Some of the Indians galloped round and round the circle, sending their arrows whizzing up to the feathers in the sides of the fattest cows.

Others dashed fearlessly into the midst of the black heaving mass, and, with their long lances, pierced dozens of them to the heart.

In many instances the buffaloes, infuriated by wounds, turned fiercely on their assailants and gored the horses to death, in which cases the men had to trust to their nimble legs for safety.

Sometimes a horse got jammed in the centre of the swaying mass, and could neither advance nor retreat.

Then the savage rider leaped upon the buffaloes' backs, and springing from one to another, like an acrobat, gained the outer edge of the circle; not failing, however, in his strange flight, to pierce with his lance several of the fattest of his stepping-stones as he sped along.
A few of the herd succeeded in escaping from the blood and dust of this desperate battle, and made off over the plains; but they were quickly overtaken, and the lance or the arrow brought them down on the green turf.