Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-05-18


ou, Instantly to the full length of the trail
rope-a heavy "pluck" sounded in my
ears, and the next instant saw my horse
part from the tree, and scour of over
the prairie, as if there had been thistle
under his tail. had kno.,ed the rope
negiigen1y upon the bit ring, and the
knot had come undone.
was chagrined, but not alarmed as
yet. My horse would no doubt follow
back his own trail, and at the worst I'd
only have to walk TO the camp. I'd have
the satisfaction of furnishing the buffalo
Tor the trick he had served me; and with
this design, turned towards Kim.
saw that he mad not followed the horse
but was again heading himself in nv
direction. Now, for the first time, i,
occurred 10 me thai was in something
of scrape. The bull was coming flu.
riously on. Should my shot miss, OF
even should il only wound him, low was
| to escape! | knew ,ha, he coald over.
take me IN three minutes strelch-l was
well aware Of it.
had not much time for reflection
not moment, in fact; the infuriated an.
imal was within ten PAGES of me: raised
my rifle, aimed at his fore shoulder, and
fired. saw that had hi, him; but, TO
my dismsy, he neither fell nor stumbled
out continued to charge forward more fu.
rlously than ever. My pistols had gone
off with my horse and holsters. Even
TO reach the tree was impossible; the
bull was between il and me. Right liz
the opposite direction was the only thing
that held out the prospect of five minutes
safety; | turned and ran. can run as
last as mos! men; aad upon that occa-
sion did my best. II would have put
"Gildcrsleeve" into q white sweat to
have disraneed me; bot had no. been
two minutes at i; when | felt. conscious
that the buffalo gained upon me. and was
almost treading upon my heels. knew
II only by my ears-I dared not spare
time TO look back.
AT this moment, an object appeared
before me, that promised, one way or
another. to interrupt The chase; il was a
ditch or gully, that inlersecled my path
at right angles. Ii was several feet in
depth, dry a, the bottom, and with per
Pendicular sides. | was almos, upon
It's edge before l noticed il, but the mo
ment 1t came under my eye, saw that il
offered the means OF u temporary safety
a. least. If could only leap this gully
felt satisfied the buffalo could not. |,
was sharp leap-at leas, eighteen feet
from oank to bank; bu. had done more
than that in my time; and, without halt.
ing in my gait, ran forward to the edge
anu sprang over.
alghled c.everly on the opposite
bank. where stopped, and turned round
TO watch my pursuer. Inow ascertain
ed how near my end had been; the bull
was already up 10 the gully. Had not
made my leap al the instant | did, I'd
have been by that time dancing upon
his horns. lie himself had baked a,
the leap; the deep, chasm like cleft had
cowed him. He saw that he could no,
clear IL; and now stood on the opposite
bank with head lowered, and spread nos
trils, his tail lashing his smooth tlanks,
while his glariug black eyes expressed
the ful! measure of his batlled rage.
remarked that my shot had taken effec,
in his shoulder, as the blood trickled
from his long hair. / had almos, begun
to congratulate myself on having eseap-
ed. when hurried glance to the right,
and another 10 the left. Gu, shor, INV
happiness. saw ,ha, on both sides, a,
distance OF less than fifty PAGES, the
gully Swallowed GU. i,Io the plain, where
II ended: at either end i, W as, of course,
passable. The bull observed This almos,
at the same time as myself; and, sudden
Iy turning away from the brink, he ran
along the edge of the chasm, evidently
with the intention of turning it. In less
than minutes s time we were once more
on the same side, and my situation ap.
peared as terrible as ever; Lut stepping
back for short run, leaped the chasm,
and again We stood on opposite sides.
During all these maneuvres had
held on to my rifle; and seeing now tha,
| might have time TO load il, | commenc.
ed feeling for my powder.horn. 70 my
establishment, could no, lay my hands
upon it; looked down to my breast for
the sling-lt was not there; belt and bull
let pouch loo-all were gone! Iremem.
bered lifting them over my head when |
set about cutting The dead bull They
were lying by the carsass. This dis
covery was new source of chaprin;
but Tor my negligence could now have
mastered my antagonist. 10 reach the
ammunition would be impossible; I'd be
overtaken before could get half way to
It. was not allowed much time to in.
dulge in my regrels; The bull had again
turned the ditch and was once more UPON
the same side with me, aud | was com.
pelled to take another leap. really do
no! remember how often sprang over
that chasm; | should think score OF
times least; l became wearied with the
exercise. The leap had go. to be as
much as could do a. my best; and as
was growing weaker at each fresh spring
! became satisfied that should soon lea .
short and crush myself against the slee o
rocky SIDES Of the chasm. Should fall
to the bottom. my pursuer could easily
reach me bV cnterlDy Mt aithpr ena an,t