88 



BUFFALO LAND. 



If the rider wished to shoot, he could do so; if not, 

 content himself, as Mr. Colon usually did, with cling- 

 ing to the saddle, and uttering numberless expostu- 

 latory but fruitless " whoa's." 



Once on our trip Billy was loaned for the day to a 

 gentleman who wished to examine a prospective coal 

 mine. When barely out of sight of camp, Billy dis- 

 covered a herd of buffalo, and, despite the vehement 

 remonstrances of his rider, straightway charged it. 

 The mine-seeker was no hunter, but a wise and thor- 

 oughly timid devotee of science in search of coal 

 measures. A few moments, and the poor, frightened 

 gentleman found himself in the midst of a surging 

 mass of buffalo, his knees brushing their hairy sides, 

 and their black horns glittering close around him, 

 like an array of serried spears. He drew his knees 

 into the saddle, and there, clinging like a monkey, 

 lost his hat, his map of the mine, and his spectacles. 

 He returned Billy as soon as he could get him back 

 to camp, with expressions of gratitude that he had 

 been allowed to escape with life, and never mani- 

 fested the least desire to mount him again. 



Sachem's purchase was a horse which had run 

 unaccountably to legs. He was sixteen hands high, 

 a trifle knock-kneed, and with a way of flinging the 

 limbs out when put to his speed which, though it 

 seemed awkward enough, yet got over the ground 

 remarkably well. With the shambling gait of a 

 camel, he had also the good qualities of one, and did 

 his owner honest service. 



Muggs bought a mule, partly, because advised to 

 do so by a plainsman, and partly because the rest of 



