THE BUFFALO. 297 



others, seized guns, and, mounting the nearest horses, sped 

 on the almost hopeless errand of rescue. Away over the 

 smooth prairie raced the thoroughly frightened German, 

 at right angles with the approach of his mounted rescuers, 

 who were horrified to see that, long before they were near 

 enough to give aid, the furious brute was at his very heels. 

 Just at the instant when all looked to see the poor fel- 

 low crushed to earth or tossed skyward, to the amaze- 

 ment of all, the cow stopped short, and gazed steadily at 

 the fleeing fugitive. The horsemen dashed up to him, and, 



said Y , " He was the palest man I ever saw." 



He said that he had felt the breath of the Buffalo on 

 his hands as he ran. The cow proved to be mortally 

 wounded, and before the mounted hunters reached her, 

 fell and died. 



Next morning, Y took the team, and with nothing 



in the wagon save a five-gallon keg of drinking-water, he 

 and I set out for the dead Buffaloes. We drove up the hill 

 and out on the great plateau stretching- southward, and 

 going slowly along over the smooth prairie, making but 

 little noise, had just reached the crest of a low ridge, when 

 right in front, within three hundred yards, appeared a herd 

 of one or two hundred Buffaloes — bulls, cows, and calves. 



Away they went; and seeing that the ground was smooth 



in front, Y put whip to the horses^ which seemed to ' 



enter instantly into the spirit of the chase and sprang 

 forward at a full run, while the wagon bounded over the 

 turf, causing us to cling tightly to the spring-seat, and the 

 water-keg bounded and vaulted from side to side of the 

 wagon-box, making a fearful racket, as we slowly gained 

 on the flying herd. Coming within seventy-five yards, 

 Y — — threw the horses on their haunches in his hurry to 

 stop them, and, just as soon as I dared, overboard I went, 

 Gallagher in hand. 



A big bull was sighted in rear of the herd, but instead 

 of falling at the report of the gun, he sped on more swiftly 

 than before. Another cartridge was quickly inserted, the 



