The Bison or American Buffalo. 239 



slain, the hunter being careful not to fire too high, aiming 

 just behind the shoulder, about a third of the way up the 

 body, that his bullet might go through the lungs. Some- 

 times, even after they saw the man, they would act as if 

 confused and panic-struck, huddling together and staring 

 at the smoke puffs ; but generally they were off at a lum- 

 bering gallop as soon as they had an idea of the point 

 of danger. When once started, they ran for many miles 

 before halting, and their pursuit on foot was extremely 

 laborious. 



One morning my cousin and brother had been left in 

 camp as guards. They were sitting idly warming them- 

 selves in the first sunbeams, when their attention was 

 sharply drawn to four buffaloes that were coming to the 

 pool to drink. The beasts came down a game trail, a 

 deep rut in the bluff, fronting where they were sitting, 

 and they did not dare to stir for fear o? being discovered. 

 The buffaloes walked into the pool, and, after drinking 

 their fill, stood for some time with the water running out 

 of their mouths, idly lashing their sides with their short 

 tails, enjoying the bright warmth of the early sunshine ; 

 then, with much splashing and the gurgling of soft mud, 

 they left the pool and clambered up the bluff with un- 

 wieldy agility. As soon as they turned, my brother and 

 cousin ran for their rifles, but before they got back the 

 buffaloes had crossed the bluff crest. Climbing after 

 them, the two hunters found, when they reached the summit, 

 that their game, instead of halting, had struck straight off 

 across the prairie at a slow lope, doubtless intending to 

 rejoin the herd they had left. After a moment's consulta- 



