THE BUFFALO. 117 



distant heights fully six miles away. When it is known that 

 with our field-glasses we can recognize an object the size of 

 a buffalo ten miles distant^ and that the mass extends even 

 beyond the horizon, some idea may be formed of the immense 

 number of animals congi-egated in the herd. To say that 

 there are ten thousand, would be to give a very low estimate 

 of their numbers. 



The same writer from whose work the above is taken, 

 describes an extraordinary instance of friendship exhibited 

 by a buffalo bull for one of his comrades. (Generally speak- 

 ing, the buffalo, even in the pairing season, will forsake 

 the wounded cow, and the cow will not stay one moment to 

 protect her hurt calf) He was out hunting on one occa- 

 sion, when, having been for some time unsuccessful, and being 

 anxious to retrieve his character by bringing home some 

 meat to camp, he caught sight of two fine buffalo bulls on a 

 broad meadow on the opposite side of a stream. Dismounting 

 from his horse, he took steady aim at the nearest buffalo, 

 which was grazing with its haunches towards him. The ball 

 broke the animal's right hip, and he plunged away on three 

 legs, the other hanging useless. He leaped on his horse, put 

 spurs to its flanks, and in three minutes was close on the bull's 

 rear. To his astonishment, and the still greater surprise of 

 the two old hunters who came after him, the unhurt bull 

 stuck to his comrade's side without flinching. He fired an- 

 other shot, which took effect in the lungs of the first buffalo. 

 The second moved off for a moment, but instantly returned 

 to his friend. The wounded buffalo became distressed, and 

 slackened his pace. The unwounded one not onl}^ retarded 

 his, but coming to the rear of his friend, stood, with his head 

 down, offering battle. '' Here indeed was devotion which had 



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