THE BUFFALO. 233 



on her head, she was soon trampled to death ; for the buf- 

 faloes crowd so closely t together during a stampede that 

 they have no room to swerve to one side; so on they 

 must go, trampling everything before them. 



The herd I was pursuing was so densely packed that it 

 could be covered with a blanket, provided one could be 

 found large enough ; and, on looking toward the rear, all 

 that could be seen through the heavy cloud of dust was a 

 thicket of horns, for the bodies were almost concealed. 

 Seeing that I could not turn it, I stopped the pursuit, not 

 wishing to kill needlessly, as I had already secured some 

 fine robes; yet I was anxious to get a few more of the 

 best quality, and some burly heads for friends who were 

 desirous to have them. As the column passed by me, I 

 saw a splendid bull bringing up the rear, and ranging 

 along-side him, I fired .at his fore-shoulder at a distance of 

 five paces, and brought him tumbling down. Riding close 

 up to him, I placed my revolver against his back, fired, and 

 breaking the spinal column, he fell dead in his tracks. 

 This caused those behind to push away a little, and gave 

 me an opportunity of firing at another fine animal; but as 

 I hit him in the head, he went on with as much ease as if I 

 had only struck him with a pebble. Not wishing to lose 

 him, however, I followed, and in two shots brought him 

 down, the last one having entered the heart. 



I felt satisfied then, and rode out of the dust-cloud to let 

 the remainder pass on in peace, and perhaps to relieve my 

 mouth, nostrils, and eyes of their accumulation of dust. I 

 soon learned that I had not done so too soon, for a few 

 yards away another herd came thundering by ; and had I 

 remained in the cloud I would not, in all probability, have 

 seen or heard it, and the consequence might have been dis- 

 astrous to me. Even as it was, I had to fire at those on 

 the flank toward me to make them give way to the left, as 

 I was afraid they would crowd on me, and entangle me in 

 their midst, and injure if not kill me. My efforts proved 

 successful in a short time, and they left a large space of 

 ground between us. 



