THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 285 



making one lunge at ine would fall upon his neck and nose, so that I found the sa- 

 gacity of my horse alone enough to keep mo out of reach of danger ; and I drew from 

 my pocket my sketch hook, laid my gun across my lap, and commenced taking his 

 likeness. — G. C. 



407. Dying buffalo ; sinking down on his haunches. 



(Plate 10, page 25, vol. 1, Catlin's Eight Years.) 



He stood stiffened up and swelling with awful vengeance, which was suhlime for a 

 picture, hut which he could not vent upon me. I rode around him and sketched him 

 in numerous attitudes. Sometimes he would lie down, and I would then sketch him; 

 then throw my cap at him, and, rousing him on his legs, rally a new expression, and 

 sketch him again. 



In this way I added to my sketch-hook some invaluahle sketches of this grim-visaged 

 monster, who knew not that he was standing for his likeness. 



No man on earth can imagine what is the look and expression of such a subject he- 

 fore him as this was. I defy the world to produce another auimal that can look so 

 frightful as a huge buffalo hull, when wounded as he was, turned around for battle, 

 and swelling with rage, his eyes bloodshot, and his long, shaggy main hanging to the 

 ground, his mouth open, and his horrid rage hissing in streams of smoke and blood 

 from his mouth and through his nostrils, as he is bending forward to spring upon his 

 assailant. 



After I had had the requisite time and opportunity for using my pencil, McKenzie 

 and his companions came walking their exhausted horses back from the chase, and 

 in our rear came four or five carts to carry home the meat. The party met from all 

 quarters around me and my buffalo bull, whom I then shot in the head and finished. 

 And being seated together for a few minutes, each one took a smoke of the pipe and 

 recited his exploits, and his "coups" or deaths, when all parties had a hearty laugh 

 at me, as a novice, for having aimed at an old bull, whose flesh was not suitable for 

 food, and the carts were escorted on the trail to bring away the meat. I rode back 

 with Mr. McKenzie, who pointed out five cows which he had killed, and all of them 

 selected as the fattest and slickest of the herd. This astonishing feat was all per- 

 formed within the distance of one mile — all were killed at full speed, and every one 

 shot through the heart. In the short space of time required for a horse under "full 

 whip," to run the distance of one mile he had discharged his gun five, and loaded it 

 four times, selected his animals, and killed at every shot. There were six or eight 

 others killed at the same time, which altogether furnished, as will be seen, abundance 

 of freight for the carts, which returned, as well as several pack-horses, loaded with 

 the choicest parts which were cut from the animals, and the remainder of the car- 

 casses left a prey for the wolves. 



Such is the mode by which white men live In this country ; such the way in which 

 they get their food, and such is one of their delightful amusements, at the hazard of 

 every bone in one's body, to feel the fine and thrilling exhilaration of the chase for 

 a moment, and then as often to upbraid and blame himself for his folly and impru- 

 dence. 



From this scene we commenced leisurely wending our way back, and dismounting 

 at the place where we had stripped, each man dressed himself again, or slung his 

 extra articles of dress, &c, across his saddle, astride of which he sat, and we rode 

 back to the fort, reciting as we rode, and for twenty-four hours afterwards, deeds of 

 chivalry and chase, and hair breadth escapes which each and either had fought and 

 run on former occasions. McKenzie, with all the true character and dignity of a 

 leader, was silent on these subjects, but smiled while those in his train were reciting 

 for him the astonishing and almost incredible deeds of his sinewy arms, which they 

 had witnessed in similar scenes, from which I learned (as well as from my own ob- 

 servations) that he was reputed (aud actually was) the most distinguished, of all the 

 white men who have flourished in these regions, in the pursuit of the buffalo. 



