In A Moment I And My Victim Were
Running Side By Side.
My firearms were all empty, and I had in my
pouch nothing but rifle bullets, too large for the pistols and too
small for the gun.
I loaded the latter, however, but as often as I
leveled it to fire, the little bullets would roll out of the muzzle
and the gun returned only a faint report like a squib, as the powder
harmlessly exploded. I galloped in front of the buffalo and
attempted to turn her back; but her eyes glared, her mane bristled,
and lowering her head, she rushed at me with astonishing fierceness
and activity. Again and again I rode before her, and again and again
she repeated her furious charge. But little Pauline was in her
element. She dodged her enemy at every rush, until at length the
buffalo stood still, exhausted with her own efforts; she panted, and
her tongue hung lolling from her jaws.
Riding to a little distance I alighted, thinking to gather a handful
of dry grass to serve the purpose of wadding, and load the gun at my
leisure. No sooner were my feet on the ground than the buffalo came
bounding in such a rage toward me that I jumped back again into the
saddle with all possible dispatch. After waiting a few minutes more,
I made an attempt to ride up and stab her with my knife; but the
experiment proved such as no wise man would repeat.
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