126 GAME. 



ordinary amount of nerve. When he gets within 300 

 yards, the bulls on that side, with heads erect, tails 

 cocked in air, nostrils expanded, and eyes that seem 

 to flash fire, even at that distance, walk uneasily to and 

 fro, menacing the intruder by pawing the earth and toss- 

 ings of their huge heads. 



The enemy still approaching, some bull will face him, 

 lower his head, and start on a most furious charge. But 

 alas for brute courage ! When he has gone twenty or 

 thirty yards Mr. Bull thinks better of it, stops, stares an 

 instant, and then trots back to the herd. Another and 

 another will try the same game, with the same result ; 

 and if, in spite of these ferocious demonstrations, the 

 hunter still approaches, the whole herd will inconti- 

 nently take to its heels. 



This bullying proclivity, combined with his natural 

 indisposition to get out of the way, has been the cause of 

 the death of thousands at the hands of men to whom 

 buffalo killing was no novelty, who needed no meat, and 

 who would not have gone fifty yards out of their way to 

 kill, but in whom opportunity so roused that spirit of 

 murder which is inherent in every sportsman's breast, that 

 the temptation was too strong to be resisted. 



I should be doing injustice to this animal, and be wide 

 of the facts, did I assert that there is no difficulty or 

 excitement in its pursuit. What I have said refers to 

 buffalo hunting on foot, the natural and approved method 

 of approaching almost all game which is to be taken with 

 firearms. 



Buffalo hunting on horseback is a very different thing y 

 and, to a novice, full of excitement. A buffalo can run 

 only about two-thirds as fast as a good horse ; but what he 

 lacks in speed he makes up in bottom or endurance, in 

 tenacity of purpose, and in most extraordinary vitality. 



A herd will stand staring at an approaching horseman 

 until he is within about 300 yards. It will then begin 

 to move off slowly, and, when he is within about 



