232 SPORTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



where it fell, and threw a handkerchief, containing my ini- 

 tials, over it, so that other hunters might know to whom it 

 belonged ; for I was most anxious to preserve the head on 

 account of its size, the thickness of the matted hair, and 

 the length and fulness of the horns. I next marked the 

 position by taking bearings and noting the character of all 

 surrounding objects a precaution, I may add, which is 

 rendered necessary if one would not lose the fruits of the 

 chase ; for in a region where one spot is almost exactly 

 like another, one must closely scan every detail that would 

 give it an individuality by which he could recognize it. 



After marking the place carefully in my memory, I 

 mounted and rode on, and, as I moved along, I noticed my 

 companions running herds in every direction, and firing 

 away for dear life ; but as I wanted sport, not meat, I did 

 not join them. When I reached the heavy columns, how- 

 ever, I concluded to have some runs alone, if the others did 

 not come up within half an hour; and as they did not, I 

 selected a herd which contained, I should imagine, about 

 five thousand, and dashed at it from cover when within an 

 eighth of a mile of it. The majority of this herd was evi- 

 dently composed of adult bulls, which cannot at all com- 

 pare in speed with the cows, calves, or the younger mem- 

 bers of their own sex; hence I had little trouble in over- 

 taking them. When I started in pursuit, the vast assem- 

 blage visible in every direction seemed to be in a state of 

 commotion ; and fearing I might get entangled in it, I ran 

 to the front of the herd, intending to drive it away from 

 the main body and push it toward the rolling ground to 

 the right. When I reached that position, however, I found 

 the work rather difficult, as the animals would not turn, 

 but gave way laterally. I therefore concluded to kill one 

 or two to see if that would have any effect, and, turning 

 my mustang's head toward the herd, and not twenty paces 

 away from it, I fired at the spinal column of the leading 

 cow, and, fortunately, she fell dead at the first shot. Thus 

 encouraged, I drew closer, probably to within ten paces, 

 and brought another on her knees, and, plunging forward 



