48 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 
if such a fall took place when in the centre of a large herd, 
trampling to death might be possible; but I am convinced, 
from long personal experience, that, so long as the game 
can keep going, they will seldom or never turn on pursuing 
man, At the same time, if you fire at a buffalo as you ride 
past him, without much changing the direction they are 
pursuing, he or she may slightly deviate toward the pursuer. 
However, your bridle-hand should invariably sheer your 
steed from the quarry, not only to avoid this deviation, but 
to clear the animal if it drop to shot. The majority of 
horses accustomed to this work do so of their own accord. 
At the same time, I should particularly caution the tyro 
that on himself and his own nerve he should invariably rely, 
not on that of his dumb companion. To be a good horse- 
man, of course, is particularly desirable; and the person 
who can ride bareback will often come in for a run when 
a saddle may not be at hand. Many of us, of course, can 
ride in this primitive manner; but there are very few 
Americans or Europeans who can compare in this respect 
with the Indians—they appear so perfectly at home on 
their horses: anywhere and everywhere they place them- 
selves, and but seldom get a fall. 
However, the paces of horses are very different; some I 
used for running buffalo I preferred riding with blanket 
and a surcingle; on others I did not feel sufficiently at 
home without the saddle. For some months I had an un- 
der-sized chestnut, very little over fourteen hands. My 
associates called her a mustang. In some points she much 
resembled one; but there was a well-bred look about her 
small head, narrow muzzle, broad forehead, and lean neck, 
that told of aristocratic lineage. Moreover, she was very 
fast and high-couraged, as well as easy in her paces. Her 
back, while in my possession, was seldom crossed by a sad- 
dle, although she was the favorite mount, and as such was 
