THE DEATH OF THE FIRST BULL. 245 



afterwards was his usual custom, fired two or more shots 

 at the bison with an army carbine, and missed him 

 clean, my horse Kansas, which Mr. Canterall rode, being 

 beautifully steady. 



We now came to a creek that intersected the plains, 

 down the steep bank of which, without the least pause in 

 his long gallop, the buffalo went in the oddest and most 

 reckless way I ever saw, getting a complete summersault 

 into the water at the bottom, at which I was immensely 

 amused. Bayard and myself then halted on the brink of 

 the creek, and waited for a steadier shot at the bull as he 

 climbed the other side. Bayard fired with his revolver, 

 at a long distance for that weapon, and I got my second 

 shot, and saw that it took effect in a slanting direction 

 on the back of the bison. We then rode over the creek, 

 and my third shot, at some distance, broke the shoul 

 der of the huge beast, proving the strength of the 

 shooting of Prince's carbine, and brought him at once to 

 bay. We then drew up at a respectful distance, as the 

 victory was sure ; the monster, lame as he was, being 

 ever ready to charge, when, drawing a little closer, 

 Taymouth being somewhat quieted by the length of the 

 chase as well as his fractious exertions, I opened my left 

 side for the facility of a shot, and hit the bison close 

 behind, and a little above, the elbow, when he swayed 

 from side to side for a moment, and then fell dead. 

 Making much of my horse, I rode him up as near as he 

 would go and dismounted, when, giving my hunting- 

 knife to Mr Canterall, I bade him cut off the peculiarly 

 immense beard of this bull, which, with his tail, now 

 ornaments my rooms at Beacon Lodge the tails of the 

 bisons, handsomely set in an acorn the size of a small 

 pine, by Harvey, of Lambeth House, Westminster-bridge 



