The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-09-22

spranR 10 my rect, Nii Bing ASIDE my OInrke'.
A fearful spectacle was before ne. Away to
the west, far as the eye could reach. the
prairie seemed in motion. Black waves rolled
over It's unduating outlines, as though some
burning mountain was pouring down it's lava
npon its plains. thousand bright spots
flashed end fitted along tho moving surfaee
like jets of fire. The ground shook. men
shouted, horses reared upon their ropea. neighng
wildly. My dog barked and howled, running
around me- For a moment | thought | WINS
dreaming but no. the scene was too real TO be
mistaken for vision. ! saw the border Of the
black wave within ten PAGES of me, and stiil ap-
proaching. Then, and not till then, did re-
cognise the shaggy Greats and glaring eye balls
of the buffalo. "Good heaven lam on their
track! will be trampled TO deathw 1t was
too late to attempt an escape by running l
seized my rifle and fired Mt the foremost of the
band. The effect of my shot Was not peycepti-
BILE. The water Of the arroyo was dashed in
my face a huge bull, ahead Of the rest,
furious ard snorting. plunged through the
stream and up the slope ] was lifted and
tossed high into the air ! was thrown rear
wards, and fell rpon u moving mass. | did not
feel hurt or stunned
felt myself carried onwa d npon the backs
Of several animals, that in the dense drove ran
close together. These, frightened ut their
strange burden. beloved loudly, and dashed on
TO the front A sudden thought struck me, and
fixing on that which was most under me, drop
ped my legs astride of him, embracing his
hump, and cutching the long woolIy hair that
grew upon bis neck The animal routed y
with extreme terror and soon headed the band
This was exactly what wanted {; and on we went
over the prairie, The b. u running at top speed,
] believing no coubi, that he had panther or a
cntnmouut between bis shoulders. had no de-
sire to disabuse him of his belief; md, lest he
shouId deem me altogether harmless, and come
TO halt ] slipped ont my bowie. which hap
pened TO be handy" and rricked him when
ever he showed signs Of tagging At every
fresh touch Of the Sspur" he ronred out, and
ran forward AZ redoubIed pace. My danger
was still extreme. The drove was coming on
behind with front nearly mile- | cond not
have cleared il, had the bull stopped and left me
on the prairie Notwithstanding the peril WINS
/ in, could not resist laughing ct my ludcrous
situation felt as one does when looking at
a good comedy. We struck through village
of prairie dogs" Here | fanced the animal
wss about to turn and run back This brought
my nirsh TO a sudden pause; but the bufTalo
usually runs in " bee line,' and fortunately
mine made no exception to the law On he
went, sinking to the knees, kicking the dnst from
the conioal hills, snoring and believing with
rage and terror s
The plum butiesn were directly in the line
of our course. had seen this from the start,
and knew that II ] could reach them would be
safe They were nearly three niles from The
bluff where We had byouacked but, in my ride,
| flncied them ten. A small ono 10 Q over the
prairie. severnl hundred wards nearer than the
m'in heights. Towards this Ipricked the foa H.
ing bull In last sirecich; and he brought me
cleverly within hundred Yards of iis hsae II
was now time 20 take leave Of my dnsky com
paniou. could have slaughtered him as leaned
over lis back. My knife re-tcd upon the most
vulnerable part Of HE huge body. No. would
not have sla,u that buffalo for the Kohi .oor.
Untwis'ing my fingers from his thick fleece.
slipped down over hs tail, and, without "a mpch
MS saving rood night" ran With all nv srced
to the kno climbed Mp and sitting down on
loose boulder or rock, looked over the prairie.
The moon was still shining brightly. NV late
companion had halted not far from where | had
left him, and stood glazing back with n look Of
bewilderment. There wss something 40 conn.
cal in tho sight that yelled with laughter ns |
sat securely in my pe:oh.--7Ne Scalp Hunsrr :.