A TENDERFOOT AFTER BUFFALO. Ill 



was rolling prairie, with very often a dry watercourse in the 

 hollows, and as these were overgrown with sunflowers, we 

 could not see where they began, the sunflowers being higher 

 than our heads. 



A ride of about two hours took us to a high ridge, from 

 which we had an extensive view, and we could see many small 

 bands of buffalo, of from three or four to fifty ; and choosing 

 one of these, as they were on good riding ground, we made for 

 them, keeping in a hollow which hid us till we were within a 

 quarter of a mile of them. We then tightened our girths and 



loaded. I was using a sixteen-bore double gun, and M 



a double rifle of the same calibre, which I had lent him. I 

 noticed that he held his reins very awkwardly and had some 

 trouble in managing his horse and holding his rifle at the 

 same time, but I was too excited to think of anything but the 

 run before us, so leaving the hollow, we rode on to the level, 

 and were at once seen by the buffaloes, which commenced 

 going off. 



Giving a shout and telling M to put the spurs in, away 



I went, leaving him a little behind me, and we were going 

 down a steep hill, when I heard strange sounds in my rear, 



and turning round in my saddle, I saw M holding on both 



before and behind, and flying about in an extraordinary way, 

 his hat and gun gone, and he evidently being on the point 

 of coming to grief himself; and just as I turned my head to 

 see what was in front of me and to pull up, I heard a thud, 



followed by a loud groan, and saw M on his back, heels 



in the air. I caught his horse as he passed me, and then rode 



back, finding M unhurt and unable to account for what 



had happened ; the rifle was not broken as I feared it would 



