1 96 S/>OR TING A D I DENTURES 



herd, intending- to drive it away from the main body and push 

 it towards the rolling- g-round to the right. AY hen I reached 

 that position, however, I found the work rather difiieult, as the 

 animals would not turn, but gave way laterally. I therefore 

 concluded to kill one or two to see if that would have any effect, 

 and turning my mustang's head towards the herd, and not 

 twenty paces away from it, I fired at the spinal column of the 

 leading cow, and, fortunately, she fell dead at the first shot. Thus 

 encouraged, I drew closer, probably to within ten paces, and 

 brought another on her knees, and plunging forward on her 

 head, she was soon trampled to death ; for the buffaloes crowd 

 so closely tog-ether during a stampede that they have no room 

 to swerve to one side, so on they must go, trampling every- 

 thing before them. 



The herd I \vas pursuing- was so densely packed that it could 

 be covered witli a blanket, provided one could be found large 

 enough; and on looking- towards the rear all that could be 

 seen through the heavy cloud of dust was a thicket of horns, for 

 the bodies were almost concealed. Seeing that I could not 

 turn it, I stopped the pursuit, not wishing to kill needlessly, 

 as I had already secured some fine robes ; yet I was anxious to 

 get a few more of the best quality, and some burly heads for 

 friends who were desirous to have them. As the column was 

 passing by me, I saw a splendid bull on the flank, and ranging 

 alongside him I fired at his fore-shoulder at a distance of five 

 paces, and brought him tumbling down. Riding- close up to 

 him, I placed my revolver against his back, fired, and, as I broke 

 the spinal column, he fell dead in his tracks. This caused those 

 behind to push away a little, and gave me an opportunity of 

 firing at another fine bull; but as I only hit him in the head, he 

 went on with as much ease as if I had merely struck him with a 

 pebble. Not wishing to lose him, however,! followed, and in two 

 shots brought him down, the last one having entered the heart. 



I felt satisfied then, and rode out of the dust cloud, to let 

 the remainder pass on in peace, and perhaps to relieve my 

 mouth, nostrils, and eyes of their accumulation of dust. I 

 soon learned that I had not done so too soon, for a few yards 

 away another herd came thundering by, and had I remained 



