THE BISON OR AMERICAN BUFFALO. 33 



At last, when I had begun to grow very 

 Anxious lest the others should take alarm, the 

 bull likewise appeared on the edge of the 

 glade, and stood with outstretched head, 

 scratching his throat against a young tree, 

 which shook violently. I aimed low, behind 

 hi* shoulder, and pulled trigger. At the 

 crack of the rifle all the bison, without the 

 momentary halt of terror-struck surprise so 

 common among game, turned and raced off 

 at headlong speed. The fringe of young 

 pines beyond and below the glade cracked 

 and swayed as if a whirlwind were passing, 

 and in another moment they reached the top 

 of a very steep incline, thickly strewn with 

 boulders and dead timber. Down this they 

 plunged with reckless speed ; their surefooted- 

 ness was a marvel in such seemingly unwieldy 

 beasts. A column of dust obscured their pas- 

 sage, and under its cover they disappeared in 

 the forest ; but the trail of the bull was marked 

 by splashes of frothy blood, and we followed 

 it at a trot. Fifty yards beyond the border 

 of the forest we found the stark black body 

 stretched motionless. He was a splendid old 

 bull, still in his full vigor, with large, sharp 

 horns, and heavy mane and glossy coat ; and 

 I felt the most exulting pride as I handled 

 and examined him; for I had procured a 

 trophy such as can fall henceforth to few hunt- 

 ers indeed. 



It was too late to dress the beast that even- 

 ing ; so, after taking out the tongue and cut- 

 ting off enough meat for supper and break- 

 3 



