als were beautiful, their fur being very thick and long, and of a
brown colour, with a stripe of darker hue along the back.

Next day our friends having again set out, I was endeavouring to
persuade Dick to accompany me in another direction, when one of the
Indians brought word that a herd of buffalo were feeding in the plain
below. I should have said that the country was beautiful in the
extreme, with thick woods of cedar and rhododendron covering it in all
directions. The forests were, however, easily traversed, as paths were
made through them by the buffalo and elk, who following each other's
footsteps, had opened up bridle roads to all points of the compass.
Feeling ashamed of not adding something to our store of provisions, when
Dick declined accompanying me on the plea of not being up to work, I
mounted my horse, and set off alone, hoping to shoot a buffalo before
going far. I soon came in sight of a couple of herds, one of cows and
another of bulls. Most of the former were followed by calves and were
out of condition, but seeing some fat animals among them, I made chase.
When the cows began to run they were joined by the bulls, and the whole
set off together, scampering along at a tremendous rate. I kept the fat
cows in sight, however, as away they went. Lightly built and more
active than the bulls, they took the lead. At length I was getting up
with one of the former which I had singled out, when a big bull, blown
by his unusual exercise, halted just between me and the cow, and
lowering his head prepared to charge, when his horns would in an instant
have ripped open the breast of my noble steed. As I saw it about to
charge, a thought occurred to me. Holding my gun in my left hand, and
giving my horse the rein, I bestowed a tremendous cut with my heavy
riding-whip on his flanks, which made him spring to a height sufficient
to have cleared a five-barred gate; and when the bull rushed forward,
over its back he went, clearing it in the most beautiful style, his
hinder feet just grazing its shaggy hair. The next moment, instead of
being rolled over on the ground, I found myself (though without my hat)
safe on the other side; while the bull, not knowing what had become of
me, dashed forward bellowing loudly in an opposite direction. A few
more strides brought me close to the cow, when standing up in my
stirrups I fired, and the animal instantly rolled over dead. I at once
reloaded, and made chase after anot