rse was a trained hunter, famous in the west under the name of
Proveau, and with his eyes flashing and the foam flying from his mouth,
he sprang on after the cow like a tiger. In a few moments he brought me
alongside of her. Rising in the stirrups, I fired, at the distance of
a yard, the ball entering at the termination of the long hair, passing
near the heart. She fell headlong at the report of the gun. Checking my
horse, I looked around for my companions.

"At a little distance Kit was on the ground engaged in tying his horse
to the horns of a cow, which he was preparing to cut up. Among the
scattered band at some distance, I caught a glimpse of Maxwell. While
I was looking, a light wreath of white smoke curled away from his gun,
from which I was too far to hear the report. Nearer, and between me and
the hills, toward which they were directing their course, was the body
of the herd. Giving my horse the rein, we dashed after them. A thick
cloud of dust hung upon their rear, which filled my mouth and eyes and
nearly smothered me. In the midst of this I could see nothing, and
the buffaloes were not distinguishable until within thirty feet. They
crowded together more densely still, as I came upon them, and rushed
along in such a compact body that I could not obtain an entrance, the
horse almost leaping upon them.

"In a few moments the mass divided to the right and left, the horns
clattering with a noise heard above everything else, and my horse darted
into the opening. Five or six bulls charged on us as we dashed along the
line, but were left far behind. Singling out a cow, I gave her my fire
but struck too high. She gave a tremendous leap and scoured on swifter
than before. I reined up my horse, and the band swept on like a torrent,
and left the place quiet and clear. Our chase had led us into dangerous
ground. A prairie dog village, so thickly settled that there were three
or four holes in twenty yards square, occupied the whole bottom for
nearly two miles in length."

The stirring buffalo hunt ended, the company advanced over the prairie
for more than twenty miles, and encamped on the banks of a stream, where
they enjoyed a fine feast on choice bison steaks. While they were thus
employed, the wolves were attracted thither by the smell of broiling
meat and prowled around camp, licking their chops, impatient for the
time when they would be permitted to gorge themselves upon what should
be left.

For several days the