48 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



if such a fall took place when in the centre of a large herd, 

 trampling to death might be possible ; but I am convinced, 

 from long personal experience, that, so long as the game 

 can keep going, they will seldom or never turn on pursuing 

 man. At the same time, if you fire at a buffalo as you ride 

 past him, without much changing the direction they are 

 pursuing, he or she may slightly deviate toward the pursuer. 

 However, your bridle-hand should invariably sheer your 

 steed from the quarry, not only to avoid this deviation, but 

 to clear the animal if it drop to shot. The majority of 

 horses accustomed to this work do so of their own accord. 

 At the same time, I should particularly caution the tyro 

 that on himself and his own nerve he should invariably rely, 

 not on that of his dumb companion. To be a good horse- 

 man, of course, is particularly desirable ; and the person 

 who can ride bareback will often come in for a run when 

 a saddle may not be at hand. Many of us, of course, can 

 ride in this primitive manner; but there are very few 

 Americans or Europeans who can compare in this respect 

 with the Indians they appear so perfectly at home on 

 their horses: anywhere and everywhere they place them- 

 selves, and but seldom get a fall. 



However, the paces of horses are very different ; some I 

 used for running buffalo I preferred riding with blanket 

 and a surcingle; on others I did not feel sufficiently at 

 home without the saddle. For some months I had an un- 

 der-sized chestnut, very little over fourteen hands. My 

 associates called her a mustang. In some points she much 

 resembled one ; but there was a well-bred look about her 

 small head, narrow muzzle, broad forehead, and lean neck, 

 that told of aristocratic lineage. Moreover, she was very 

 fast and high-couraged, as well as easy in her paces. Her 

 back, while in my possession, was seldom crossed by a sad- 

 dle, although she was the favorite mount, and as such was 



