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Show 390 THE CALIFORNIA AND OREGON TRAIL. saddled our best horses, and went plunging through sand and water to the farther bank. We were too late · Th e hu nters had already mingled with the herd ' and the work of s1 a ug ht er was nearly over. When we reached the ground we found it strewn far and near with numberless black carcasses, while the remnants of the herd, scattered in all directions, were flying a way in terror, and the Indians still rushing in pursuit. ~Iany of the hunters however remain ed upon the spot, and among the rest was our yesterday's acquaintance, the chief of the village. He had alighted by the side of a cow, into which he had shot five or six arro·ws, and his squaw, who had followed him on horseback to the hunt, was giving him a draught of water out of a canteen, purchased or plundered from some volunteer soldier. Re-crossing the river, we overtook the party who were already on their way. We had scarcely gone a milo when an imposing spectacle presented itself. From the river bank on the right, away over the swelling prairie on the left, and in front as far as we could see, extended one vast host of buffalo. The outskirts of the herd were within a quarter of a mile. In many parts they were crowded so densely together that in the distance their rounded backs presented a surface of uniform blackness; but elsewhere they were more scattered, and from amid the multitude rose little columns of dust where the buffalo were rolling on the ground· Here and there a great confusion was perceptible, where a battle was going forward among the bulls. We could distinctly see them rushing against each other, and hear the clattering of their horns and their hoarse bellowing. Shaw was riding at some distance in advance, with Henry Chatillon: I saw 1u ·r n stop and draw the leather coverincr from hi·s gun. 0 THE CHASE. 391 Indeed, with such a sight before us, but one thing could be thought of. That morning I had used pistols in the chase. I had now a mind to try the virtue of a gun. Delorier had one, and I rode up to the side of the cart ; there he sat under the white covering, biting hi~ pipe between his teeth and grinning with excitement. 'Lend me your gun, Delorier,' said I. 'Oui, Monsieur, oui,' said Delorier, tugging with might and main to stop the mule, which seemed obstinately bent on going forward. Then every thing but his moccasons disappeared as he crawled into the cart and pulled at the gun to extricate it. ' Is it loaded ?' I asked. ' Oui, bien charge, you'll kill, man bourgeois.; yes, you'll kill-c 'est un bon fusil.' I handed him my rifle and rode forward to Shaw. 'Are y'ou ready?' he asked. ' Come on,' said I. 'Keep down that hollow,' said Henry,' and then they won't see you till you get close to them.' The hollow was a kind of ravine very wide and shallow; it ran obliquely toward the buffalo, and we rode at a canter along the bottom until it became too shallow; when we bent close to our horses' necks, and then finding that it could no longer conceal us, came out of it and rode directly toward the herd. It was within gunshot; before its outskirts, numerous grizzly old bulls were scattered, holding guard over their females. They glared at us in anger and astonishment, walked toward us a few vards and then turnincr slowly round retreated ~ ' 0 at a trot which afterwards broke into a clumsy gallop. In an . • I ' ' |
