LETTER XT. 



many of his bones broken. Just at this moment the 

 Professor happened to come up ; but, from the nar- 

 rowness of his path, having no room to turn round, 

 lie was glad to abandon his horse, and take refuge in 

 a tree. The huftalo, however had finished ; for after 

 the destruction of the second horse, he turned sud- 

 denly round, and gal lopped away. 



Some time after this, the professor and his party 

 perceived an extremely large' herd of buffaloes graz- 

 ing in a plain. As tin y were now well acquainted 

 with the disposition of these animals, and knew 

 that they would not attack any person in the open 

 plains, they approached within forty paces, and fired 

 amongst them. The whole troop, notwithstanding the 

 individual fierceness and boldness of the animals, sur- 

 prized by the sudden flash am! report, turned about 

 and made oft' towards the woods. The wounded buf- 

 faloes, being unable to keep pa'ce with the rest of the 

 herd, were separated from them. Amongst these was 

 an old bi-ll buliaio, winch ran with fury towards the 

 party. They knew that, from the situation of the ey^s 

 of these animals, they could see in scarcely any other 

 direction than straight forward ; nvd that, in an open 

 plain, if a man that was pursued, darted out of the 

 course and threw himself flat on the ground, they would 

 ^llop forward to a considerable distance before they 

 missed him. These circumstances prevented their 

 suilenn<; any material alarm. The animal, from thi* 

 contrivance, passed close by them, and tell before he 

 appeared to have discovered his error. Such, how- 

 ever, was his strength, that, notwithstanding the ball 

 had entered his chest, and penetrated through the 

 greatest part of his body, he ran at lull speed several 

 . '(i paces before he fell. 



The hunters kill the buoaloes by firing on them 

 from the tops of trees, wiih balls partly composed of 

 tin, as the hide of {.his animal is too hard to be peue- 

 trai-ed by a common musket ball. The hide of the 

 bui&lo is very valuable, and the leather made from k 

 is much esteemed for its smoothness, impenetrability, 

 and duration, qualities which reader it excellent for 



