American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-08-27
From the St. Louis ReveilIe,]
I'm AT THE DEATH"

FROM tHc Sl' Louis htVenleJ
GIN AT THE DEATH"
ROCKY MOUNTAIN sKETcH-BY SOLITAIRE.
On bright June morning, while seated in
8Rmp on a lofty ridge near the Colorado river,
which with two companions, | was engaged
trapping beaver, deserted, far down on the
lains, an object moving, which knew to be
lffalo, although in appearance, from the dis
Ance which lay between it and the spot upon
hich stood, it looked NO larger than com
non sized dog. | had but a few moments be-
pre- returned from five mile tramp, after an
Unsuccessful examination of our traps, and,
hough tired, resolved, if possible, to have
hste of buffalo, for this was the first we had seen
uring a months soiourn among the hills-the
erds seldom travelling so high up. Acting
pom this resolution, straightway put on my
pet moccasins, which | had, few moments
grevious, hung upon rods near our fire.
q The Indians so infested our neighborhood
hat we never moved from camp but with ex-
eme caution; so, after concluding my neces-
#ary preparations for start, took a general
lrvey from neighborng peak, without, how
yer, discovering signs of an enemy | coun-
elled my companions, before | parted with
hem, to keep watch ofmy progress, and in the
vent of their discovering Indians, to inform
s re of the fact by waving their handkerchiefs,
zRnd pointing in the direction in which they
Fere seen. Having concluded all preliminary
arrangements, descended into the valley, rifle
hand and knife in belt, with my ear open to
los,ie sounds and my arm nerved for vigorous
efence. After tedious travel over broken
Eays, and through deep and dark ravines,
eached the valley, and struck out from the
timber, in order to gain view of Nell's Peak,
aoo u,hara CIT, ~
eason for avoiding the covert was the fact of
It's always being the red man's lurking place
about two hours travel came near the soli-
AIRY buffalo, quietly feeding upon slope near
he edge of a deep ravine, through which the
Drip, small tributary Of the Colorado winds.
now edged into the timber, and, having gain
I'd closer position, discovered my prey to be
large bull, which, Judged from his tmid
manner OF feeding, had been separated from the
herd by an attack of Indians, and having gained
he entrance to the valley, had pursued his way
o this quiet spot. Carefully approaching him,
gained a favorable stand on his left, and,
,oising my trusty rifle, fired With a snort OF
pain, he backed several PAGES, and fell upon his
launches. Loading again, | advanced to des-
pa CHI him, when, with roar ofpain, and with
sudden bound, he approached to within few
paces of where stood. Having but an instant
10 spare, hastily raised my rifle and pulled
trigger, when, To my horror, the piece missed
Ere, even while the lnfuriate animal was SO
hear that his breath, mingled with his blood,
was blown upon my person. Time for thought
there was none. could not regain the timber
80 dropping my rifle, made for the ravine.
The life was moments diversion in my favor,
for the beast paused to smell the death-dealing
weapon, but the next instant, with blood shot
eyes, he madly rushed towards me. | looked
into the ravine, and glance revealed to me a
perpendicular precipce of one hundred feet
with the stream fretting and boiling, dark as
ink, at the bottom! To leap across it was i'm
possible-to plunge down was not to be thought
of but as an act of despair, and alternative
there appeared none. To thus have to come to a
hurried decision, with peril on every side, the
chances were ten TO one that the worst horn Of
the dilemma would be chosen. The seque
will show.
A small projection of about three feet long
by one wide, upon which grew few scrubby
bushes, presented itselfat about ten feet distance
from the edge Of the ravine; and without Sc
cond thought, held moment by the edge o
the precpice, and dropped upon this small shell
which shook and qulvered from the conclusion
ofmy leap, until fanced | could feel it sliding
shut my eyes i'll partial sweon, expectin!
The next moment to be dashed into the bubblinl
current below; but after waiting a REASONABLE
time, and no conclusion occurring, ! opsne,
them, and now my heart grew sick again at tn
peril ofmy position, from which there appear
ed no prospect of escape. | had spent but
moment in this contemplation-and Just the
thoughts were speeding rapidly through m
brain--when the infuriate bull, his eyes lk
balls of fire, and the red current Of life spoutin
from his nostrils, appeared above me, on tn
very brink, his four hoo!s pushing the earth a
the edge upon my head, while from his mout
he deluged me with flood of sanguine hue
My position was horrbe-most horrible Fl
paved the earth and feebly shook his name a
if in exultation that his destroyer was about t
be destroyed, and then the deep heaving of hi
mighty chest would again deluge me with il
torrent of lava, which felt hot as a shower fror
Etna, and fell, dying me like some victim for
heather sacrifice.
Suddenly the struggles of the wounded bu
falo appeared to cease-the blood poured fror
his nostrls in an unmtigated stream-his ey
grew dim and It's CLASSY stare was fixed upo
mine while his body for moment swayed t
and fro as ifhe was about to sink down upo
the earth-but dreadful was the thought, an
terrible became the certainty that his huge forr
was gradually sinking over the edge of the pre-
cipice, directly above the scant footing upo
which stood. There was no escape! Ever
moment made his fall in the ravine more certain
and, at contemplation of being hurled by tn
dying mass into the craggy bed of the strear
beneath, my blood CONCEALED with terror! Slow
ly his dark form sunk, and the earth crushin
away beneath his bending limbs battered dow