, and it shook so,
that I began to fear it might break down. I therefore made all the
haste I could to get in the load, expecting soon to put an end to his
attacks. I succeeded at length in ramming down the bullet, and was just
turning the gun to put on a cap, when I recollected that the cap-box was
still lying on the ground where it had fallen! The sudden attack of the
animal had prevented me from taking it up. My caps were all within that
box, and my gun, loaded though it was, was as useless in my hands as a
bar of iron. To get at the caps would be quite impossible. I dared not
descend from the tree. The infuriated bull still kept pacing under it,
now going round and round, and occasionally stopping for a moment and
looking angrily up.

"My situation was anything but a pleasant one. I began to fear that I
might not be permitted to escape at all. The bull seemed to be most
pertinacious in his vengeance. I could have shot him in the back, or
the neck, or where I liked, if I had only had one cap. He was within
three feet of the muzzle of my rifle; but what of that when I could not
get the gun to go off? After a while I thought of making some tinder
paper, and then trying to `touch off' the piece with it, but a far
better plan at that moment came into my head. While I was fumbling
about my bullet-pouch to get at my flint and steel, of course my fingers
came into contact with the lasso which was still hanging around my
shoulders. It was this that suggested my plan, which was no other than
to _lasso the bull, and tie him to the tree_!

"I lost no time in carrying it into execution. I uncoiled the rope, and
first made one end fast to the trunk. The other was the loop-end, and
reeving it through the ring, I held it in my right hand while I leaned
over and watched my opportunity. It was not long before a good one
offered. The bull still continued his angry demonstrations below, and
passed round and round. It was no new thing for me to fling a lasso,
and at the first pitch I had the satisfaction of seeing the noose pass
over the bison's head, and settle in a proper position behind his horns.
I then gave it a twitch, so as to tighten it, and after that I ran the
rope over a branch, and thus getting `a purchase' upon it, I pulled it
with all my might.

"As soon as the bull felt the strange cravat around his neck, he began
to plunge and `rout' with violence, and at length ran furiously out from
the tree. But