Litchfield enquirer., 1854-04-20
Nisceiiapy.
THE HUNTERS LAST BULLET. A THRILLING ADVENTURE,
BY CAPT. 4. T. MAXWELL, or THE U. s. ARMY,

| BY CAPT A. r. 1AXWkLLs OF THE Q. g. ARMY.
 One bright. beautiful forenoon, som, three or four hundred miles after we haC passed the last outposts, some five or si, of the old veterans of the North Wes Company men, who were returning will us from the lower station of Yellow Stou, proposed, as the steamer drew up along side the bank to wood-which for the las four days had been done by cutting ans splitting. the green scrub oak, poplar ans such other small growth as grew along the bank most convenient to the boats and placing so much as we could of i on the top of the boilers 10 kiln dry these old hunters proposed, as I was about to say, 10 have buffalo hunt while the steamer was wooding.
 !" Now then lads," said Judah Calmly, as he led his Indian mustang ashore and flung himself into the saddle, the last ol our party" now then, lads. we are all ready, and we'll keep this trail up the river to the Little Walnut Bottom, where we shall find buffalo any time after noon. '' Off we went at brisk cantcr, and ex- cellen,ly mounted, and each armed with prime rife, besides the usual outfit pc. culiar to the frontier, consisting of pistols, and 8 delicate bit of steel. some fourteen inches in length, half an inch thick in the back, ,and keen enough 10 shave very elev- erly with, which al bitrary custom had christened and made them famous as tho Arkansas Tooth pick. ....v It was about 10 A. NJ. when we left the steamer, and SO well did our horses perform after six days rest. that by halt past twelve we raised the sharp ridge which cut the course of the river at right angles, nearly 20 miles by the channel and over l5 miles by the route we had come from the steamer, and ten minutes thereafter we were tearing headlong down the northern slope of the ridge urging our horses like mad men to fall upon herd of full a thousand buffaloes. most of whc h were drinking when we first discovered them.
 At first old Judah raved and shouted and cursed us as crazy know, nothing fools, for thus driving right into herd of buffaloes. among which there were doubtless at least thirty monster bulls, who would trample us to death as easy as mastiff would crush mouse beneath h his paw.
 But the old hunters warning was lost upon my companions. who had sucked at their side arms during the ride till they were utterly reckless of everything. As for myself. that was my first appearance on prai'ie stage in the character of a buffalo hunter, and little did I know or care of the danger attendant on an expe. riment like ours.
 When Calmly saw that all warning was useless, he gave tremendous whoop, and dashing forward at tue head of our troop, he shouted
 "Come on, ye cursed fools yell learn something before ye get out of this bot. tom. or my name ain't Judah Calmly" On the level bottom, and about hun dred rods from the base of the ridge was belt of wood. which hid the bufialoes from our sight as we gained the level i; but from the great tramp we could hear on the other side we judged the herd were all a-foot and rolling off towards the prairies. We were mistaken, for just as we refined in our horses on the edge of the belt of brushwood. which we found impossible, a quick cry of alarm from one of our party called our attention towards the river bank not three hundred yards distant. and there, stretched from the wood to the base of the ridge vas solid wall of curly pates. vast humps and braw. ny shoulders of at least two thousand animals, so that we could not see them from the edge.
 On they came-tbat avalanche of mon sters, with smoking nostrils. gleaming eye balls, and with their short stumpy horns forming assorted hedge more formidable than ever did the bayonets of even Napo' Icons lavorites-invincible Old Guard.
 Back back to the ridge before they come upon us yelled two or three of our number and very calmly. old Judah com menced to reply
 Back to the ridge, eh Fools which of you has ever seen horse that has been ridden fifteen miles. keep pace with a buffalo bull !? It is full three hundred rods from here to the foot of the hill, while these fellows are less than as many yards from us. Iou see we must
 'Ha-by the heart of Jacob Astor we are in tight place now. lads.' he yelled out as he was interrupted by the dull, lazy whizz of at least doxen rife bull cts. some of which came sociably near out persons. as l myself judged from sharp tap on my metal canteeu. slung under my left arm. and rather clean aperture thro the lappel of my hunting ffock.
 Now ye see. lads. We must woIk ouI horses irto this thckel if VIC can. SO GaI that none of them rolling devils will gel afoul of us. and when they are all past we must steer for the river. for yon fel'