168 TEN DAYS IN MONTANA. 



him the spur and the rein, flew like the wind. The herd 

 started up a long " divide," over ground as hard and smooth 

 as a race track, and as they had about three miles to run be- 

 fore reaching the bad lands, I had every advantage I could 

 wish for. My pony gained steadily on them, and the nearer 

 he got to them the more he became imbued with the spirit of 

 the chase. Finally, he laid me alongside of the herd, but it 

 was stretched out to a great length, running in single file, or 

 nearly so, and those in the rear were the slowest and least 

 desirable animals of all. So I encouraged my pony, and 

 with a renewed effort he carried me up along the line, passing 

 the rear guard, then the center of the herd, and finally well 

 toward its head. What an exciting scene is this! Here lam, 

 riding within ten feet of this vast throng of fleeing, panic- 

 stricken monsters. What if my horse should make a misstep 

 and fall ; what if he should become suddenly panic-stricken, 

 too, become unmanageable and throw me ? Then, indeed, 

 would death be my certain lot, for I should surely be trampled 

 into the earth. 



But the excitement of the sport outweighs all sense of 

 Danger, and I would not for a thousand dollars be elsewhere 

 than just where I am. Finally I selected the animal I 

 wanted, a young, active, vicious-looking bull a foeman 

 worthy of my steel. I drew my revolver and fired at him. I 

 saw the dirt fly beyond, and thought I had missed him, but 

 another glance told me that the bullet had passed through his 

 neck. At this he had dropped out of the ranks and circled off 

 to the left. I pursued him, and riding up close to him gave 

 him two more shots, when he stopped suddenly, turned and 

 charged me, as if intent upon wreaking vengeance on me for 

 the wrong I had done him. 



My pony was well used to this sort of thing, and needed 

 little direction from me to wheel and bound away out of 



