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


moment whether to run to my horse and mount
him, or fire from where stood; that question,
however, was settled by the buffalo. The tree
and the horse were one side of the direction in
which he was running, but, being attracted
by the loud snosting of the latter, which had
begun to pitch and snort violently, and deem
ing it perhaps challenge, he suddenly swerved
from his course, and run full tilt upon the
horse, The hitter shot outsnstantly to the full
length of the trail-rope--a hcayey "plack y
sounded in my ears, and the next instant-I saw
my issssc part WON the Tree and scour on over
the prairie as if there had been thistle under
his tail. l had knotted the rope negligently
upon the bit-ring, and the knot had come un-
DONE
was chagrined, but not alarmed as yet. My
horse would no donbt follow back his own trail,
and at the worst should only have to walk to
the camp. should have the satisfaction of
Furnishing the buffalo for the trick he had served
me and with this design turned towards him.
/ htW IudV H0 llOb iOlOWCu tlc iiVlSc, DuI
was again heading himself in my direction.
Now, for the first time, it occurred to me that
| was in something of scrape. The bull was
coming furiously on. Should my shot miss, or
even should it only wound him, how was to es-
capel | knew that he could ovcrtake me in
! three minutes strctch-I knew it well.
| l,,l r.. -
moment, in fact; the infuriated animal was
within ten PAGES of me. | raised my rife,
aimed at his lorc-shoulder, 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. My pistol had gone off with
my horse and holsters. Even to reach the tree
was impossible the bull was between it and
me. Right in the opposite direction was the
only thing that held out the prospect of five
minutes safety: turned and ran. I can run as
fast as most men, and upon that occasion did
my best 1t would have put Gildcrsleeve into q
white sweat to have distanced me; but had
not been two minutes at it when felt conscious
that the butf,llo gained upon me, and was al
most treading upon my heels. l knew it only
by my cars-I dared not spend time to look
back.
AT this moment, an object appeared before
me, that promised, one way or other, to inter-
rupt the chase 1t was ditch or gully that
intersected my path at right angles. 1t was
sevcr,l9sses in depth, dry at the bottom, and
with perpendicular sides. | was almost upon
it's edge before l noticed it; but the moment it
came under my eye, saw that it offered the
means of a temporary safety at least. If |
could only leap this gully, felt satisfied that
the buffalo could not. 1t was sharp leap--lt
least fifteen feet from check to check but | had
done more than that in my time; and, without
halting in my gait, ran forward to the edge,
and sprng over. now ascertained how near
nv end had been the bull was already up to
the gully Had not made leap at the mo-
mont did, I should have been by that time
dancing upon his horns. He himself had balked
at the leap-the deep, chasm-likc cleft had cowed
him. He saw that he could not clear it, and
now stood upon the opposite bank with head
lowered, and spread nostrils his tail lashing his
smooth hanks, while his garing black eyes cx-
pressed the full measure of his baffled rage.
remarked that my shot had taken effect in hit
shoulder, as the blood trickled from his long
hair. had almost begun to congratulate my.
self on having escaped, when hurried glance
to the right, and another to the left, cut short
my happiness | saw that on both sides, at 6
distance of less than fifty PAGES, tho gully
Swallowed out into the plain, where it ended
at either end, it was, of course, passible. The
bull observed this almost at the same time 81
myself, and, suddenly turning away from th'
brink, he ran along the edge of the chasm, evi
IDENTIFY with the intention of turning it. Ii
less than minutes time, we were once mor'
on the same side, and my situation appeared
as terrible as ever; but, stepping back for +
short run, re-leaped the chasm, and we agar
stood on opposite sides.
During all these mannuvcrs held on to m.
rife; and seeing now that might have time tt
reload it, commenced feeling for my powder
horn. To my astonishmcnt, | could not Ia.
my hands upon it. | looked down to my brcas
for the sling-it was not there; belt and bullet
pouch, too,--all wero gon, 1 remember lift
ing them over my head, when set about cut
ting the dead bull. They were lying by tn
carcass. This discovery was a new source o
chagrin; but for my negligence, | could nov
have mastered my antagonist. To reach tn
ammunition would be imposible-I should b
overtaken before | got halfway to it. wa
not allowed much time to indulge in my regrets
the bull had again turned the ditch, and wa
once more upon the same side with me, and
was compelled to take another leap. real
do not remember how often spupng backward
and forwards across that chasm-I think n scor
of times at least | became wearied with tn
exercise. The leap was just as much as coul
do at my best; and as was growing weaker a
each fresh spring I became satisfied that
should soon leap short, and crush myself again,
the steep rocky sides of the chasm. Should
fall to the bottom, my pursuer could easily rsac
me by entering at either end, and l began t
dread such finale. The vengeful brute Shove
, no symptoms of retring--on the contrary, tn
t numerous disappointments seemed only to rende
0 him more determined in his resentment.
An idea now suggested itself to my mind.
had looked all round to see If there might nc
DC something that offered better securit,
| There were trees, but they were too distant, Ii
nrnl,r ma Ll.L