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Show 352 THE CALIFORNIA AND OREGON TRAIL. neglected to put up the tent, and being extremely fatigued, lay down on the ground and fell asleep. The storm broke about midnight, and we erected the tent amid darkness and con. fusion. In the morning all was fair again, and Pike's Peak, white with snow, was towering above the wilderness afar off. We pushed through an extensive tract of pine woods. Large black-squirrels were leaping among the branches. From the farther edge of this forest we saw the prairie again, hollowed out before us into a vast basin, and about a mile in front we could discern a little black speck moving upon its surface. It could be nothing but a buffalo. I-Ienry primed his rifle afresh and galloped forward. To the left of the animal was a low rocky mound, of which Henry availed himself in making his approach. After a short time we . heard the faint report of the rifle. The bull, mortally wounded from a distance of nearly three hundred yards, ran wildly round and round in a circle. Shaw and I then galloped forward, and passing him as he ran, foaming with rage and pain, we discharged our pistols into his side. Once or twice he rushed furiously upon us, but his strength was rapidly exhausted. Down he fell on his knees. For one instant he glared up at his enemies, with burning eyes, through his black tangled mane, and then rolled over on his side. Though gaunt and thin, he was larger and heavier than the largest ox. Foam and blood flew together from his nostrils as he lay bellowing and pawing the ground, tearing up grass and earth with his hoofs. His sides rose and fell like a vast pair of bellows, the blood spouting up in jets from the bullet-holes. Suddenly his glaring eyes became like a lifeless jelly. He lay motionless on the ground. Henry THE LONELY JOURNEY. 353 stoope d oV er him ' and makin oa an incision with his .k nife, . pro-nounced the meat too rank and tough for use; so, d1sappomted in our hopes of an addition to our stock of provisions, we rode away and left the carcass to the wolves. In the afternoon we saw the mountains rising like a gigantic wall at no great distance on our right. 'Des sauvages ! des sauvages !' exclaimed Delorier, looking round with a frightened face, and pointing with his whip towards the foot of the mountains. In fact, we could see at a distance a number of little black specks, like horsemen in rapid motion. Henry Chatillon, with Shaw and myself, galloped towards them to reconnoitre, when to our amusement we saw the supposed Arapahoes resolved into the black tops of some pine-trees which grew along a ravine. The summits of these pines, just visible above the verge of the prairie, and seemm· g t o move a s we ourselves we~e advancing, looked exactly like a line of horsemen. We encamped among ravines and hollows, through which a little brook was foaminD" angrily. Before sunrise in the 0 - morning the snow-covered mountains were beautifully tinged with a delicate rose color. A noble spectacle awaited us as we moved forward. Six or eight miles on our right, Pike's . . . f Peak and his giant brethren rose out of the level pra1ne, as 1 springing from the bed of the ocean. From their summits down to the plain below they were involved in a mantle of clouds, in restless motion, as if urged by strong winds. For one m· stant some snowy peak, towerm· g 1· n aw f u1 so lt'tude ' wou.l d be disclosed to view. As the clouds broke along the moun tam, We could see the dreary forests, the tremendous precipices, the white patches of snow, the gulfs and chasms as black |