286 AUDUBON THE NATUEALIST. 



that Mr. Squire, attempting to escape, rode 

 between the beast and a ravine which was near, 

 when the bull turned upon him, his horse 

 became frightened and leaped down the bank, 

 the buffalo following him so closely that he was 

 nearly unhorsed ; he lost his presence of mind 

 and dropped his gun ; he, however, fortunately 

 hung on by the mane and recovered his seat. 

 The horse was the fleetest, and saved his life. 

 He told us subsequently that he had never been 

 so terrified before. This bull was fired at several 

 times after Squire's adventure, and was found 

 to have twelve balls lodged in him when he was 

 killed. He was in very bad condition, and 

 being in the rutting season, we found the flesh 

 too rank for our dainty palates and only took 

 the tongue with us. 



Soon afterwards we killed a cow, in company 

 with many bulls, and were at first afraid that 

 they would charge upon us, which in similar 

 cases they frequently do, but our party was too 

 large and they did not venture near, although 

 their angry bellowings and their unwillingness 

 to leave the spot showed their rage at parting 

 with her. As the sun was now sinking fast 

 towards the horizon on the extended prairie, we 

 soon began to make our way toward the camp- 

 ing ground and passed within a moderate dis- 

 tance of a large herd of buffaloes, which we did 



