132 HUNTING ADVENTURES. 



above the whole band, and I picked my way through the c. owd to 

 get alongside of him. I went not for " meat," but for a trophy f 

 I wanted his head and horns. I dashed along through the thunder- 

 ing mass, as they swept away over the plain, scarcely able to tell 

 whether I was on a buffalo's back or my horse hit, and hooked, 

 and jostled abc.ut, till at length I found myself alongside of my 

 game, when I gave him a shot, as I passed him. I saw guns flash 

 in several directions about me, but I heard them not. Amidst the 

 trampling throng, Mons. Chardon had wounded a stately bull aid 

 at this moment was passing him again with his piece levellec 'or 

 another shot ; they were both at full speed and I also, within the 

 reach of the muzzle of my gun, when the bull instantly turned 

 and receiving the horse upon his horns, the ground received poor 

 Chardon, who made a frog's leap of some twenty feet or more over 

 the bull's back, and almost under my horse's heels. I wheeled 

 my horse as soon as possible and rode back, where lay poor Char- 

 don, gasping to start his breath again ; and within a few paces of 

 him his huge victim, with his heels high in the air, and the hoise 

 lying across him. I dismounted instantly, but Chardon was raising 

 himself on his hands, with his eyes and mouth full of dirt, and 

 feeling for his gun, which lay about thirty feet in advance of him. 



" Heaven spare you ! are you hurt, Chardon ?" " Hi hie hie 



hie hie hie no, 



hie no no, I believe not. Oh ! this is not much, 



Mons. Cataline this is nothing new but this is a hard piece of 

 ground here hie oh ! hie !" At this the poor fellow fainted, but 

 in a few monents arose, picked up his gun, took his horse by the 

 bit ; which then opened its eyes, and with a hie and a ugh UGHK ! 

 sprang upon its feet shook off the dirt and here we were, all 

 upon our legs again, save the bull, whose fate had been more ?ad 

 than that c .f either. 



I turned my eyes in the direction where the herd had gone, and 

 our companions in pursuit, and nothing could be seen of them, nor 

 indication, except the cloud of dust which they left behind them. 

 At a little distance on the right, however, I beheld my huge victim 

 endeavoring to make as much head-way as he possibly could 



