BISON HUNTING. 325 



no no, believe not. Oh ! this is not much, Mons. Cati- 

 line 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 moments 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 sad than that of 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, from this dangerous ground, upon 

 three legs. I galloped off to him, and at my approach he 

 wheeled around and bristled up for battle ; he seemed to 

 know perfectly well that he could not escape from me, and 

 resolved to meet his enemy and death as bravely as possible. 



I found that my shot had entered him a little too far for- 

 ward, breaking one of his shoulders, and lodging in his breast, 

 and from his very great weight it was impossible for him to 

 make much advance upon me. As I rode up within a few 

 paces of him, he would bristle up with fury enough in his looks 

 alone, almost to annihilate me ; and making one lunge at me, 

 would fall upon his neck and nose, so that I found the saga- 

 city of my horse alone enough to keep me out of danger ; and 

 I drew from my pocket my sketch-book, laid my gun across 

 my lap, and commenced taking his likeness. He soon stif- 

 fened up, and swelling with awful vengeance, which was sub- 

 lime for a picture, but which he could not vent upon me. I 

 rode around him and sketched him in numerous attitudes ; 

 sometimes he would lie down, and I would then sketch him ; 

 then throw my cap at him, and rousing him on his legs, rally 

 a new expression, and sketch him again. 



In this way I added to my sketch-book some invaluable 



28 



