The Lordly Buffalo. 261 



then we made out in the middle of a large plain three 

 black specks, which proved to be buffalo old bulls. Our 

 horses had come a good distance, under a hot sun, and 

 as they had had no water except from the mud-hole in 

 the morning they were in no condition for running. 

 They were not very fast anyhow ; so, though the ground 

 was unfavorable, we made up our minds to try to creep 

 up to the buffalo. We left the ponies in a hollow half a 

 mile from the game, and started off on our hands and knees, 

 taking advantage of every sage-brush as cover. After a 

 while we had to lie flat on our bodies and wriggle like 

 snakes ; and while doing this I blundered into a bed of 

 cactus, and filled my hands with the spines. After taking 

 advantage of every hollow, hillock, or sage-brush, we got 

 within about a hundred and twenty-five or fifty yards of 

 where the three bulls were unconsciously feeding, and as 

 all between was bare ground I drew up and fired. It was 

 the first time I ever shot at buffalo, and, confused by the 

 bulk and shaggy hair of the beast, I aimed too far back at 

 one that was standing nearly broadside on towards me. 

 The bullet told on his body with a loud crack, the dust 

 flying up from his hide ; but it did not work him any im- 

 mediate harm, or in the least hinder him from making off; 

 and away went all three, with their tails up, disappearing 

 over a slight rise in the ground. 



Much disgusted, we trotted back to where the horses 

 were picketed, jumped on them, a good deal out of 

 breath, and rode after the flying game. We thought 

 that the wounded one might turn out and leave the 

 others ; and so followed them, though they had over a 



