282 DEATH OP THE TAIL-LESS BULL. 



of coming to close quarters. We crawled till we had 

 opened his side, and he never either stirred nor saw us ; 

 so directing our balls quite low as he lay, we fired toge 

 ther, when the monster sprang to his feet and stared full 

 upon the spot where we lay. There was then a most 

 anxious but beautiful pause, when, on seeing that the bull 

 had not the least idea of our close proximity, but that he 

 began staring over us and towards the ground on the 

 other side the ravine, I whispered to Bayard to back into 

 the long grass, or he might walk on till he trod upon us, 

 and that when there we could reload. This we did, till 

 we began to find the descending ground, and then we 

 turned and slid uncommonly fast on our waistcoats until 

 we were safe under cover. When there, we lay for a few 

 seconds convulsed with laughter at our own haste to get 

 back out of sight, and then re-charged our rifles. The 

 moment we had loaded we crawled back to the short 

 grass, and took a look at the position of our foe. The 

 least rise of our heads ought to have afforded us a sight 

 of him had he remained on his legs ; but no, so higher 

 and higher went our brows, till at last we saw the monster 

 extended on the plain upon his side with his head towards 

 us, when, on attaining to our feet, we found that he was dead. 

 A signal to George with the horses, again transmitted by 

 him to the waggon, brought up our people ; so, leaving 

 them to take the robe as well as other spoils, Bayard, 

 myself, and Major Martin again set off in search of other 

 adventures, indicating our probable course to Mr Can- 

 terall, and desiring the waggon, if possible, to keep us in 

 sight by holding the hills, and always to maintain such 

 commanding ground as would enable the men to view us 

 on the plains and to be aware of the course we were tak 

 ing. 



