THE BISON 191 



men holding well the positions assigned them. We had 

 gone but a mile or two when the bull decided to make 

 for the hills. Putting spurs to my horse, I intercepted 

 him, and waving my hat in his face turned him back, 

 and we then pushed him hard, since I thought he would 

 be easier to handle if thoroughly tired out. After a 

 straightaway race of a few miles he stopped, and turn- 

 ing about lowered his head, erected his tail, and with 

 dilating nostrils and flashing eyes faced his pursuers. 

 He pawed and stamped the ground, and was evidently 

 getting ready for a charge. We all rode slowly for- 

 ward, closing in about him in a horseshoe formation 

 leaving only one avenue of escape, hoping he would 

 move on again, but, with lowered head, he came 

 charging back, and the wisdom of my orders to the 

 men to keep their positions and not shoot was evident. 

 The maddened bull drove us for some distance and 

 then stopped. Again he stamped the ground, shook 

 and lowered his head, and tried to make us afraid; but 

 we gathered slowly about him until I was near enough 

 to talk to all my men. I directed them to give the 

 animal a rest, and we sat upon our horses and chatted 

 about his appearance and laughed at the witticisms of 

 one of the men, who made some remarks to the bull 

 about his conduct, etc. The beast was tired and hot 

 and ugly. His tongue hung from his mouth. He 

 seemed too tired to run farther and determined to 

 fight. A number of times he put us all to flight by a 

 charge; but we held him securely between us, and his 

 only avenue of escape was in the direction of the 

 "lone-tree" camp. At length he turned and walked 

 slowly and sullenly down the valley. When rested 



