us it is that man, whether savage
or civilized, too often becomes prodigal of the abundance he enjoys,
and knows not the value of what he possesses, till taught by that want
into which his thoughtless waste has plunged him.

_Austin._ Ay, they will soon kill all the buffaloes, if they go on in
that manner.

_Hunter._ At present, they are to be seen on the prairie in droves of
many thousands; the woods, also, abound with them; and often, in the
heat of summer, an incalculable number of heads and horns are visible
in the rivers, the bodies of the bisons being under the water.

_Brian._ What, because they are so hot?

_Hunter._ Yes: the bison suffers very much from heat. It is no
uncommon thing to see a bison bull lay himself down in a puddle of
water, and turn himself round and round in it, till he has half
covered his body with mud. The puddle hole which he thus makes is
called a bison or buffalo wallow. The puddle cools him while he is in
it, and when he quits it, the mud plastered on his sides defends him
from the burning heat of the sun.

_Basil._ What a figure a bison bull must cut, with his shaggy hair and
his sides plastered all over with mud!

_Hunter._ Bears are often most formidable foes to the hunter; but
there is this striking difference between the common bear and the
grizzly bear, that while the former eats mostly vegetables, and will
do his best to get out of your way, the latter eats nothing but flesh,
and is almost sure to attack you. Hunters and Indians make it a rule
never to fire at a grizzly bear, unless in self-defence: except in
cases when they have a strong party, or can fire from a tree; for,
when he is wounded, his fury knows no bounds.

_Austin._ How can you escape from a grizzly bear, if he is so very
terrible?

_Hunter._ The common bear can climb a tree, as I have already told
you; but the grizzly bear is no climber. If you have time to get up
into a tree, you are safe: if not, you must reserve your shot till the
animal is near you, that you may take a steady aim. You must then
fight it out in the best way you can. Grizzly bears are sometimes of a
very large size, measuring from nine to ten feet in length. It was on
the Upper Missouri that I was once chased by one of these terrible
fellows, and a narrow escape I had.

_Austin._ How was it? Tell us all about it.

_Hunter._ I had just fired off my rifle at a bird which I took for an
eagle, little thinking how soon my wasted bullet (