"As soon as I saw the buffaloes," continued Basil, "my first thought was
to get near, and have a shot at them. They were worth a charge of
powder and lead, and I reflected that if I could kill but one of them,
it would ensure us against hunger for a couple of weeks to come. So I
hung my game-bag to the branch of a tree, and set about approaching
them. I saw that the wind was in my favour, and there was no danger of
their scenting me. But there was no cover near them--the ground was as
level as a table, and there was not a score of trees upon as many acres.
It was no use crawling up, and I did not attempt it, but walked
straight forward, treading lightly as I went. In five minutes, I found
myself within good shooting range. Neither of the bulls had noticed me.
They were too busy with one another, and in all my life I never saw two
creatures fighting in such earnest. They were foaming at the mouth, and
the steam poured out of their nostrils incessantly. At times, they
would back from each other like a pair of rams, and then rush together
head-foremost, until their skulls cracked with the terrible collision.
One would have fancied that they would break them at every fresh
encounter, but I knew the thickness of a buffalo's skull before that
time. I remember having fired a musket at one that stood fronting me
not more than six feet distant, when, to my surprise, the bullet
flattened and fell to the ground before the nose of the buffalo! The
creature was not less astonished than myself, as up to that time it had
not seen me.
"Well," continued Basil after a pause, "I did not stop long to watch the
battle of the bison-bulls. I was not curious about that. I had seen
such many a time. I was thinking about the meat; and I paused just long
enough to select the one that appeared to have the most fat upon his
flanks, when I drew up my rifle and fired. I aimed for the heart, and
my aim was a true one, for the animal came to its knees along with the
crack. Just at that moment the other was charging upon it, and, to my
surprise, it continued to run on, until striking the wounded one full
butt upon the forehead, it knocked the latter right over upon its side;
where, after giving half-a-dozen kicks, it lay quite dead.
"The remaining bull had dashed some paces beyond the spot, and now
turned round again to renew his attack. On seeing his antagonist
stretched out and motionless, he seemed to be as much astonished as I
was. At first, no doubt, he fancied himself the author of a grand
_coup_, for it was plain that up to this time he had neither noticed my
presence, nor the report of the rifle. The bellowing noise that both
were making had drowned the latter; and the dust, together with the long
shaggy tufts that hung over his eyes, had prevented him from seeing
anything more than his rival, with whom he was engaged. Now that the
other was no longer able to stand before him, and thinking it was
himself that had done the deed, he tossed up his head and snorted in
triumph. At this moment, the matted hair was thrown back from his eyes,
and the dust having somewhat settled away, he sighted me, where I stood
reloading my gun. I fancied he would take off before I could finish,
and I made all the haste in my power--so much so that I dropped the box
of caps at my feet. I had taken one out, however, and hurriedly
adjusted it, thinking to myself, as I did so, that the box might lie
where it was until I had finished the job. I brought the piece to my
shoulder, when, to my surprise, the bull, instead of running away, as I
had expected, set his head, and uttering one of his terrible bellows,
came rushing towards me. I fired, but the shot was a random one, and
though it hit him in the snout, it did not in the least disable him.
Instead of keeping him off, it only seemed to irritate him the more, and
his fury was now at its height.
"I had no time to load again. He was within a few feet of me when I
fired, and it was with difficulty that, by leaping to one side, I
avoided his horns; but I did so, and he passed me with such violence
that I felt the ground shake under his heavy tread.
"He wheeled immediately, and made at me a second time. I knew that if
he once touched me I was gone. His horns were set, and his eyes glared
with a terrible earnestness. I rushed towards the body of the buffalo
that lay near, hoping that this might assist me in avoiding the onset.
It did so, for, as he dashed forward over it, he became entangled among
the limbs, and again charged without striking me. He turned, however,
as quick as thought, and again rushed bellowing upon me. There was a
tree near at hand. I had noticed it before, but I could not tell
whether I should have time to reach it. I was now somewhat nearer it,
and, fearing that I might not be able to dodge the furious brute any
longer upon the ground, I struck out for the tree. You may be sure I
did my best at running. I heard the bull coming after, but before he
could overtake me, I had got to the root of the tree. It was my
intention, at first, only to take shelter behind the trunk; but when I
had got there, I noticed that there were some low branches, and catching
one of these I swung myself up among them.
"The bull passed under me with a rush--almost touching my feet as I hung
by the branch--but I was soon safely lodged in a fork, and out of his
reach.
"My next thought was to load my gun, and fire at him from my perch, and,
with this intention, I commenced loading. I had no fear but that he
would give me an opportunity, for he kept round the tree, and at times
attacked the trunk, butting and goring it with his horns, and all the
while bellowing furiously. The tree was a small one, and it shook so,
that I began to fear it might break down. I therefore made all the
haste I could to get in the load, expecting soon to put an end to his
attacks. I succeeded at length in ramming down the bullet, and was just
turning the gun to put on a cap, when I recollected that the cap-box was
still lying on the ground where it had fallen! The sudden attack of the
animal had prevented me from taking it up. My caps were all within that
box, and my gun, loaded though it was, was as useless in my hands as a
bar of iron. To get at the caps would be quite impossible. I dared not
descend from the tree. The infuriated bull still kept pacing under it,
now going round and round, and occasionally stopping for a moment and
looking angrily up.
"My situation was anything but a pleasant one. I began to fear that I
might not be permitted to escape at all. The bull seemed to be most
pertinacious in his vengeance. I could have shot him in the back, or
the neck, or where I liked, if I had only had one cap. He was within
three feet of the muzzle of my rifle; but what of that when I could not
get the gun to go off? After a while I thought of making some tinder
paper, and then trying to `touch off' the piece with it, but a far
better plan at that moment came into my head. While I was fumbling
about my bullet-pouch to get at my flint and steel, of course my fingers
came into contact with the lasso which was still hanging around my
shoulders. It was this that suggested my plan, which was no other than
to _lasso the bull, and tie him to the tree_!
"I lost no time in carrying it into execution. I uncoiled the rope, and
first made one end fast to the trunk. The other was the loop-end, and
reeving it through the ring, I held it in my right hand while I leaned
over and watched my opportunity. It was not long before a good one
offered. The bull still continued his angry demonstrations below, and
passed round and round. It was no new thing for me to fling a lasso,
and at the first pitch I had the satisfaction of seeing the noose pass
over the bison's head, and settle in a proper position behind his horns.
I then gave it a twitch, so as to tighten it, and after that I ran the
rope over a branch, and thus getting `a purchase' upon it, I pulled it
with all my might.
"As soon as the bull felt the strange cravat around his neck, he began
to plunge and `rout' with violence, and at length ran furiously out from
the tree. But he soon came to the end of his tether; and the quick
jerk, which caused the tree itself to crack, brought him to his
haunches, while the noose tightening on his throat was fast strangling
him. But for the thick matted hair it would have done so, but this
saved him, and he continued to sprawl and struggle at the end of the
rope. The tree kept on cracking, and as I began to fear that it might
give way and precipitate me to the ground, I thought it better to slip
down. I ran direct to where I had dropped the caps; and, having got
hold of the box, I soon had one upon my gun. I then stole cautiously
back, and while the bison was hanging himself as fast as he could, I
brought his struggles to a period by sending a bullet through his ribs.
"As it was quite night when I had finished the business, of course I
could not stay to butcher the bulls. I knew that you would be wondering
what kept me, so I cut out the tongues, and coming by the place where I
had left the grouse, brought them along. I left a `scare-wolf' over
both the bulls, however, and I guess we'll find them all right in the
morning."
Basil having finished the narration of his day's adventures, fresh fuel
was heaped on the embers, and a huge fire was built--one that would last
until morning. This was necessary, as none of them had now either
blankets or bedding. Basil himself and Norman were even in their
shirt-sleeves, and of course their only chance for keeping warmth in
their bodies would be to keep up a roaring fire all the night. This
they did, and all four laying themselves close together, slept soundly
enough.