284 Hunting Trips on the Prairie 



nearly up to him. The ground over which we were 

 running was fearful, being broken into holes and 

 ditches, separated by hillocks; in the dull light, and 

 at the speed we were going, no attempt could be 

 made to guide the horses, and the latter, fagged out 

 by their exertions, floundered and pitched forward 

 at every stride, hardly keeping their legs. When 

 up within twenty feet I fired my rifle, but the dark- 

 ness, and especially the violent, labored motion of 

 my pony, made me miss; I tried to get in closer, 

 when suddenly up went the bull's tail, and wheeling, 

 he charged me with lowered horns. My pony, 

 frightened into momentary activity, spun round 

 and tossed up his head; I was holding the rifle in 

 both hands, and the pony's head, striking it, 

 knocked it violently against my forehead, cutting 

 quite a gash, from which, heated as I was, the 

 blood poured into my eyes. Meanwhile the buffalo, 

 passing me, charged my companion, and followed 

 him as he made off, and, as the ground was very 

 bad, for some little distance his lowered head was 

 unpleasantly near the tired pony's tail. I tried to 

 run in on him again, but my pony stopped short, 

 dead beat; and by no spurring could I force him 

 out of a slow trot. My companion jumped off and 

 took a couple of shots at the buffalo, which missed 

 in the dim moonlight; and to our unutterable cha- 

 grin the wounded bull labored off and vanished in 

 the darkness. I made after him on foot, in hopeless 

 and helpless wrath, until he got out of sight. 



Our horses were completely done out; we did 



