had made up their minds to fight; but when the hunters came nigher,
they turned about and plunged after the herd. Describing the exciting
incident, Fremont wrote;

"In a few moments, during which we had been quickening our pace, we
were going over the ground like a hurricane. When at about thirty
yards we gave the usual shout and broke into the herd. We entered
on the side, the mass giving away in every direction in their
heedless course. Many of the bulls, less fleet than the cows, paying
no heed to the ground, and occupied solely with the hunters, were
precipitated to the earth with great force, rolling over and over
with the violence of the shock, and hardly distinguishable in the
dust. We separated, on entering, each singling out his game.

"My horse was a trained hunter, famous in the west under the name
of Proveau, and with his eyes flashing and the foam flying from his
mouth, he sprang on after the cow like a tiger. In a few moments
he brought me alongside of her. Rising in the stirrups, I fired,
at the distance of a yard, the ball entering at the termination
of the long hair, passing near the heart. She fell headlong at
the report of the gun. Checking my horse, I looked around for my
companions.

"At a little distance Kit was on the ground engaged in tying his
horse to the horns of a cow, which he was preparing to cut up.
Among the scattered band at some distance, I caught a glimpse of
Maxwell. While I was looking, a light wreath of white smoke curled
away from his gun, from which I was too far to hear the report.
Nearer, and between me and the hills, toward which they were
directing their course, was the body of the herd. Giving my horse