74 PAINFUL TRAVELLLNG. 



The third day we resumed our course, and, after a drive of six or eigh 

 miles, came upon a large band of buflalo. Here, at our request, the Med 

 icine Soldier dofled his robe, slung his arrow-case over his naked shoulders, 

 mounted his horse bow in hand, and started for the chase. 



At first he rode slowly, as if reserving the speed of his charger till the 

 proper time. The buffalo permitted him to approach within a few hundred 

 yards before they commenced flight. Then was a magnificent spectacle. 



The afll-ighted beasts flew over the ground with all the speed that extreme 

 terror lent to their straightened nerves, and plied their nimble feet with a 

 velocity almost incredible — but they were no match for the noble steed the 

 Indian bestrode. He was among them in a trice, and horse, Indian, and 

 buffalo were lost in identity, as they swept over a snow-clad prairie, in 

 one thick, black mass, like the career of a fierce tornado, tossing the loose 

 drifts upwards in small particles, that, in their descent, pictured white clouds 

 falling to the earth, ever and anon enshrouding the whole band from view. 



Now their course is turned and makes directly towards us. They pass, 

 all foaming with sweat — with lolling tongues and panting breath — but 

 they still seem loath to abate from the energy of their wild terror. 



Soon the Indian and his gallant steed part from them. He has selected 

 the choicest of the band and pursues her singly. Side by side both cow 

 and horse keep even pace, while the ready archer pours in his arrows, — 

 some of them, forcing their entire way through the bleeding beast, fall 

 loosely to the ground upon the opposite side. 



At length, spent by the toilsome flight, exhausted by loss of blood, and 

 pierced through her vitals by the practised marksman that follows her, she 

 halts for fight. 



Now, she plunges with mad fury at the horse, — the well-trained steed 

 clears the force of her charge at a bound. Again, she halts, — the blood 

 spouts from her nostrils and mouth — she staggers. Again, she musters her 

 expiring energies for one more desperate onset at her enemy, as if deter- 

 mined, if die she must, not to die unavenged. Her charge proves futile as 

 the former. A death-sickness comes over her. Her life is fast ebbing from 

 within her. She reels, — she totters — she falls, — and breathes her life 

 away upon the blood-dyed snow. 



A few moments' delay put us in possession of an ample supply of fresh 

 meat, — the Indian reserving the robe only as his share. The cow proved 

 a most excellent selection, and did honor to the judgment of the hunter. 



As we travelled on, the snow, which scarcely an hour since had first 

 attracted our attention, became deeper and deeper, and our progress more 

 tedious and difficult. 



From bare ground and comparatively moderate climate, we were fully 

 inducted to the region of snow, ice, and winter. The })rairie was high and 

 undulating. To our left an immense wall of secondary rock surmounted 

 a ridge of naked hills, that described in its course the curve of a rainbow, 

 enclosing upon three sides a large valley facing the east, — tlience, stretch- 

 ing westward and raising higher and higher, hastened to mingle its heads 

 among the cloud-capped summits and snows of the neighboring moun- 

 tains. 



From a light coating of loose snow our course soon became obstructed 



