The pan is filled with burning
pine-knots, which, being saturated with turpentine, shed a brilliant and
constant light all around; shining into the eyes of any deer that may
come in that direction, and making them look like two balls of fire. The
effect is most curious to those unaccumstomed to it. The distance between
the eyes of the deer as he approaches, appears gradually to increase,
reminding one of the lamps of a travelling carriage." (Palliser.)
The rush of an enraged Animal is far more easily avoided than is usually
supposed. The way the Spanish bull-fighters play with the bull, is well
known: any man can avoid a mere headlong charge. Even the speed of a
racer, which is undeniably far greater than any wild quadruped, does not
exceed 30 miles an hour or four times the speed of a man. The speed of an
ordinary horse is not more than 24 miles an hour: now even the fastest
wild beast is unable to catch an ordinary horse, except by crawling
unobserved close to his side, and springing upon him; therefore I am
convinced that the rush of no wild animal exceeds 24 miles an hour, or
three times the speed of a man. (See Measurements of the rate of an
animal's gallop, p. 37.) It is perfectly easy for a person who is cool,
to avoid an animal, by dodging to one side or other of a bush. Few
animals turn, if the rush be unsuccessful. The buffalo is an exception;
he regularly hunts a man, and is therefore peculiarly dangerous.
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