with the young braves in
their games, and very often joining them in their hunts among the
mountains. Hostile and cruel they might be to others, but Howe was
confident that he and those with him would meet with nothing but
kindness at their hands.

[1] A name applied by the Indians to their benefactors.

Antelopes were now seen often, and sometimes numerous buffalo; but
nothing of importance had been killed for two days. The morning of the
twenty-fifth dawned clear and beautiful. Howe and Lewis brought the
horses, and with Sidney mounted on a fleet mule, the three set out on a
hunt. They had been tempted to this by a moving mass of life over the
plain against the horizon, that resembled a grove of trees waving in
the wind, to all but a practised eye; but which the hunters declared to
be a herd of buffalo. Such a sight creates a strange emotion of
grandeur, and there was not one of the party but felt his heart beat
quicker at the sight. The herds were feeding, and were every where in
constant motion. Clouds of dust rose from various parts of the bands,
each the scene of some obstinate fight. Here and there a huge bull was
rolling in the grass. There were eight or nine hundred buffaloes in the
herd. Riding carelessly the hunters came within two hundred yards of
them before their approach was discovered, when a wavering motion among
them, as they started in a gallop for the hills, warned them to close
in the pursuit. They were now gaining rapidly on them, and the interest
of the chase became absorbingly intense.

A crowd of bulls brought up the rear, turning every few moments to face
their pursuers, as if they had a mind to turn and fight, then dashed on
again after the band. When at twenty yards distant the hunters broke
with a sudden rush into the herd, the living mass giving away on all
sides in their heedless career. They separated on entering, each one
selecting his own game. The sharp crack of the rifle was heard, and
when the smoke and dust, which for a moment blinded them, had cleared
away, three fine cows were rolling in the sand. At that moment four
fierce bulls charged on Sidney, goring his mustang in a frightful
manner, and would probably have terminated his hunting career, had not
the sudden shock of the onset thrown him some distance over his
mustang's head. He was not much hurt, and before the buffaloes could
attack him again, they were put to flight by Howe and Lewis. On
examining the animal they s