228 SPORTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



was accordingly bought for the sum of one hundred dol- 

 lars after much haggling, and with the assumed regret of 

 the high-minded vendor, who did not forget to tell us that 

 he was a layshawroo, or chief, and had a straight tongue. 

 I expected to accomplish wonders with him, and I did, but 

 in a manner different to what I anticipated. I received 

 with him as a present an old lasso (ahshitscawree) which 

 looked as if it had seen many years of service ; this I was, 

 according to instructions, to tie around the horse's neck in 

 the chase, and coil the remainder in my belt, so that if I 

 got thrown I could catch my steed readily, and probably be 

 dragged out of the way of danger, by clinging to it, as it 

 would uncoil itself if I left the saddle unceremoniously. 



When we reached our camping - ground we found that 

 the buffaloes had moved to the southward of where they 

 had been a few days previously, so we concluded to follow 

 them. Our route led over an undulating prairie, which was 

 richly carpeted with flowers and rich, succulent grasses, 

 until the evening of the second day, when we reached the 

 buffalo-grounds, and then our hearts bounded with joy on 

 seeing the shaggy creatures, looking like so. many black 

 dots in the distance, scattered over a large area. We dis- 

 cerned, by their movements, that there was some commo- 

 tion among those farther south ; and after watching them 

 attentively for an hour or more, we saw the dots unite in 

 larger numbers and come toward us at a rapid pace. We 

 inferred from this fact that they were fleeing before a large 

 body of hunters, and that they would, in all probability, be 

 so close to us the next day that we need not leave camp to 

 enjoy all the hunting we wanted. In order to avoid their 

 heedless, headlong rush, when stampeding, we concluded to 

 pitch our tents in a grove of willows near the bank of the 

 river, and not to picket our horses, but to tie them up to 

 trees and cut grass for them, as we were afraid they might 

 be injured by the advancing columns, should they approach 

 our quarters. 



After the camp was jerected, we cleaned our arms, dined, 

 and laid in a large store of wood with which to build fires 



