Part 6 (1/2)
[Illustration: BASIL AND THE BISON-BULL]
”The bull passed underby the branch--but I was soon safely lodged in a fork, and out of his reach
”My next thought was to load un, and fire at hi I had no fear but that he would give me an opportunity, for he kept round the tree, and at ti it with his horns, and all the while bellowing furiously The tree was a sht break down I thereforesoon to put an end to his attacks
”I succeeded at length in raun 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 ani it up My caps were all within that box, and h it as as useless in et at the caps would be quite impossible I dared not descend fro under it, now going round and round, and occasionally stopping for a rily up
”My situation was anything but a pleasant one I began to fear that I ht not be permitted to escape at all The bull seeeance I could have shot him in the back, or the neck, or where I liked, if I had only one cap He ithin three feet of the et the gun to go off? After a while I thought ofto 'touch off' the piece with it, but a far better plan at thatabout et at ers ca around ested my plan, which was no other than to _lasso the bull, and tie hi 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 ht hand while I leaned over and watched ood one offered The bull still continued his angry demonstrations below, and passed round and round It was no new thing fora 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 e 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 hi on his throat was fast strangling him But for the thick matted hair it would have done so, but this saved hile at the end of the rope The tree kept on cracking, and as I began to fear that it ht 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 un I then stole cautiously back, and while the bison was hanging hiles 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 keptby the place where I had left the grouse, brought the I left a 'scare-wolf' over both the bulls, however, and I guess we'll find the finished the narration of his day's adventures, fresh fuel was heaped on the ee fire was built--one that would last untilThis was necessary, as none of the Basil himself and Norman were even in their shi+rt-sleeves, and of course their only chance for keeping war fire all the night This they did, and all four laying theh
CHAPTER X
THREE CURIOUS TREES
Nextthey were awake at an early hour There was still enough of the tongues and grouse left, along with some ribs of the antelope, to breakfast the party; and then all four set out to bring the flesh of Basil's buffaloes into ca several journeys It was their intention to dry the ht keep for future use For this purpose the flesh was re cut into thin slices and strips, was hung up on poles at so more could be done, but wait until it became sufficiently parched by the heat
While this process was going on our voyageurs collected around the fire, and entered into a consultation about as best to be done At first they thought of going back to the Red River settle another canoe, as well as a fresh stock of provisions and i back would be a toilsoe lake and several extensive ot round,one indeed It would take the on a journey than to be forced by so the back-track”
All of theed this, but what else could they do? It is true there was a post of the Hudson's Bay Co This post was called Norway House Hoere they to reach that afoot? To walk around the borders of the lake would be a distance of more than four hundred miles There would be numerous rivers to cross, as well as swamps and pathless forests to be threaded Such a journey would occupy a month or more, and at Norway House they would still be as it were only at the beginning of the great journey on which they had set out Moreover, Norway House lay entirely out of their way cu-post upon the River Saskatcheas the next point where they had intended to rest the the Red River settlements To reach cumberland House _afoot_ would be equally difficult, as it, too, lay at the distance of hundreds ofWhat, then, could they do?
”Let us _not_ go back,” cried Francois, ever ready with a bold advice: ”let us make a boat, and keep on, say I”
”Ha! Francois,” rejoined Basil, ”it's easy to say 'make a boat;' how is that to be done, I pray?”
”Why, what's to hinder us to hew a log, and ot the axe, and two hatchets left”
Nor-out The phrase was new to him
”A canoe,” replied Francois, ”hollowed out of a tree They are so-outs' on the Mississippi, especially when they are roughly made One of theh
Don't you think so, Luce?”
”Why, yes,” answered the student; ”a large one ht: but I fear there are no trees about here of sufficient size We are not areat timber of the Mississippi bottoe a tree would it require?” asked Norman, who knew but little of this kind of craft
”Three feet in diameter, at least,” replied Lucien; ”and it should be of that thickness for a length of nearly twenty feet A less one would not carry four of us”
”Then I ah,” responded Norman, ”that on't find such timber here I have seen no tree of that size either yesterday, or while ere out this ”