LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 55 



like ships at sea. Doubting what it could be, he approached 

 the strange objects ;. and as the refraction disappeared before 

 him, the dark masses assumed a more distinct form, and 

 clearly moved with life. A little nearer, and he made 

 them out: they were buffalo. Thinking to distinguish 

 himself, the greenhorn dismounted from his mule and 

 quickly hobbled her, throwing his lasso on the ground to 

 trail behind when he wished to catch her. Then, rifle in 

 hand, he approached the huge animals, and, being a good 

 hunter, knew well to take advantage of the inequalities of 

 the ground and face the wind ; by which means he crawled 

 at length to within forty yards of the buffalo, which quietly 

 cropped the grass, unconscious of danger. Now, for the 

 first time, he gazed upon the noble beast he had so often 

 heard of and longed to see. With coal-black beard sweep- 

 ing the ground as he fed, an enormous bull was in advance 

 of the others, his wild brilliant eyes peering from an im- 

 mense mass of shaggy hair, which covered his neck and 

 shoulder. From this point his skin was smooth as one's 

 hand, a sleek and shining dun, and his ribs were well 

 covered with shaking flesh. Whilst leisurely cropping 

 the short curly grass, he occasionally lifted his tail into 

 the air, and stamped his foot as a fly or mosquito annoyed 

 him =-flapping the intruder with his tail, or snatching at 

 the itching part with his ponderous head. 



When La Bonte had sufficiently admired the buffalo, he 

 lifted his rifle, and, taking steady aim, and certain of his 

 mark, pulled the trigger, expecting to see the huge beast 

 fall over at the report. What was his surprise and con- 

 sternation, however, to see the animal only flinch when 

 the ball struck him, and then gallop off, followed by the 

 others, apparently unhurt. As is generally the case with 

 greenhorns, he had fired too high, ignorant that the only 

 certain spot to strike a buffalo is but a few inches above 

 the brisket, and that a higher shot is rarely fatal. When 

 he rose from the ground he saw all the party halting in 

 full view of his discomfiture ; and when he joined them, 

 loud were the laughs, and deep the regrets of the hungry 

 at his first attempt. 



