the main body,
consisting of upward of a hundred, still remained undisturbed, the
signal for attack was reserved, as the first object in buffalo-hunting
appears to be precisely that in our own glorious fox-hunting--to get on
good terms with the chase. Cautiously, and restraining the ardent and
fierce spirit of our horses to keep within the compass of control, we
still slowly advanced in a double line, while many of the animals
knowing, like an old seasoned English hunter when he catches a glimpse
of the pack at the meet, the fun in preparation, pulled with might and
main and almost defied the stalwart tug upon their jaws.

The pickets having been driven in, I noticed an animal of striking
appearance surrounded by a knot of others, suddenly throw up his head,
and elevating his tail simultaneously with his pericranium, wheel
suddenly in an opposite direction and gallop away, doubtlessly, as fast
as his legs and hoofs would carry him.

This praiseworthy precedent of self-preservation was immediately adopted
by the entire family, and the patriarch, leading the way, found ready
followers at a pace corresponding with his own.

It was a moment of the most thrilling excitement of my life, as with a
swoop the Indians dashed ahead, and with halter and rein dangling free,
to see their horses strain their utmost powers to outstrip the
fugitives, and bring them within reach of bow and lance. Nigger, I may
confidently state, did his best without the aid of Hawkeye's cruel
suggestion, although in a very short distance, it was conclusively
obvious that he could not long live the pace we were going at. The pony,
however, rattled away with his ears thrown back like a racehorse, at his
final effort, and we were within a few score yards at the moment of
Blackwolf's bearing close to the right side of the nearest buffalo, and
drawing his bow at the moment of passing, buried the arrow to the
feather. In an instant the horse wheeled to avoid the thrust which the
wounded buffalo often makes; but Blackwolf's victim was stricken in a
vital part, and he rolled over struggling and bleeding in the throes of
deadly agony. Right and left the Indians scoured the plain in hot
pursuit of the doomed and frightened animals, and never halting in the
chase, but rushing from one to another as the huge beasts shouldered
along in their ungainly gallop down the valleys and over the bluffs, and
across huge gaping rents in the prairie, caused by the winter torr