CHAPTER IX.
BASIL AND THE BISON-BULL.
"As soon as I saw the buffaloes," continued Basil, "my first thought wasto get near, and have a shot at them. _They_ were worth a charge ofpowder 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 Ihung my game-bag to the branch of a tree, and set about approachingthem. I saw that the wind was in my favour, and there was no danger oftheir scenting me. But there was no cover near them--the ground was aslevel 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 straightforward, treading lightly as I went. In five minutes, I found myselfwithin good shooting range. Neither of the bulls had noticed me. Theywere too busy with one another, and in all my life I never saw twocreatures fighting in such earnest. They were foaming at the mouth, andthe steam poured out of their nostrils incessantly."
At times, they would back from each other like a pair of rams, and thenrush together head-foremost, until their skulls cracked with theterrible collision. One would have fancied that they would break them atevery fresh encounter, but I knew the thickness of a buffalo's skullbefore that time. I remember having fired a musket at one that stoodfronting me not more than six feet distant, when, to my surprise, thebullet 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 ithad not seen me.
"Well," continued Basil after a pause, "I did not stop long to watch thebattle of the bison-bulls. I was not curious about that. I had seensuch many a time. I was thinking about the meat; and I paused just longenough to select the one that appeared to have the most fat upon hisflanks, when I drew up my rifle and fired. I aimed for the heart, and myaim was a true one, for the animal came to its knees along with thecrack. Just at that moment the other was charging upon it, and, to mysurprise, it continued to run on, until striking the wounded one fullbutt 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 nowturned round again to renew his attack. On seeing his antagoniststretched out and motionless, he seemed to be as much astonished as Iwas. 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 mypresence, nor the report of the rifle. The bellowing noise that bothwere making had drowned the latter; and the dust, together with the longshaggy tufts that hung over his eyes, had prevented him from seeinganything more than his rival, with whom he was engaged.
"Now that the other was no longer able to stand before him, and thinkingit was himself that had done the deed, he tossed up his head and snortedin triumph. At this moment, the matted hair was thrown back from hiseyes, and the dust having somewhat settled away, he sighted me, where Istood reloading my gun. I fancied he would take off before I couldfinish, and I made all the haste in my power--so much so that I droppedthe box of caps at my feet. I had taken one out, however, and hurriedlyadjusted it, thinking to myself, as I did so, that the box might liewhere 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 utteringone of his terrible bellows, came rushing towards me. I fired, but theshot was a random one, and though it hit him in the snout, it did not inthe least disable him. Instead of keeping him off, it only seemed toirritate 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 Ifired, and it was with difficulty that, by leaping to one side, Iavoided his horns; but I did so, and he passed me with such violencethat I felt the ground shake under his heavy tread.
"He wheeled immediately, and made at me a second time. I knew that if heonce touched me I was gone. His horns were set, and his eyes glared witha terrible earnestness. I rushed towards the body of the buffalo thatlay near, hoping that this might assist me in avoiding the onset. It didso, for, as he dashed forward over it, he became entangled among thelimbs, and again charged without striking me. He turned, however, asquick as thought, and again rushed bellowing upon me. There was a treenear at hand. I had noticed it before, but I could not tell whether Ishould have time to reach it. I was now somewhat nearer it, and, fearingthat I might not be able to dodge the furious brute any longer upon theground, I struck out for the tree.
"You may be sure I did my best at running. I heard the bull comingafter, but before he could overtake me, I had got to the root of thetree. It was my intention, at first, only to take shelter behind thetrunk; but when I had got there, I noticed that there were some lowbranches, and catching one of these I swung myself up among them.
BASIL AND THE BISON-BULL.]
"The bull passed under me with a rush--almost touching my feet as I hungby the branch--but I was soon safely lodged in a fork, and out of hisreach.
"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 hewould give me an opportunity, for he kept round the tree, and at timesattacked the trunk, butting and goring it with his horns, and all thewhile 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 hasteI 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 turningthe gun to put on a cap, when I recollected that the cap-box was stilllying on the ground where it had fallen! The sudden attack of the animalhad 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 ofiron. To get at the caps would be quite impossible. I dared not descendfrom the tree. The infuriated bull still kept pacing under it, now goinground and round, and occasionally stopping for a moment and lookingangrily up.
"My situation was anything but a pleasant one. I began to fear that Imight not be permitted to escape at all. The bull seemed to be mostpertinacious in vengeance. I could have shot him in the back, or theneck, or where I liked, if I had only one cap. He was within three feetof the muzzle of my rifle; but what of that when I could not get the gunto go off? After a while I thought of making some tinder paper, and thentrying to 'touch off' the piece with it, but a far better plan at thatmoment came into my head. While I was fumbling about my bullet-pouch toget at my flint and steel, of course my fingers came into contact withthe lasso, which was still hanging around my shoulders. It was this thatsuggested my plan, which was no other than to _lasso the bull, and tiehim to the tree_!
"I lost no time in carrying it into execution. I uncoiled the rope, andfirst made one end fast to the trunk. The other was the loop-end, andreeving it through the ring, I held it in my right hand while I leanedover and watched my opportunity. It was not long before a good oneoffered. The bull still continued his angry demonstrations below, andpassed round and round. It was no new thing for me to fling a lasso, andat the first pitch I had the satisfaction of seeing the noose pass overthe bison's head, and settle in a proper position behind his horns. Ithen gave it a twitch, so as to tighten it, and after that I ran therope over a branch, and thus getting 'a purchase' upon it, I pulled itwith all my might.
"As soon as the bull felt the strange cravat around his neck, he beganto plunge and 'rout' with violence, and at length ran furiously out fromthe 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. Butfor the thick matted hair it would have done so, but this saved him, andhe continued to sprawl and struggle at the end of the rope. The treekept on cracking, and as I began to fear that it might give way andprecipitate me to the ground, I thought it better to slip down. I randirect 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 thebison was hanging himself as fast as he could, I brought his strugglesto a period by sending a bullet through his ribs.
"As it was quite night when I had finished the business, of course Icould not stay to butcher the bulls. I knew that you would be wonderingwhat kept me, so I cut out the tongues, and coming by the place where Ihad left the grouse, brought them along. I left a 'scare-wolf' over boththe bulls, however, and I guess we'll find them all right in themorning."
Basil having finished the narration of his day's adventures, fresh fuelwas heaped on the embers, and a huge fire was built--one that would lastuntil morning. This was necessary, as none of them had now eitherblankets or bedding. Basil himself and Norman were even in theirshirt-sleeves, and of course their only chance for keeping warmth intheir bodies would be to keep up a roaring fire all the night. This theydid, and all four laying themselves close together, slept soundlyenough.