Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-09-26
.,.-I.,..,.,.,fu. R.sra1o mac.

& sprang to my feet. fingnig aside my blanket.
fearful spectacle was before me. Away to the west
as far the eye could reach, the prairie seemed IN
motion. Black waves rolled over its undulatlng out
lines, as though some burning mountain was pour
ing down its lava upon its plains. Thousand bright
spots flashed and fitted along the moving surface
like jets of fire. The ground shook men shouted
horses reared upon their ropes, neighng wildly My
dog barked and howled, running around me- For
moment thought was dreaming butno the scene
was too real to be mistaken for vision. saw the
border of the black wave within ten PAGES OF me.
and still approaching Then, and not till then, did
II recognise the shaggy erests and glaring eye-balls
of the buffalo sssGood heaven! Am their track!
will be trampled to death -! 1t was too late to at
tempt an escape by running. seized my rifle and
fred at the foremost Of the band. The effect OF my
shot was not perceptible. The water OF the arroyo
was dashed in my face. huge bull, ahead OF the
rest. furious and snertns, plunged through the
stream and up the slope, 1 was lifted and tossed
high into the air. was thrown rearwards, and fell
upon a moving mass. did not feel hurt stun
ned. s..et
felt myself carried onward upon the backs OF
several animals that in the dense drove ran close
together These. frightened at their strange bur-
den, beloved loudly. and dashed on to the front =
A sudden thong Int struck me, and fixing on that
which was most under me- dropped my legs astrde
Of him, embracing his hump, and clutching the long
wooly hair that grew upon his neck The animal
'routed" with extreme terror and soon headed the
band. This was exactly what | wanted and on we
went the prarie the bull running at top speed,
believing, no doubt, that he had panther cata-
mount between his shoulders. | had desire to
disabuse him of his belief and lest he should deem
me altogether harmless. and come to halt slipp-
ed out my bowie which happened to be handy
and pricked him whenever he showed signs of lag
ging. At every fresh touch of the "spur :" he
roared out, and forward at redoubled pace
My danger was still extreme. The drove was CON-
| ing on behind with a front nearly mile. could
not have cleared it, had the bull stopped and left
on the prairie. Notwithstanding the peril I in
could not resist Ching at my ludcrous situation
! I felt as one does when looking at good comedy
We struck through a village of prairie dogs
Here fancied the animal about to turn and rur
back This brought my mirth to a sudden pause
but the buffalo usual runs in " bee line and for
tunately mine made no exception to the law. On he
went sinking to the knees kicking the dust from the
concal hills snorting and believing with rage an(
terror.
i The plum buttes" were directly in the line of gu
course. | had seen,this from the start. and knew
that if could reach them would he safe. The,
were nearly three miles from the bluff wherewe hat
bivouacked; but. in my ride fanced them ten.
small one the prairie several hundre
wards nearer than the main heights. Towards thi
pricked the foaming bull in last stretch and h
brought cleverly within Il hundred yards of it
base Itwas now time to take leave of my dusk
companion could have slaughtered him as lean
ed over his back. My knife rested upon the mos
vulnerable part of his huge body No, would no
have slain that buffalo for the Kohsi Moor Untwist
ing my fingers from his thick fleece, | slipped dow
over his tail, and without as much saying goo
night with all my speed to the knoll. climb
ed up and sitting down on loose boulder of rocl
looked over the prairie. The moon was still shlnin
brightly. M late companion had halted not ia
| from where had left him, and stood glazing bac
with look ofhewilderment. There was somethin
so comcal in the sigh that yelled with laughte
as sat securely in my perch.-1hc Scalp Hunters