1 88 SPOR TING A D VENTURES 



who praised him ! My misfortunes having reached a climax, 

 I became stupidly calm in mind, and let the brute go his own 

 course, without even attempting to punish him with the spurs. 

 On my way back I saw the leader advancing and driving a 

 wounded cow before him, and by his side was a coal-black 

 negro who rode a sorry excuse of a mustang. When he saw 

 me he shouted to hurry up, and on approaching him he asked 

 me if I had killed anything. 



" Nothing/' said I. 



"Well/' said he, "you mustn't go way from your first 

 run with me without killing a buffalo ; so you'd better tackle 

 that cow, else you won't have any luck in your next hunt." 



The thought was ignominious, but being imbued with a 

 small amount of the hunter's superstition, I concluded to 

 become lucky in the chase, even at the expense of pride, so 

 I opened fire on the poor creature, and in a short time caused 

 her to halt, and a shot in the eye finished her. as it reached 

 the brain. When brought to bay her eyes were a glowing 

 emerald with rage, and she looked vicious enough to do any- 

 thing, but, fortunately, she was unable to charge, else she 

 might have gored me or the brute I rode, for he was too 

 stupid or lazy to move off promptly even with a vigorous 

 application of the spurs. I had killed my buffalo to be sure ; 

 but, by Jove, in what a manner ! I actually felt ashamed of 

 myself, and this feeling was not allayed when I heard that 

 she really belonged to the negro, he having wounded her 

 first, but that she was taken away from him by my com- 

 panion, on the ground that he did not belong to our party, 

 and he wished to reserve her for me. " But how did you 

 know that I would not be successful ?" said I. " Because," 

 said he, emphatically, " that wretched mustang you ride can't 

 overtake a buffalo, and if he did he would run away from it. 

 I know what he can do ; but as there was no other horse left 

 in town, I thought you could not do better than take him if 

 you wished to join in the hunt; yet I had a hope he would 

 prove better than he has. I know now what he can do, so 

 you may have my spare runner for the next hunt." This 

 assuaged my feelings of abashment somewhat, as it caused me 



