186 IN THE DAYS OF AUDUBON 



" I could hardly imagine that these enormous animals 

 could move so quickly, or realize that their speed was as 

 great as it proved to be; and I doubt if in this country one 

 horse in ten can be found that will keep up with them. 

 We rode five or six miles before we discovered any more. 

 At last we saw a single bull, and while approaching him we 

 started two others; slowly we wended our way toward 

 them within a hundred yards, when away they went. 



" I had now begun to enter into the spirit of the chase, 

 and off I started, full speed, down a rough hill in swift 

 pursuit; at the bottom of the hill was a ditch about eight 

 feet wide; the horse cleared this safely. I continued, lead- 

 ing the others by some distance, and rapidly approaching 

 the buffaloes. 



" At this prospect of success my feelings can better be 

 imagined than described. I kept the lead of the others till 

 within thirty or forty yards of the buffaloes, when I began 

 making preparations to fire as soon as I was sufficiently 

 near; imagine, if possible, my disappointment when I dis- 

 covered that now, when all my hopes of success were raised 

 to the highest pitch, I was fated to meet a reverse as morti- 

 fying as success would have been gratfying! My horse 

 failed, and slackened his speed, despite every effort of mine 

 to urge him on; the other hunters rushed by me at full 

 speed, and my horse stopped altogether. I saw the others 

 fire; the animal swerved a little, but still kept on. 



" After breathing my horse a while, I succeeded in 



