244 TAYMOUTH AT THE BISONS. 



stand, put all direct refusal out of his head, and we came 

 up at three parts' speed alongside the bulls, though he 

 swerved from them infinitely further than I desired. 

 But for the rein and heel, he would have gone clear 

 away; with these adjuncts, I managed to keep him, 

 though fighting against me, to within about twenty-five 

 yards of the bulls. His so much over-pacing the bisons 

 enabled him, when restrained, to change his legs and 

 fling his head and shoulders in such a way from side to 

 side, that to aim and fire with the carbine was for some 

 time impossible. Oh ! what an exciting wild sight it 

 was, thus close up with them, to see these thirty rusty 

 black monsters, flying two or three abreast, or else close 

 in each other's wake the last old bull (generally the 

 king of the herd) leering out from side to side beneath 

 either horn, as much as to say to the pursuer, " I don't 

 like you, and I am retreating ; but just you get into my 

 way, that's all, and then see what I'll do." Bayard, I 

 am sure, did not run for a shot at first, himself, but 

 rather waited to observe me, for not until a large bull 

 that I had pressed left the herd was I aware that he was 

 close to me, and then too I saw that Mr Canterall also 

 was in company. As Bayard seemed to be holding back 

 for me, I called out to both of them to go at the bull, 

 when Bayard, on his steady nice horse, ran alongside, 

 and, with his heavy revolver, slightly struck the bull, 

 but not in a spot to stop him. The bull then became 

 mischievous, and prone to charge anything that came in 

 his way of this he made both Bayard and myself well 

 aware and as bisons often do, when stricken or in a 

 fighting humour, he took no more notice of the direction 

 of his herd, but went away sulkily by himself. I shot 

 at him without effect, and then Mr Canterall, as I found 



