ield-glasses we can
recognise an object the size of a buffalo ten miles distant, and that
the mass extends even beyond the horizon, some idea may be formed of the
immense number of animals congregated in the herd. To say that there
are ten thousand, would be to give a very low estimate of their numbers.

The same writer from whose work the above is taken, describes an
extraordinary instance of friendship exhibited by a buffalo bull for one
of his comrades. (Generally speaking, the buffalo, even in the pairing
season, will forsake the wounded cow, and the cow will not stay one
moment to protect her hurt calf.) He was out hunting on one occasion,
when, having been for some time unsuccessful, and being anxious to
retrieve his character by bringing home some meat to camp, he caught
sight of two fine buffalo bulls on a broad meadow on the opposite side
of a stream. Dismounting from his horse, he took steady aim at the
nearest buffalo, which was grazing with its haunches towards him. The
ball broke the animal's right hip, and he plunged away on three legs,
the other hanging useless. He leaped on his horse, put spurs to its
flanks, and in three minutes was close on the bull's rear. To his
astonishment, and the still greater surprise of the two old hunters who
came after him, the unhurt bull stuck to his comrade's side without
flinching. He fired another shot, which took effect in the lungs of the
first buffalo. The second moved off for a moment, but instantly
returned to his friend. The wounded buffalo became distressed, and
slackened his pace. The unwounded one not only retarded his, but coming
to the rear of his friend, stood, with his head down, offering battle.
"Here indeed was devotion which had no instinct to inspire it. The
sight was sublime! The hunters could no more have accepted the
challenge of the brave creature, than they could have smitten Damon at
the side of Pythias. The wounded buffalo ran on to the border of the
next marsh, and, in attempting to cross, fell headlong down the steep
bank, and never rose again. Not till that moment, when courage was
useless, did the faithful creature consider his own safety in flight.
The hunters took off their hats as he walked away, and gave three
parting cheers as the gallant buffalo vanished beyond the fringing
timber."

The half-breed hunters of Rupert's Land make two expeditions in the year
in search of buffaloes--one in the middle of June, and the other in