Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-06-01

W
only succeed in reaching it, it would at least
shelter me better than the ditch, of which l was
getting heartily tired. But the question was,
could reach it before the bull It was about
three hundred yards Off. By proper maneuver-
ing, should have a start of fifty. Even with
that it would be +" close shave !; !" and it proved
50. arrived at the tree, and sprang up it like
A mountebank; but tho hot breath of the buff
falo steamed after me as asccnded, and the
concussion of his heavy skull against the trunk
almost shook me back upon his horns. After a
severe effort, | succeeded in lodging myself
among the branches.
was now safe from all immediate danger,
but how was the affair to end i knew from
The experience Of Others that Isy enemy might
stay for hours by tke tree ape9s.ps for days.,
Hours would be enough. could not stand it
long. Ihungered, but worse appetite tortured
me: thirst. The hot sun, the dust, the violent
exercises of the past hour, all contributed to
make me thirsty. Even then would have risked
life for draught Of water. What would it
come to should not be relieved! l had but one
hope-that my companions would come to my
relief; but knew that that would not be be-
fore morning. They would miss me of course.
Perhaps my horse would return to camp-that
would not be before night had fallen. In the
darkness, they could not follow my trail. Could
they do SO in tho light! This last question,
which put to myself, startled me. was just
in a condition to look upon the darksidc of eve
rything, and it now occurred to me that they
might not be able to find Inc. There were many
possibilities that they might not. There were
numerous horsc-trails on the prairios, where the
Indians had passed. saw this when tracking
the buffalo. Besides, it might possibly rain
in the night, and pbliterate them all-my own
with tho rest. They were not likely to find me
by chance. A circle of ten miles diameter is a
large tract. 1t was rolling prairie, full of in
equalitics, ridges with valleys between. Tho
tree upon which | was pcrched stood in tho bot
tom of one of the valleys--it could not be seen
from any point over three hundred yards distant.
Those searching for me might pass within hail,
without pcrceiying either the tree or the valley.
remained for "a long time busted with such
gloomy thoughts and forcbodings. Night was
coming on, but the fierce and obstinate brute
showed no disposition to raise the scige Here
manned watchful as ever, walking round and
round at intervals, lashiug his tail and uttering
that shorting sound SO well known to the prairie
hunter, and which so much resembles the snort
ing of hogs when suddenly alarmed.
While watching his various manmuvrcs, an
object on the ground attracted my attcntion--it
was the trail-rope left By NY horse, One end
Of it was fastened round tho trunk by firm
knot--thc other lay far out upon the prairie,
where it had been dragged. My attention had
been drawn to it by the ball himself, which in
crossing had noticed, and now and then paved
it with his hoors
All at once u bright idea flashed upon me--a
sudden hope arose within mc--a plan of escape
presented itself, 50 feasible and possible, that
lcapcd inmy perch us the thought struck me-
The first step was to get possession of the rope
This was not such an easy matter. The rope
was fastened around the tree, but the knot had
slipped down the trunk and lay upon the ground
dared not descend for it.
Necessity soon suggested plan. Ny" pick
er "A piece Of straight wir9 with ring-cnd-
hung from one of my breast buttons This l
took hold of, and bent into the shape of grap-
pling hook. | had no cord, but my knife was
still safe in its sheath and, drawing this, cut
several thongs from the skirt of my buckskin
shirt, and knotted them together until they
formed a string long enough to reach the ground.
10 one end Iattached the picker; and then let
ting it down., commenced angling for the rope.
After few transverse drags, the hook caught
the latter, and pulled it up into the tree, ta-
king the whole of it in till held the loose end
in my hands. The other end permitted to re-
main as it was; | saw it was securely knotted
around the trunk, and that was just what l
wanted 1t was my intention to lasso the bull,
and for that purpose proceeded to make rum
ming moose on the end of the trail-rope This |
executed with great care, and with all my skill
1 could depend upon the rope; it was raw hide,
and better was never twisted but knew that
if anything should chance to slip at critical
moment, it would cost me my life. With this
knowledge, | spliced the eye, and made the kno,
as firm as possible, and then the loop was reeved
through, and the thing was ready.
Icould throw a lasso tolerably well, but tn,
branches prevented me from winding it. 1t via,
necessary, therefore, to get the animal in a Ger.
tain position under the tree. which, by shouts
and other demonstrations, at length succeeded
in effecting. The moment of success had ar
rived He stood almost directly below me. Th,
moose was shot down. had the qualification tt
see it settle around his neck and with quick
jerk tightened it, Tho rope ran beautifully
through the eye, until both eye and loop wer,
buried beneath the shaggy hair of tho animal
neck. 1t embraced his throlt in the right plac'
and felt confident it would hold.
The moment the bull felt the jerk upon hi
throat, he dashed madly out from the tree, ant
then commenced running around it. Contrar,
to my intention the rope had slipped from IN,
hands at the first drag upon it. My positio,
was rather an unsteady one, for the branche
were slender, and could not manage matter
as well as could have wished. But now fel
confident enough. The bull was tethered, an
it only remained for me to get out beyond tn
length of his tether, and take to my heels. NJ,
gun lay one side, near the tree, where ha
dropped it in my race this, Of course, mean
IN carry off with me. waited, therefore, unit