The Arkansas advocate., 1835-05-15

l along on the edge of large dry salt lake. tT'he idea of getting buffalo inspired US, and we pushed on cheerily with our iaded anil mals, now weary with running antelope.
 After travelling among the hiis 10 the dis ] tanee ef 9 mile and a half half from the place ] where we separated, we saw five bulls be- low us in wide hollow, lying down. One of Us went back then to the party, to bring more men and better horses, with which to run the buffalo, and Tn the mean time my companion and myself dismounted, and lay awaiting his return. In the course of an hour we were joined by some thirteen, in- cluding the three from whom We had sepa- rated. We approached warly to within a hundred yards of the animals, and then rushed upon them and had been mount ed on any thing but a slow mule. the chase would have been exciting. As it was, I was soon distanced; for though a buffalo appears, both standing and running, to be the most nnwieldly thing in the world, can assure my readers that they get along with no inconsiderable degree of velocity and, strange as It may seem, no matter how old and lean buffalo may be, DO matter if he cannot run ten steps after he Is up, still you can never see more than one motion when he rises he IS up and running in an instant. Shot after shot and shout after shout told the zeal of the hunters, and in a short fine one buffalo fell about three miles from me. Thither l went, and while the hunters were busy cutting up the animal, Lewis and my self went in pursuit of another, which was wounded. Our expedition was unsuecess- tul; we accordingly followed the party, now in motion, and after travelling about eight miles through q dry plain, covered with scrub oak bushes, very small, we en- camped at a spring near the road, and in the course of two hours tue other hunters came in, having killed two more buffalo.
 Here was nothing to burn, net even the or dure of horses, winch had hitherto never failed us; We could only make blaze of tall weeds, and throw in our meat. l can conceive of nothing so disgusting. Lean, tough and dry, blackened with the brief blaze, impregnated with the strong filthy smoke of the weeds-and only half cook ed -itrequired the utmost influence of that stern dictator, hunger, to induce us to eat l 1t. The reader IS not to imagine that the meat of the meat of the buffalo is all good.
 Oh mol The meat of the COW is, of a cer- talnty. superior to any meat on earth but even horsemeat IS better than the flesh of a lean old bull. To add to our comforts, the ground here was covered with sand- burs which easily pierced through our thin moccasins, and kept us continually employ ed n picking them out of our feet. Trav- eled to-day about eighteen miles.
 26.-This day mounted my horse, de- ternining not to be left behind again in chase. Very windy. have forgotten this days journey entirely. We travelled, how ever, nearly all day, and must have made fifteen miles in southeast direction.
 27.-This day the road turned first north and then nearly northwest, leading through deep soft sand. About the nlid- dle of the afternoon, We came in sight of trees, These were the first we had seen since leaving the Pecos, and they were merrily hailed by all the party, as though l they had been old friends. There is noth- ing adds so much to the loneliness of the prairie as the want of timber Bill WaI- Hams, Frenchman by the name of Ge- rand, and myself, were now ahead, push- ing on to reach water and timber, for we were both tired and hungry. It was like wise very cold and windy, and the sand was continually blowing in our eyes. We had entirely lost the road, and when we at length ascended the highest sand-hil near us and saw an even plain extending in front of us, we found that We were not yet near the water. Antonio, our guide, indicated q place where he said he had once encamped, and where there was water, and while look l ing towards it, we saw buffalo in the dis tance. We accordingly pushed on, leay- ing Antonio to wait for the pack mules, -hefing ourselves to kill a COW before night.
 Arriving within half mile of them, we found that they were horses, and at the same time that we were close upon camp of, the Cnmanches, around which the horses were feeding. We stood looking at the lodges until we were joined by half dozen more of the party, who informed us that a young squaw was with the party. We all then returned to meet the pack mules, and
 to take measures for any emergency. On arriving at the party, Bill Williams insisted on shooting the woman who was riding to- wards the camp leading horse packed
 with wood. Bill was actually senseless
 with fear, or he would not have done 1t. He
 drew his pistol, and was only deterred from
 shooting her by threat of instant death if I he did so. l do not think that we would
 have shot him for her; but he supposed we l l.. .t