220 SPORTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



permit, I approached it to within fifty yards before I was 

 detected, then away we both went. After running about 

 a mile, I drew close to it and made a throw ; but the rope 

 being heavy, and the wind blowing strongly against me, 

 I missed, much to my chagrin. I lost nothing in speed, 

 however, by the cast, and still keeping up the pursuit, and 

 coursing the creature in every direction, I finally got a 

 good throw, and caught it by the neck. Taking a few 

 turns of the rude lariat around the horn of the saddle, I 

 dismounted to secure my quarry, by tying its legs ; but I 

 had scarcely touched the ground before my steed, finding 

 himself relieved of his load, broke away abruptly, dragging 

 the calf after him for a few feet; but he soon released 

 himself from that encumbrance and left the half -choked 

 creature, the rope, and myself, on the open and, to me, un- 

 known prairie, while he galloped away, swinging his tail, 

 and turning round every now and then as if to see how I 

 liked the predicament in which he had placed me. I did 

 not like it by any means ; and if he had been my property, 

 and within close range, I fear he would not have lived for 

 more than a second or two. I seized the rope before the 

 calf could run away with it, and then commenced a tug of 

 war between us ; but, as I had the advantage, I was the 

 victor in less than five minutes, for my antagonist was so 

 choked that it had to cease its struggles. When I ap- 

 proached to upset it, by entangling its legs in the rope 

 and then securing them, the vicious little creature charged 

 me suddenly, and striking me full in the stomach with 

 its head, it both doubled me up and tumbled me over, 

 and, when I was down, attempted to gore me with its tiny 

 horns. I was soon on my feet, however, and had my cou- 

 rageous little foe down by the rope trick, and, after tying 

 its feet with a piece of string, I took off the lasso, intend- 

 ing to follow my horse and try its power on him. As he 

 was some distance away, and the probability was that I 

 would have to meet some of the party before I could catch 

 him, I concluded to let the calf go free, for, if left tied, it 

 would undoubtedly have fallen a prey to the wolves, as I 



