Illustrations of the manners, customs, & condition of the North American Indians, Vol. 1 (of 2): With letters and notes, written during eight years of travel and adventure among the wildest and most remarkable tribes now existingCatlin, George
History
Illustrations of the manners, customs, & condition of the North American Indians, Vol. 1 (of 2): With letters and notes, written during eight years of travel and adventure among the wildest and most remarkable tribes now existing
Catlin, George
Indians of North America
I found that my shot had entered him a little too far forward, breaking
one of his shoulders, and lodging in his breast, and from his very
great weight it was impossible for him to make much advance upon me.
As I rode up within a few paces of him, he would bristle up with fury
enough in his _looks_ alone, almost to annihilate me (+plate+ 10); and
making one lunge at me, would fall upon his neck and nose, so that I
found the sagacity of my horse alone enough to keep me out of reach of
danger: and I drew from my pocket my sketch-book, laid my gun across
my lap, and commenced taking his likeness. He stood stiffened up, and
swelling with awful vengeance, which was sublime for a picture, but
which he could not vent upon me. I rode around him and sketched him
in numerous attitudes, sometimes he would lie down, and I would then
sketch him; then throw my cap at him, and rousing him on his legs,
rally a new expression, and sketch him again.
[Illustration: 9]
[Illustration: 10]
In this way I added to my sketch-book some invaluable sketches of
this grim-visaged monster, who knew not that he was standing for his
likeness.
No man on earth can imagine what is the look and expression of such a
subject before him as this was. I defy the world to produce another
animal than can look so frightful as a huge buffalo bull, when wounded
as he was, turned around for battle, and swelling with rage;—his eyes
bloodshot, and his long shaggy mane hanging to the ground,—his mouth
open, and his horrid rage hissing in streams of smoke and blood from
his mouth and through his nostrils, as he is bending forward to spring
upon his assailant.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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