ADVENTURE WITH A BUFFALO, 61 



melliferous employ, and fill the dark chambers of her oaken palaces year 

 by year with honeyed stores. The air was almost vocal with the music of 

 her wintrs, and the flowerets were enlivened by the gentle touches of her 

 embrace! The odor of honey filled the breeze, which, wafting the mmgled 

 melody of birds and insects with tlie incens;- of flowers, o'er the smiling 

 prairie till lost in space, seemed more like the breath of Eden than the 

 exhalations of earth. 



As mioht be supposed, we were not slow in levying upon the delicious 

 stores which the industrious insects, claiming this as their dominion, had 

 laid away for themselves. Daring our stay no less than four bee-trees 

 were levelled, and every pan, kettle, pail, keg, or empty dish in the wliole 

 camp was filled to overflowing, and every stomach to repletion, with honey 

 of almost crystalline transparency. The great abundance of deer, turkey 

 and other game in the vicinity, also contributed their share of amusement, 

 and enlivened the interval of detention. 



At length, by a partial subsidence of the water, we were enabled to eGect 

 a crossing and renew our journey. Pursuing a course W. N. W., on the 

 27th we met a small party of whites on their return from the mountains, 

 and, yielding to the temptation presented by a luxuriant and well-wooded 

 valley, with^a pretty streamlet, the two parties made common camp. Our 

 new acquaintances were taking a large drove of horses, and several do- 

 mesticated buflalo, with them to the States. Their horses had been mostly 

 obtained from Upner California, the year previous, by a band of mountain- 

 eers, under the lead of one Thompson. This band, numbering tvventy-two 

 in all, had made a descent upon the Mexican ranchos and captured between 

 two and three thousand head of horses and mules. A corps of some sixty 

 Mexican cavalry pursued and attacked them, but were defeated and pursued 

 in turn, with the loss of several mules and their entire camp equipage : 

 after which the adventurers were permitted to rogain their mountain homes, 

 without further molestation; but, in passing the cheerless desert, between 

 the SieiTa Nevada and Colorado, the heat, dust, and thirst were so in- 

 tolerably oppressive, that full one half of their animals died. The remain- 

 der, however, were brought t6 rendezvous, and variously disposed of, to suit 

 the wants and wishes of their captors. , , . i, u* 



The buffalo, in possession of our wayfaring friends, had been caugnt 

 while calves, and reared by domestic cows. They appeared as tame and 

 easily managed as other cattle. One of them, a two-year-old heifer, was 

 rather vicious in its habits, having been spoiled, while a calf, by the too 

 grert familiarity of its keeper. After listening to a full exposition of its 

 bad qaalities, our commandant offered to bet he could handle, or even ride, 

 the unruly beast at pleasure. , 



•' Can you ?" said the owner. " Do it, and my best horse is yours ! 

 " I take all such ofl:evs !" returned the commandant. " A horse could 

 " not be easier earned !" he continued, stepping towards the ill-tutored ani- 

 mal. " Come, boss !— Poor bo-.s !— bo.^sy, bossy !" addressing the outtalo, 

 which commenced advancing,— at first slowly, then, with a sudden bound, 

 ran full tilt a-rainst the admirer, leaving him prostrate upon the ground, _aa 

 it turned away, dancing and throwing its heels exultingly at the exploit. 

 " Bless my stars !" he exclaimed, on recovering himself; " 1 d iio idea 

 twould serve me so !" 



