Some Mexican buffalo-hunters (in the southern prairies called "ciboleros") capture the buffalo with the lasso; but this method is not often practised, except when they wish to catch the young calves alive for the purpose of raising them.
Now, all these methods were familiar to our three young hunters--that is, familiar from descriptions--as they had often heard about them from old trappers who came down among the settlements of Louisiana, and who sometimes spent the night under their father's roof--for the Colonel liked very much to entertain these old trappers, and get a talk out of them.

It was from this source then, that Francois derived his ideas of buffalo-hunting, which led him in the pride of his knowledge to exclaim, "Run them, of course." Basil and Lucien took a little time to consider it, all the while keeping their eyes fixed upon the three buffaloes.

There was just one a-piece, which they could separate, and run down--they were far from any cover, and it might therefore be difficult to "approach" them--moreover the horses were fresh, for the day before had been Sunday, and our adventurers had always made it a rule to lie by on that day, to rest both themselves and their animals.

This they did in accordance with a command given to them by their father at starting.

All things considered, then, "running" was the best plan, and it was the one they resolved to adopt.
Jeanette was tied to a tree, and left behind with her packs, that had not yet been taken off.