312 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



finding the few buffaloes which were there, and of the al- 

 most impossibility when found of bringing their skins or 

 any other part away ; his countenance bore the same 

 joyous, amicable expression as before. When I had 

 finished my remarks, he handed me the bottle, which 1 

 put to my- lips without drinking. In a voice trembling 

 with emotion, he assured me that he was prepared to ven- 

 ture every thing, even life itself, for the sake of killing a 

 buffalo, and when life was at stake, who could take into 

 consideration a few insignificant swamp-holes or thorns ! 

 And then, as it struck him that he was a father of a fa- 

 mily, his voice became weaker and more tremulous, his 

 emotion increased, a flood of tears gushed from his eyes, 

 and before I was aware, the little round figure was hang- 

 ing to my neck. The heavy weight forced from me a 

 sigh, which he took for sympathy, and he began to squeeze 

 so hard that I was afraid I should be suffocated, when 

 his two friends, who had been more moderate with the 

 bottle, sprang to my rescue. But this was no easy matter, 

 and as he clung to me he cried out, " Let me alone ! he's 

 my friend he, he will save me ! " I escaped from him 

 by a sudden wrench, and his companions carried him off 

 to bed, he all the while throwing about his little fat arms 

 and legs, and called them good-for-nothing buffalo dogs. 

 Then he again began to whine and cry, the sounds 

 changing gradually, first into a groan and then into a 

 snore. 



We arrived at the new farm about noon next day, 

 and found the former proprietors loading their wagon. 

 They took their leave in the afternoon, and left as a 

 memorial, an incredible quantity of dirt. As soon as 



