al
license to gratify their sporting propensities; and a scene of bustle
and cruel slaughter it has been, to be sure! From morning till night,
the camp has been daily almost deserted. The men have dispersed in
little squads, in all directions, and are dealing death to these poor
creatures to a most cruel and wanton extent, merely for the pleasure of
destroying, generally without stopping to cut out the meat. During
yesterday and to day, several hundreds have undoubtedly been killed, and
not so much as the flesh of half a dozen used. Such immense swarms of
them are spread over this tract of country, and so divided and terrified
have they become, finding their enemies in all directions where they
run, that the poor beasts seem completely bewildered, running here and
there, and, as often as otherwise, come singly advancing to the
horsemen, as if to join them for their company, and are easily shot
down. In the turmoil and confusion, when their assailants have been
pushing them forward, they have galloped through our encampment, jumping
over our fires, upsetting pots and kettles, driving horses from their
fastenings, and throwing the whole encampment into the greatest
consternation and alarm."

Speaking of the attacks made upon them by the Wolves, he says, "When the
herd is together the Wolves never attack them, as they instantly gather
for combined resistance, which they effectually make. But when the herds
are travelling, it often happens that an aged or wounded one lingers at
a little distance behind, and when fairly out of sight of the herd, is
set upon by the voracious hunters, which often gather to the number of
fifty or more, and are sure at last to torture him to death, and use him
up at a meal. The Buffalo, however, is a huge and furious animal, and
when his retreat is cut off, makes desperate and deadly resistance,
contending to the last moment for the right of life, and oftentimes
deals death by wholesale to his canine assailants.

"During my travels in these regions, I have several times come across
such a gang of these animals surrounding an old or wounded bull, where
it would seem, from appearances, that they had been for several days in
attendance, and at intervals desperately engaged in the effort to take
his life. But a short time since, as one of my hunting companions and
myself were returning to our encampment, with our horses loaded with
meat, we discovered at a distance a huge bull, encircled with a gan