The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-09-20

Feeling quite sale In my saddle, L gal
lcpcd up to the nearest, and sent my
bullet into his ribs 1t did the work
lie fell to his knecs-rose again-spread
out his legs as if to prevent a second
fall-rockcd from side to side like era
dle-again came to his knees and, af
ter remaining in this position for some
minutes, with the blood running from his
nostrils, rolled quickly over on his shoul
der, and lay dead.
| had watched these man@uvres with
interest, and permitted the second bull
TO make his escape side glance had
shown me the latter disappearing over
the crest of the swell l did not care
to follow him, as my horse was somewhat
jadcd, and knew it would cost me q
sharp gallop to come up with him again
so thought no more of him at the timo
but alighted, and prepared to deal with
the one already slain. There stood sol
itary tree near the spot--it was a stuntcd
elm. There were others upon the prai
ric. but they werc distant; this one was
not twenty yards from the carcass |
led my horse up to it, and taking the
trail rope from the horn of tho saddle
made one end fast to the bit.ring, and
the otber to the tree. then went back
drew my knife, and proceeded to cut the
buffalo.
had hardly wctted my blade when a
noise from behind caused me to leap to
an upright attitude, and look around ; of
the first glance | comprehended all. a
huge dark object was passing the crest
of the ridge, and rushing down the hill
towards the spot where | stood 1t was
tho buffalo bull the same that had Just
left me. The sight, at first thought,
rather pleased than otherwise. Although
| did not want any more meat, | should
have the triumph of carrying two tongues
instead Of one to the camp. | therefore
hurriedly sheathed my knife, and laid
hold of my rife, which, according to Gus
tom. had taken the prccaution to re-
load | hestated moment whether to
run to my horse and mount Elm, or to
fire from where l stood that question,
however, was settled by the buffalo The
tree and the horse were to one side of
tho direction in which he was running,
but being attracted by the loud snorting
of the latter, which had begun to pitch
and plunge violently, and decming it per-
haps n challenge, he suddenly swerved
from his course, and ran full tilt upon
the horse The latter shot out instant
ly to the full length of the ttail-rope-
a heavy "piuck sounded in my ears,
and the next instant | saw my horse part
from the tree, and scour off over the
prairio, as if there had been thistle un-
der his tail. 1 had knotted the rope
negligently upon the bit-ring, and the
knot had come undone.
| was cbagrincd, but not alarmed as
yet. My horse would no doubt follow
back his own trail and at the worst l
should have the satisfaction of furnishing
the buffalo for the trick he Ind served
me and with this design, | turned to-
wards him. saw that he had not fol-
lowed tha horse, but was again heading
himself in my direction. Now for the
first time, it occurred to me that / was
in something of scrapc. The bull was
coming fuiiously on. Should my shot
miss. or even should it only wound him,
how was | to escape ? | knew that he
could ovcrtake me in three minutes
stretch | knew that WELL
I had not much time for reflection
not moment, in fact; the infurated an-
imal was within ten PAGES of me; |
raised nv rife, aimed at his forc.shoul.
der, and fired. / saw that | had hit
him but. to my dismay. he neither fell
nor stumbled. but continued to charge
forward more furiously than ever To
reload was impossible. Nv pistols had
gone off with my horse and holsters.
Even to reach the treo was impossible
the bull was between it and me. Right
in the opnosite direction was the only
tLing that held out the prospect of five
minutes safety; turned and ran. |
can run as fast as most men and upon
that occasion | did my best. 1t would
have put Gilderslecve into n white
sweat TO have distanced me but | had
not been two minutes at it. when | fell
conscious that the buffalo GAINED unon
me, and was almost treadinr upon INV
heels | know il only bv nv cars-i
dared not spare time to look back
At this momert an object onnoored
before me. that promised, one way or an.
other, to interrupt the chase Il was n
ditch or gully that iptersected nv noth
at right angles. 1t was several feet in
dept6. dry at the bottom. and with ner.
peudicular sides | was almost mon its
edge before | noticed il but the moment
it came under nv eve, / saw that il of.
fered the means of a temporary safety
at least. If I could only leap this gul.