w would fall, or an enraged bull goaded to fury
by a wound rush madly at his enemy, evidently bent on revenge of a most
sanguinary character. Our little party kept on the flank of the
advancing drove, and our escort seemed to find it very irksome doing
duty as guards, as with oft-repeated ughs! plainly expressive of
disgust, they deprecated the luck that had singled _them_ out to perform
such womanly duty.

Suddenly, and with kaleidoscopic rapidity, the aspect of affairs was
changed; for some unknown reason and without apparent cause, the
buffaloes made a flank movement, and in a twinkling were dashing right
toward us; the mustangs, warned by experience, turned and ran as if
their lives were at stake, as they certainly were; and the mule on which
my wife was mounted, with an imitation that did her great credit,
followed their example. My horse, being unused to such scenes, seemed to
lose his senses, and stood looking at the advancing animals in the most
abject terror. Realizing at a glance my position, and feeling that
instant action was demanded, I turned his head, and by word and heel
urged him to run. On came these black brutes, sweeping over the ground
like an animated hurricane. My poor horse was laboring fearfully, and I
knew that our destruction was a matter of a few moments time only.
Suddenly my horse stumbled and flung me headlong to the ground, then all
was bewilderment. I have an indistinct notion of lying on the prairie,
and then like a great black wave, this surging mass of buffaloes seem to
hover over me; I was conscious of a sharp and severe pain in my side,
and then of being suddenly lifted into space. When sufficiently
collected to note my position, I found myself on the back of a huge
buffalo bull, who, unaccustomed to this strange weight, was making
frantic endeavors to clear himself of the herd, which were wedged
together with as much compactness as if they were one animal. If I had
chosen to fall to the ground, it would have been impossible to do so;
but as such a feat would have been almost instant death, my readers will
easily understand I had no intention of trying the experiment. I turned
my attention exclusively to seating myself firmly on my novel steed, and
grasping my hands into the shaggy hair which covered his shoulders,
braced myself for the most thrilling ride I had ever experienced. After
a few violent plunges the bull cleared the herd, and tore at tremendous
speed; on, on until object