ALL DIFFICULTIES SURMOUNTED. 289 



This main creek was not so wide as the last, but much 

 deeper, the sides excessively perpendicular, and the water 

 I found, on sliding down the bank into it, about up to 

 my horse's girths. The bison had begun to clamber up 

 the other bank when I reached the water, so dropping 

 the rein to my horse, in the hope that he would occupy 

 himself with drinking or pawing, and enable me to make 

 a successful shot, I brought my carbine to the shoulder ; 

 the instant I did so, however, Taymouth, who would do 

 nothing else than keep his eyes on me and the retreating 

 foe, flew right round as the rifle came to the level ; and 

 while I again missed my shot, he, at the same time, 

 charged up the bank down which we had descended ; 

 and, alas ! I dared not check him till we had reached the 

 top, or we should very likely have fallen backwards. He 

 then got both spurs furiously into his sides, and we went 

 again into the creek, and as I set his head at the oppos 

 ing bank he had the spurs all the time, flying like a bird 

 to the very top, though it was so steep that even the 

 buffalo had had a considerable scramble to surmount it, 

 and when on the plain again my horse was mad to pur 

 sue his foe. I slackened speed, however, to load my car 

 bine, and then took a view of the scene before me, as I 

 set off after the game. The buffalo was making the most 

 of his time, in apparently perfect knowledge that he had 

 put a large difficulty in the way of his enemy, which 

 might occasion very considerable delay, if not altogether 

 prove the means of complete escape. His head was down, 

 and he was racing at the very utmost of his speed, but 

 oh ! splendid sight, right in front of him, and for which 

 land of promise he was so swiftly proceeding, lay prairies 

 of from fifteen to twenty miles in extent, without so much 



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