THE FIRST CHARGE. 291 



I was then about fifty yards from the splendid game, 

 when on my pressing Tayinouth to go on again he at 

 once refused, and as he turned and shied away a little, I 

 saw that the bison with his tail gave that well-understood 

 sign, by raising it higher, that he was bent on charging. 

 Taymouth had then turned his quarters to the bull, and 

 commenced the trick he had of jibbing and rearing when 

 his will was thwarted ; so exclaiming to myself " that 

 that would never do, or in an instant we should receive 

 such pressure from behind that the fate of the battle would 

 very soon be decided the wrong way," instead of trying 

 to turn him towards the bull, I dropped my hand, and giv 

 ing him the spur sent him off a few strides in full retreat ; 

 then with the near rein bringing him round to the left ob 

 liquely at the bull, I again approached to closer quarters. 

 The bison was aware of the act in an instant, for on near- 

 ing him he made the most beautiful dash at me I ever 

 saw or perhaps shall ever see again, flinging the rent turf 

 of the plains far behind him with his short and immensely 

 powerful hind legs ; but on the snaffle, faster still away 

 flew Taymouth, when the bull, finding he could not catch 

 me, after a charge of about thirty yards, again stood still. 

 I was instantly aware of his halt, for in a few strides 

 my willing horse put me at leisure enough to lay my hand 

 on the croup of the saddle and look back, when the in 

 stant the bull halted I came round him again, keeping him 

 on my left side ; but on nearing him he charged most vici 

 ously with the same result as before, and then drawing 

 himself up again stood sullenly still. I had on other oc 

 casions, when among a herd of retreating bisons, tried 

 the effect on them of the human' voice, and seen the sound 

 for a moment or two scatter them in all directions, so I 



