28 A COMRADE AND FRESH SPORTS. 



no purpose. As the body rolled, its head turned slowlj 

 from side to side, as if seeking for its foe. Gradually 

 the failing limbs refused to support the ponderous car- 

 cass. Suddenly, a convulsive tremor seized it, and, with 

 a fierce gasp, the mighty beast fell upon the plain, stark 

 and stiff. 



In the meantime, Joe had more difficulty in securing 

 his prize. The first shot had failed to reach the vitals, 

 and the buffalo turned fiercely upon the hunter, who im- 

 mediately put spurs to his mule, reloading his rifle as he 

 fled. When a short distance from the herd, the buffalo 

 stopped and seemed disposed to return to his companions. 

 Joe immediately checked his mule, turned, and, as after- 

 wards ascertained, shot the buffalo through the heart. 

 Yet such is the extraordinary tenacity of life in these 

 animals that this mortally wounded cow chased Joe 

 about a quarter of a mile before it fell in the agonies of 

 death. 



Regardless of the remainder of the herd, we now turned 

 our attention to securing the valuable portions of the ani- 

 mals we had killed. Mine was a splendid prize. The 

 depouille, or fleeces, the meat of the back and ribs 

 showed about four inches of solid fat. This, with the 

 short and delicious hump-rib and tender loin, the " bou- 

 dins," the medullary intestine, and the tongue, being 

 secured and wrapped in the hide, the carcass was left to 



