The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-11-27
Captain Bent had said they would find bufia-
10, though they did not.


TO leave their baggage At The spot where they
had ca nped, and 60 forth unencnmbered In
pursuit Of buffalo. Alter riding seven miles
and finding none, il was arranged that two
should 60 back for the baggage, and take i
Cn to point named, Walnut creek grove
while the other two should sweep the country,
and meet the others al shutdown. Oakley and
Jordan wen, back for the baggage, and Short
ess and Fletcher continued the hunt. As the
former, in prosecuting their journey, approach
ed the grove about shutdown, Jordan said he
saw the elisten Of gun barrel and that there
must be Indians.
They stopped to consult, when Jordan was
Tor returning; but Oakley said that would be
useless, as the Indians, il such, must have
seen them first, and would speedily overtake
them. He was therefore for going boldly
forward and meeting the worst. AS they adj
vanced they saw oxen and soon discovered
the party to be company of traders. They
were bound for Santa Fe, and numbered %
men 53 wagons. Our adventures met with
severe reprimand from them for travelling
in the exposed manner they did, subject to be
met almost hourly by Indians, who would
prove hostile or friendly. just as their inclina-
ton or their wants at the moment might
prompt them. After dark Shortess and fetch
er arrived, without having killed anything.--
The four had been three days with but one
meal Of catfish to eat With the Santa Fe
company, however, they osce more Jared
sumpmously. They here discovered the rea-
son why they had found no buffalo on and
around Big Cow creek, as Captain Bent had
told them they would. The Cav Indians,
who lowered around and in front Of this COM
pany, had driven them of, that they might en-
hance their value, and by killing them them
selves, sell the meat at good price to the
traders.
H. Travelled along with the Santa Fe
company and proceeded only miles. They
saw no game during the day save one hare.
which they shot at and wounded. Camped to-
night on a prairie without wood.
IS. The four hunters, being somewhat in
advance Of the company, saw seven buffalo
bulls and gave chase. They were seen by
the company about the same time, and some
OF their best men started also in pursuit; but
Jordan and Fletcher. having the best horses,
kept ahead. The bulls, as the pursuit con-
tinued, separated, and fled in different direc-
tons; but one was run down after a chase Of
two and half miles by the two hunters
named, and easily killed. He weighed about
900 lbs. After taking the fleece, ]. Q. the most
fieshy parts. weighing about 300 lbs, and
leaving the carcass, they loaded their horses
and returned to the company. This was the
first buffalo they had killed, and they found
the meat superior in flavor to any they had
ever eaten. The bulls are far before our do
mestic cattle, and the cows, as they afterwards
proved, as much excel them as the meat of
tame heifer exceeds that Of the male in our
markets. The flesh now obtained they '.jerk-
ed" and it lasted five or six days.
10. Two of the hunters went back with a
portion Of the buffalo to meet their comrades,
from whom they had now been separated six
days. They found them eight miles back, with
nothing 10 eat, having in this interval killed
but one antelope. They had found the fish
also, and had previously met Captain Bent's
company. They had also found his stay
mules and horses, and now had them in COM
pany. ION leaving them afterwards at Bent's
fort, Captain BIS brother generously present
ed the company with two Of the mules and 200
lbs. Of flour for their trouble.) The same day
the whole party overlook the Santa Feans,
who had proceeded but SIX miles from where
the two hunters separated from them. All
encamped that night at Pawnee fork. The
Cav Indians, before spoken Of, had killed 62
buffaloes, so that provisions were most abund-
ant but their mode Of jerking it was any
thing but clearly, and none Of Captain Farm
hams party, as they had plenty Of their own,
partook of it.
20. Both companies continued on together.
Captain Farnham's hunters killed another
buffalo, and while stopping to jerk the meat,
some Cav Indians came up, to whom they
sold a few articles for money, Of which they
seemed to have plenty. The price Of COM
mon butcher knife, for which the company
paid 25 cents at independence, was out here
vi so. Other articles were in proportion.
81 A most dreadful accident occurred this
morning. While the tent was being struck,
and the company preparing to depart, Mr..
Smith, in drawing his gun towards him, the
muzzle forward, permitted the trigger to come
in contact with some protruberance on his
saddle, when il went off Immediately in the
direction ofthe bottom Of the chest. The ball
struck one Of bis waistband buttons and glanc-
ed to the left. penetrating The flesh and sever
ing two of his ribs. He was caught, while in
the act Of falling, by Mr.. Oakley, who, on re-
moving his clothing, found the flesh to be
dfeadlully lacerated and the ball lodged near
the spine. The Santa Fe company, in which
was surgeon. DIR. Walworth, one Of the
owners-was about FIVE miles ahead, and
thther Mr.. o. FASTENED for assistance. DIR.
w. returned in his carryal with bed, and
after extracting the ball and dressing the
wound, put Smith in the carriage, in which he
was taken onward, with comparative comfort.
This disaster detained the company till noon,
and to make up for the detention they travel
led till midnight without then being able to
overtake the Santa Feans. AT night their
progress was greatly retarded by the herds of
buHola which lined the road and covered the
~, ..ly oh