777^ BUFFALO. 243 



bruises, however, for it is no uncommon incident to have 

 a man's horse rippi-d open by an angry bull, or himself 

 trampled or gored to death. I saw an Indian on one oc- 

 casion wounded so seriously by a bull that he died in twen- 

 ty-four hours after; and I heard of an experienced hunter 

 in Montana who got entangled in a large herd, and was 

 carried along by it for some distance, only to meet his 

 death by being pushed into a chasm by the wild crowd of 

 animals behind him, and which followed him to the great 

 spirit-land. 



Buffalo-hunting has its comic side sometimes; but those 

 who are participators in the comedy do not, as a rule, see 

 the fun of the matter. To watch a man on foot legging 

 it lively before a pursuing bull is certainly ludicrous to a 

 spectator, for his face and eyes seem to fairly bulge out 

 with fear, and he makes the most unnecessary leaps, and 

 glances about him in the wildest manner to see how affairs 

 stand. To watch a man holding on to a horse's tail while 

 the animal bucked and circled and galloped to avoid the 

 furious charges of an angry Taurus is mirth - provoking ; 

 and to see a novice, who is well mounted, riding like John 

 Gilpin before a rheumatic veteran that can scarcely toddle 

 along, is certainly sufficient to cause a smile ; and that such 

 scenes are not rare is evident from the number of stories 

 floating about in the West. By using ordinary precaution, 

 one can generally escape any disagreeable predicaments, 

 however, if he is at all well horsed ; for much depends on 

 the intelligence, speed, and training of the steed. Dr. Car- 

 ver, who killed five thousand buffaloes in one season, nearly 

 all of which were shot from horseback, did not have a fall 

 during that time; and as his horses were too well trained 

 to withstand the charges of the bulls, he escaped without 

 any serious accident. The pleasure of pursuing the buffa- 

 lo will soon be unknown, however, as it is fast disappearing 

 before the advance of the pale-faces; for where thousands 

 upon thousands were found a few years ago, only a few 

 small groups can now be seen; and they must soon join 

 their predecessors, unless a law is passed to protect them. 



