A BUFFALO DROVE. 35 



arc always saddled with being the cause of every disap- 

 pointment and annoyance in wild life. But look there ! 

 What is that? A distant cloud of dust. Buffalo for a 

 thousand, and advancing toward where the hunters are sta- 

 tioned. How is the wind ? is inquired. One wets his fin- 

 gers with his saliva, and holds it up. In a few moments 

 the position is declared untenable, and both, vaulting on 

 their horses, hurry off to get more to leeward, availing 

 themselves of a swell in the prairie to keep perdu. Having 

 marked well the direction in which the herd is advancing, 

 keeping as much out of sight as possible, scarcely speaking 

 a word, and then not louder than a whisper, the distance 

 between the hunters and game is rapidly diminished. From 

 the nature of the ground, no longer can they remain hid ; 

 so, taking their horses well in hand, forward they dash, 

 and, in a few strides, what a sight is before them ! Cows, 

 bulls, and calves, all intermingled, forming a straggling 

 drove of thousands, heading in the same direction, and 

 feeding as they progress. Occasionally this harmony of 

 action is disturbed. Two ragged, clumsy-looking, veteran 

 bulls approach each other : perhaps they have been former 

 rivals for some dusky-hided beauty's favors. With a deep 

 bellow one throws down the gauntlet, which the other is 

 not loath to take up ; and, with fire flashing from their par- 

 tially hid eyes, each rushes at the other. But the herd have 

 become alarmed a foe equally dreaded by both bulls is at 

 hand ; their rencontre will brook delay to be settled at a 

 future date ; and, with a startled stare and toss of the head, 

 both turn and rush off after the herd, which is already 

 making a most hurried stampede. However, when the 

 hunters are old hands, the bulls might have saved them- 

 selves the trouble ; while young cow-beef is to be obtained, 

 none but the veriest novice would think of wasting ammu- 

 nition on their rough and rugged old carcasses. No time 



