200 SPORTING ADVENTURES 



column of buffaloes rising 1 out of the horizon, and come gallop- 

 ing towards us, and a little later we saw that it was pursued 

 by a large band of Indians, who were plying their arrows as 

 they only can. They carried the quiver slung over the shoulder, 

 and so quickly did they draw the bolts from this, that one 

 arrow was scarcely on its way before another was following it. 



Knowing that they were friendly Pawnees, we decided to 

 have a run with them, so when the buffaloes drew near us we 

 dashed for the head of the column, and as it passed us we 

 discharged our weapons at every stately bull that suited 

 our fancy, and when all had gone by, we wheeled about and 

 followed them. I was more interested in the picture presented 

 by the chase than in getting trophies, however, as it was full 

 of life and animation. The maddened herd, the clouds of dust, 

 the thundering of hoofs, the falling of the killed and wounded, 

 the charging and wheeling of ponies, the showers of arrows, 

 and the wild excitement of the nude centaurs made as stirring 

 a hunting scene as it is possible to conceive; and so interested 

 in it was I that I permitted the animals to pass on, and 

 remained behind to enjoy the grand spectacle they presented. 

 After gazing at it for a sufficient time to enable me to appre- 

 ciate its spirited character, I dashed after the fugitives, and 

 was beside them in less than twenty minutes, and picking out 

 the best heads. 



While going at full speed my horse put his leg into a prairie- 

 dog hole, and falling forward, pitched me headlong to the 

 ground, and I had no sooner touched it than the revolver 

 went off so close to my nose that some of the dirt ploughed 

 up by the bullet went into my eyes and mouth. I was upon 

 my feet in a moment, however, and on looking for my horse 

 found him standing still, trembling with excitement and the 

 violence of the fall, but as he had suffered no serious injury, I 

 inferred that he had merely stumbled against the mound near 

 the mouth of the hole. 



My own bruises were confined to skinned knuckles and 

 arms, and a few scratches on the forehead, and after I had 

 ascertained their extent, I vaulted into the saddle, and started 

 for cam}), as 1 was a little bit shaken, and my horse seemed 



