed into Charlie's gun and Charlie, knocking Charlie into that little grassland depression. A God thing took place. Charlie lay near a bush tree, and when the cape came into gore him the first time, the buffalo hit the tree more than it hit Charlie. The buffalo then backed up like a male goat to charge him again. That's when he put his horn through Charlie's upper inner leg, puncturing the leg and coming out the other side.

The horn was actually protruding through his leg.

Once more, the buffalo backed up to get ready to do a lethal gore.

This all happened in a matter of seconds.

Laban sees what is happening.

Charlie no longer has his rifle; it's been knocked out of his hands.

Laban knew he had to act fast. No time to use the rifle now. Not only that, the rifle could very well put a shot into Charlie.

God gives him the presence of mind to reach for the pistol in his pocket, and he runs to where the attack of death is taking place.

With his pistol pulled, he races up to the buffalo who is now standing on his hind legs with an aim on Charlie's midsection.

While up in the air, the 45 goes off. The cape falls over. DEAD.

Charlie said, "I wondered when the shot would take place. It did. I saw the lights go out of the cape's eyes as he toppled over.

Another shot fired to make sure. The hunt was over. No one died. Death was not for today.

Charlie lay on the ground with a wounded leg. Dad stopped the bleeding with a piece of cloth, and they carried Charlie ll the way back to the car.

Once home, Dad sewed up Charlie's leg along with a missionary nurse.

Many tears were shed by Charlie's wife and daughter when they heard Dad's truck come rolling into the yard and realized Charlie had been injured. His two sisters, Martha and Mary, were crying with tears of thanks that their brother was still alive. And, as everybody looked into the back of the truck, they saw that the huge buffalo would provide lots of good steaks.

The pressure cooker was put to good use to can much of the meat, as refrigeration was not readily available in those days.

Charlie was visibly shaken. Women were crying. Everyone was praising God that no funeral or several funerals would need to be planned.

At the end of Charlie's term, he and his family returned to America and never came back to Africa, but his sisters stayed on and did a great work at the mission station of Kamiala. Laban and Marcella continued to be involved in their lives, giving them money to build a church there.

My mother, Marcella, made it a ruling in our home: Never another buffalo hunt again!!! Laban agreed. He never hunted the big 5 again.

The chief and his men personally heard the Gospel of Jesus christ, and that to Laban was The Great Hunt!