oping towards our camp at headlong speed. As he
approached, he cried out,--"The buffalo! the buffalo are coming!"

"I said so!" exclaimed Yellow Wolf, springing up and rushing towards his
horse. We all followed his example, leaving Pierre and the Indians in
charge of the camp.

Yellow Wolf and his followers directed their course towards their lodges
to obtain their bows and arrows; for, to show the confidence they placed
in us, they had come without them. As we came near, we saw, far to the
north and north-west, the whole ground covered with a dark mass of
shaggy monsters, tossing their heads and flourishing their tails, the
ground literally trembling beneath their feet as they dashed on towards
us. The course they were following would bring them directly down upon
the camp. We might as well have endeavoured to stop a cataract as to
have tried to turn them aside. Their sudden appearance caused the
greatest excitement and confusion in the camp. The buffalo dancers, who
had danced they were convinced to some purpose, having thrown off their
masquerading dresses, were rushing here and there to obtain their arms
and catch their horses. Before, however, the greater number were ready
for the encounter, the buffalo were in their midst; and, to the dismay
of the inmates, charged right through the camp, capsizing wigwams,
trampling over women and children, dashing through the fires, and
crushing pots and pans. Many of the brutes, however, paid dearly for
their exploit; as the hunters, with shouts and shrieks, followed them
up, shooting down some, spearing others, and ham-stringing the brutes
right and left, who were too much astonished and confused at the
unexpected reception they met with to escape. I made my way to the
chief's wigwam, which I was thankful to see still standing, and was just
in time to shoot a buffalo charging at it with a force which would have
upset a structure of ten times its stability. As it was, the animal
rolled over, close to the tent poles. It was the first buffalo I had
killed, and I was the prouder of the exploit as I had saved Charlie and
the Flower of the Prairies from injury. I saw the chief galloping after
another buffalo charging an old warrior fallen to the ground, and who
would, in another moment, have been transfixed by its horns, had not
Yellow Wolf stuck his spear behind its shoulder so powerful a blow that
the creature rolled over, not, however, without almost crushing the old