HUNTING THE E.'SON. 445 



mile off. No sec far; but suiell Hah ! no saying how far buffufo 

 smell." 



Taking every precaution to prevent an exercise of these powers 

 upon the force now approaching their precincts, our head and front 

 of the party, Blackwolf led us, with consummate generalship, close to 

 the rear of the unsuspecting animals, and we were upon them with- 

 out a single head being disturbed. At first, we gave ourselves to 

 view from behind the bluffs, a few of the nearest jerked up their 

 heads, and after a stare, remarkable for its brevity, erected their 

 tufted tails over their backs and moved off not rapidly, but evidently 

 preparing for a bolt. This example was soon followed by severa 1 

 ^thers; but as the main body, consisting of upward of a hundred, 

 still remained undisturbed, the signal for attack was reserved, as the 

 first object in buffalo-hunting appears to be precisely that in our own 

 glorious fox-hunting to get on good terms with the chase. Cau- 

 tiously, and restraining the ardent and fierce spirit of our horses to 

 Ke^p within the compass of control, we still slowly advanced in a doubia 

 ane, while many of the animals knowing, like an old seasoned Kn 

 ^lish hunter when he catches a glimpse of the pack at the meet, tbc 

 run in preparation, pulled with might and main and almost defied MK- 

 stalwart tug upon their jaws 



The pickets having been driven in, 1 noticed an animal of strikin,. 

 appearance surrounded by a knot of others, suddenly throw up ln 

 head, and elevating his tail simultaneously with his pericranium, who-.-- 

 suddenly in an opposite direction and gallop away, douotiessly, as fa.: 

 as his legs and hoofs would carry him. 



This praiseworthy precedent of self-preservation was immediaun} 

 adopted by the entire family, and the patriarch, leading the wuv. 

 found ready follow irs at a pace corresponding with his own. 



It was a moment of the most thrilling excitement of my life, at 

 with a swoop the Indians dashed ahead, and with halter and reiij 

 dangling free, to see their horses strain their utmost powers to out- 

 strip the fugitives, and bring them within reach of bow and lanre. 

 Nigger r l may confidently state, did his best without the. aid of Hawk- 

 eye's cruel suggestion, although in a very short distance, it was con- 

 clusively obvious that he could not long live the. pace we were 



