A HERD OF BISONS
1.“THERE come the buffaloes themselves，and a noble herd it is.”Every eye was now drawn to the striking spectacle that succeeded.A few enormous bisons were first discovered scouring along the most distant roll of the prairie，and then succeeded long files of single beasts，which，in their turns，were followed by a dark mass of bodies，until the dun-colored herbage of the plain was entirely lost in the deeper hue of their shaggy coats.
2.The herd，as the column spread and thickened，was like the endless flocks of the smaller birds，whose extended flanks are so often seen to heave up out of the abyss of the heavens，until they appear as countless as the leaves in those forests over which they wing their endless flight.Clouds of dust shot up in little columns from the center of the mass，as some animal more furious than the rest plowed the plains with his horns，and，from time to time，a deep，hollow bellowing was borne along on the wind，as though a thousand throats vented their plaints in a discordant murmuring.
3.A long and musing silence reigned in the party，as they gazed on this spectacle of wild and peculiar grandeur.It was at length broken by the trapper，who，having been long accustomed to similar sights，felt less of its influence，or rather felt it in a less thrilling and absorbing manner，than those to whom the scene was more novel.“There，”said he，“go ten thousand oxen in one drove，without keeper or master，except Him who made them，and gave them these open plains for their pasture！
4.”But the herd is heading a little this way，and it behooves us to make ready for their visit.If we hide ourselves altogether，the horned brutes will break through the place，and trample us beneath their feet，like so many creeping worms；so we will just put the weak ones apart，and take post，as becomes men and hunters，in the van.“
5.As there was but little time to make the necessary arrangements，the whole party set about them in good earnest.By the vacillating movements of some fifty or a hundred males，that led the advance，it remained questionable，for many moments，what course they intended to pursue.But a tremendous and painful roar，which came from behind the cloud of dust that rose in the center of the herd，and which was horridly answered by the screams of carrion birds，that were greedily sailing directly above the flying drove，appeared to give a new impulse to their flight，and at once to remove every symptom of indecision.
6.As if glad to seek the smallest signs of the forest，the whole of the affrighted herd became steady in its direction，rushing in a straight line toward the little cover of bushes，which has already been so often named.The appearance of danger was now，in reality，of a character to try the stoutest nerves.The flanks of the dark，moving mass，were advanced in such a manner as to make a concave line of the front，and every fierce eye，that was glaring from the shaggy wilderness of hair，in which the entire heads of the males were enveloped，was riveted with mad anxiety on the thicket.
7.It seemed as if each beast strove to outstrip his neighbor in gaining this desired cover，and as thousands in the rear pressed blindly on those in front，there was the appearance of an imminent risk that the leaders of the herd would be precipitated on the concealed party，in which case the destruction of every one of them was certain.Each of our adventurers felt the danger of his situation in a manner peculiar to his individual character and circumstances.
8.The old man，who had stood all this while leaning on his rifle，and regarding the movements of the herd with a steady eye，nowdeemed it time to strike his blow.Leveling his piece at the foremost bison，with an agility that would have done credit to his youth，he fired.The animal received the bullet on the matted hair between his horns，and fell to his knees；but，shaking his head，he instantly arose，the very shock seeming to increase his exertions.There was now no longer time to hesitate.Throwing down his rifle，the trapper stretched forth his arms，and advanced from the cover with naked hands，directly toward the rushing column of the beasts.