274 MORE FALSEHOOD. 



off, from our mistaking at a great distance some " shade 

 bushes," which had been stuck up in an old encampment 

 by the Indians, for our picketed mules ; however, just at 

 dark we made out our camp, very hungry and rather tired, 

 and longing for some dinner. 



On arriving we found that Major Martin and Willie had 

 gone out after some bisons near the camp, with Mr Can- 

 terall, who took his rifle for a " still-hunt," or stalk. He 

 succeeded in wounding two, at whom he fired forty shots, 

 as counted by Major Martin, ere he brought them down. 

 George Bromfield had also given his American compan 

 ions a sample of an English New Forest shot, for with his 

 rifle he killed, hitting the bird right through the breast, a 

 single wood-duck who flew over his head. I had never 

 before seen this beautiful bird in his native state, and 

 when dressed for dinner the next day he was delicious. 



"Well, Mr Canterall," I then said, " what became of 

 the herd of buffalo you signalled to us with your hat 

 soon after we left you ? " 



" Oh, they got frightened at the passing of the wag 

 gons, guv'nor, that's a fact, and moved off." 



" Why, did not you chase them ? " 



" No, guv'nor, I didn't leave the waggons." 



" What a vile untruth ! " I cried ; " why, Mr Bayard 

 and myself watched you run them and shoot at them." 



This fellow, as he always did, replied in a whining 

 apology, that he was very sorry if he had been wrong, 

 &c., &c., and I turned my back on him in disgust and 

 went to my tent. My mare, Sylph, had not recovered 

 her previous hard day, and, in addition, she had caught 

 cold in the terrible rain of a night or two before. Had 

 she been fit to have gone the chase, I could have passed 

 the great bull we killed, after wounding him sufficiently 



