OF DARKNESS OF DARKNESS Words by E. Donnall Thomas, Jr. Photos by Lori Thomas
This story deserves a segment on “The
ebony hide bespoke trouble as eloquently as
on a buffalo despite multiple frustrating
Blackness of the Buffalo” for reasons
the contempt in its eyes.
attempts in other areas. Bill was carrying his recurve that morning, but I couldn’t even
analogous to Melville’s chapter “The
44
Whiteness of the Whale” in Moby-Dick:
The creature was perhaps justified in
manage that much: Recent neck surgery to
Perfect lightness or perfect darkness seems
his disdain. Aussie mates Bill Baker, Brad
repair a damaged nerve had left me unable
to represent all the human mind needs to
Kane, Dan Smith, and I had organized this
to pick my nose with my right arm, much
know in order to understand each of these
trip to explore the possibilities of guiding
less draw a bow heavy enough to kill a tough
imposing creatures. The first time I saw a
bowhunters in pursuit of Australia’s most
one-ton animal. Furthermore, in a classical
wild Asiatic buffalo lumbering toward me
dangerous big game animal. Despite his well-
example of “It seemed like a good idea at the
through the lush green cycads that blanket
deserved reputation as one of the country’s
time” thinking, we hadn’t brought a single
Australia’s Melville Island, its mud-streaked
best bowhunters, Bill had never connected
firearm with us to the island.
STRUNG MAGAZINE
SUMMER
2020
