A BUFFALO DROVE. 35 
are always saddled with being the cause of every disap- 
pointment and annoyance in wild life. But look there! 
What is that? A distant cloud of dust. Buffalo for a 
thousand, and advancing toward where the hunters are sta- 
tioned. How is the wind? is inquired. One wets his fin- 
gers with his saliva, and holds it up. In a few moments 
the position is declared untenable, and both, vaulting on 
their horses, hurry off to get more to leeward, availing 
themselves of a swell in the prairie to keep perdu. Having 
marked well the direction in which the herd is advancing, 
keeping as much out of sight as possible, scarcely speaking 
a word, and then not louder than a whisper, the distance 
between the hunters and game is rapidly diminished. From 
the nature of the ground, no longer can they remain hid; 
so, taking their horses well in hand, forward they dash, 
and, in a few strides, what a sight is before them! Cows, 
bulls, and calves, all intermingled, forming a straggling 
drpve of thousands, heading in the same direction, and 
feeding as they progress. Occasionally this harmony of 
action is disturbed. Two ragged, clumsy-looking, veteran 
bulls approach each other: perhaps they have been former 
rivals for some dusky-hided beauty’s favors. ‘With a deep 
bellow one throws down the gauntlet, which the other is 
not loath to take up; and, with fire flashing from their par- 
tially hid eyes, each rushes at the other. But the herd have 
become alarmed—a foe equally dreaded by both bulls is at 
hand; their rencontre will brook delay to be settled at a 
future date; and, with a startled stare and toss of the head, 
both turn and rush off after the herd, which is already 
making a most hurried stampede. However, when the 
hunters are old hands, the bulls might have saved them- 
selves the trouble; while young cow-beef is to be obtained, 
none but the veriest novice would think of wasting ammu- 
nition on their rough and rugged old carcasses. No time 
