s the pursuit and capture of some of those magnificent
animals.

A short ride through the forest brought the party out upon a vast and
glorious prairie, on which the rich autumnal sun was shining in all his
strength. On a rising ground that partially overlooked the plain,
Oriana and her companion took up their position, beneath the shade of a
grove of pines; and they watched the hunters as they examined the foot-
prints on the dewy turf, or followed the tracks of the elks and
buffaloes through the long prairie-grass, in order to make their
arrangements for enclosing the game and driving the animals into an
open and central situation.

In the course of this examination, the recent tracks of a number of
wild horses were discovered, and fresh excitement was felt by the whole
party, for all were desirous to attempt the capture of these most
valuable animals; and they resolved, on this occasion, to make them the
chief objects of their pursuit. A ring was, therefore, formed by the
numerous company of horsemen, enclosing a very large space of the
beautiful park-like ground, which was studded with trees, either single
or in groups; while underneath them, in the distance, could be seen
many buffaloes lying down or grazing. The scene had the appearance of
a wide extent of finely-cultivated pasture, ornamented with timber of
every kind; end it forcibly recalled to Henrich's memory the fields and
the cattle that had surrounded his European home. But the size of the
trees, the extent of the natural meadow, and, above all, the wild
aspect of the red hunters with their spears, and bows, and tomahawks,
soon destroyed the fancied resemblance; while the eagerness and
excitement of the novel sport banished all the sad recollections to
which it had given rise. A desire also to distinguish himself in the
presence of Oriana, and show her that a pale-face could equal her own
dark race in courage and dexterity, inspired him with peculiar ardor;
and he galloped to the station appointed him by Tisquantum, with a
heart that bounded with pride and pleasure.

The hunters were each provided with a long coil of grass rope, with a
noose at the end--now called a _lariat_ or _lasso_--used by the Indians
for casting over the horns of the elks and buffaloes, or the necks of
the wild horses, that they desired to capture. These they carried in
such a manner as to be ready to throw them off in an instant to their
whole length, if necessary; but much pra