Great numbers, it has now been found, in every part of the capital, fell a prey to the fiery bolts. The Capitol itself was struck, and the brass statue of Vespasian," in the forum, thrown down and partly melted. The Tiber in a few hours overran its banks, and laid much of the city and its borders unde water. LESSON LXXII. DESCRIPTION OF A HERD OF BISONS. COOPER. b 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. 3. Clouds of dust shot up in little columns from the center of the mass, as some animal more furious than the rest plowed the plain 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. 4. 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 accus a Ves-på'si-an; a Roman emperor of rare virtues, who died A. D. 79. b Bi'son; the American ox, being found only in North America. It is distinguished by the great projection over its fore shoulders, and dense hair growing upon the head, between the borns. tomed 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 thou◄ sand oxen in one drove, without keeper or master, except Hin who made them, and gave them these open plains for their pasture! 5. “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." 6. 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. 7. 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. 8. 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. 9. 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 envel oped, was riveted with mad anxiety on the thicket. 10. It seemed as if each beast strove to outstrip his neigh bor in gaining this desired cover, and as thousands in the rear 21* pressed blindly on those in front, there was the appearance of an imminent risk that the leaders of the herd would be pre cipitated 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. 11. The old man, who had stood all this while leaning on his rifle, and regarding the movements of the herd with a steady eye, now deemed 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. 12. 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 towards the rushing column of the beasts. 13. The figure of a man, when sustained by the firmness and steadiness that intellect only can impart, rarely fails of commanding respect from all the inferior animals of the creation. The leading bisons recoiled, and, for a single instant, there was a sudden stop to their speed, a dense mass of bodies rolling up in front, until hundreds were seen floundering and tumbling on the plain. 14. Then came another of those hollow bellowings from the rear, and set the herd again in motion. The head of the column, however, divided; the immovable form of the trapper cutting it, as it were, into two gliding streams of life. Middleton" and Paula instantly profited by his example, and extended the feeble barrier by a similar exhibition of their own per sons. 15. For a few moments, the new impulse given to the animals in front served to protect the thicket. But, as the body of the herd pressed more and more upon the open line of its defenders, and the dust thickened so as to obscure their per a Names of the persons engaged in the hunting excursion. sons, there was, at each instant, a renewed danger of the beasts breaking through. 16. It became necessary for the trapper and his companions to become still more and more alert; and they were gradually yielding before the headlong multitude, when a furious male darted by Middleton, so near as to brush his person, and at the next instant swept through the thicket with the velocity of the wind. 17. All their efforts would have proved fruitless, however, against the living torrent, had not Asinus, whose domains had just been so rudely entered, lifted his voice in the midst of the uproar. The most sturdy and furious of the animals trembled at the alarming and unknown cry, and then each individual brute was seen madly pressing from that very thicket, which, the moment before, he had endeavored to reach with the same sort of eagerness as that with which the murderer seeks the sanctuary. 18. As the stream divided, the place became clear; the two dark columns moving obliquely from the copse to unite again at the distance of a mile on its opposite side. The instant the old man saw the sudden effect which the voice of Asinus had produced, he coolly commenced reloading his rifle, indulging, at the same time, in a most heartfelt fit of his silent and peculiar merriment. 19. The uproar which attended the passage of the herd, was now gone, or rather it was heard rolling along the prairie, at the distance of a mile. The clouds of dust were already blown away by the wind, and a clear range was left to the eye, in that place where, ten minutes before, there existed such a strange scene of wildness and confusion. LESSON LXXII. 7 SONG OF THE PILGRIMS. UPHAM. 1. THE breeze has swelled the whitening sail, Homes, and all we loved before. 2. The deep may dash, the winds may blow, The storm spread out its wings of woe, Till sailors' eyes can see a shroud Hung in the folds of every cloud; Still, as long as life shall last, - 3. For we would rather never be, Than dwell where mind can not be free, 4. O, see what wonders meet our eyes! 5. As long as yonder firs shall spread Their green arms o'er the mountain's head; Where join the ocean and the land, Shall those cliffs and mountains be Proud retreats for liberty. |