116 THE BUFFALO. 



On we rush rapidly as before, when suddenly, to our great) 

 satisfaction, the herd before us divides into two columns, to 

 pass round a low hill in front. Still on we go, pushing our 

 horses up the height. We reach the summit, the horses pant- 

 ing fearfully, and the moisture trickling in streams from their 

 sides. But now the rear column comes on. They see us, not 

 fifty rods off, but happily pay no attention to us. We dis- 

 mount, facing the furious creatures. Should they not divide 

 but come over the hill, in a few moments we must be trampled 

 to death. The herd approaches to within a hundred yards 

 of the hill. We lift our rifles and deliver a couple of steadily 

 aimed bullets at the fore-shoulders of the nearest bulls. One 

 gives a wild jump, and limps on with three legs ; the other 

 seems at first unhurt ; but just as they reach the foot of the 

 mound, they both fall down. The whole host are rushing over 

 them. We rapidly reload. The fate of their comrades, however, 

 sends a panic into the hearts of the herd. Another falls just 

 when they are so close that we could have sprung on their 

 backs. At that moment they divide, and the next we are 

 standing on a desert island, a sea of billowing backs flowing 

 round on either side in a half-mile current of crazy buffa- 

 loes. The herd is fully five minutes in passing us. We 

 watch them as they come, and as the last laggers pant by 

 the mound we look westward and see the stampeders halt- 

 ing. We soon understand the cause. They have come up 

 with the main herd. Yes, there, in full sight of us, is the 

 buffalo army, extending its deep line as far as the western 

 horizon. The whole earth is black with them. From a 

 point a mile in front of us, their rear line extends on the north 

 to the bluffs bounding the banks of the river on which we 

 had camped. On the south it reaches the summits of some 



