The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1858-03-19

""ie" were grazing, and did not wander fai
from the spot where first deserted them
At the expiration ofa few minutes, during
which time | had watered Charley, and al
:. lowed him to crop the grass about him, re-
e mounted, considerably refreshed. and with
= brownie" loaded and capped, under my arm,
r rode around the herd, in a circuit of some
a two miles, 10 get 10 leeward Of them. Arriv-
ing at a suitable point, | raised myself in the
: stlrrups, clenched my rifle firmly in my right
: band, and touching Charley with my spurs gave
him the reins.
Over The prairie sod we few, toward the
ouiialoes, now quite near, and soon got close
enough to alarm them. With a unanimous
movement, they lowered their shaggy heads
erected their tails, and made the earth thunder
to their tread. But Charley was neeter of E5ot
than they, and was rapidly gaining upon them.
When tancied ! was within fair rile-shot. |
TOOK as good an aim as my motion would al
low OF, and pulled the trigger, singing ont
fine fat COW as my mark She made a trpmen-
nous bound, and | expected TO be beside
her carcass in a moment, but il seemed that |
had only grazed her, for she ran on with the
rest.
Plainly ii would not do 10 fire from the sad
die, while Charley going at such a pace. I
reIned hIm IN, reloaded my rife aud again
started IN pursuit OF the herd This time.
came much nearer to them, as | wished 10 have
time for more deliberate aim. When | cot
50 near that | felt the earth fremble under the
/ lncessant tramplng of their hoofs, and could
see The ioam flung from their painting mouths. I
! | stopped my horse, took careful sigbt at
another huge cow, and again fired. Just as nv
hnger touched the trigger, however, an immense
brown bull dashed before my aim, and the
bullet iateEded for the COW, found place in
his flank instead
ne stopped with tremendous below, and
did not resume his flight until the rest Of the
HFId had nearly passed. But by this time the
chase had began 10 tell upon Charley. His
pace was not 50 fast as at first, and his noslrils
were widely expanded. Thinking that could
overiake the wounded bull easily enough.
again stopped TO reload oBrownie' ) and keen
ing my eye upon my former mark, sent anoth-
er shot after him. This als) took effect. The
herd Numbered on, leaving their wounded
companion behind, and / dashed towards him
WAh wild Indian yell Of triumph, forgetting
tbat had no charge N ny RE -. rh -; ( IN
1t7lTly, and II was not until was quite close
10 him that l remembered how difficult ii would
be 10 shoot at buffalo with empty gun. |
felt for my powder-nask, but alas! it no longer /
hung at ny side
At once it struck me that in loading the last {
time | had broken its string, and il had doubt
less dropped into the thick prairie grass, where 5
to look lor it, would be quite as hopeless task
as ''hunting for needle in a hay-stack." by
the time I had recovered from the terrible
shock Of disappointment occasioned by this
discovery, was startled by Charey's rearing
upon his hind legs in such manner, going at
full speed he was, as to nearly throw me
over backward.
The object which had given my faithful ami
nal such fright, was the body OF a Canaan
che Indian, lying prone upon the ground. His
scalp was gone, and knife wound ln his chest
showed plainly enough that he had fallen a
victim to the Inherent vndctveness Of his
race. FamiiaIized, bv my backwoods life, 10
all forms OF death and danger, and being ac
customed to regard the sred-skns'' as an III
ferior race, this sight excited no feeling with
in me save the single one of disgust, and | was
about to follow the wounded buffalo, hoping
that my two shots might prove fatal to him,
when | noticed a Camanche spear lying in the
grass, near the body Of the Indian. Although
! but little versed in the ait of wirding.this weap
on, it was at least better than my short hunting
| knife, aad ] vas so ben; upon killing my game,
! that had thought Of attacking him on foot,
with this little instrument.
| | wheeled Charley about, then, and possess
! ing myself Of the spear, gave vigorous chase to {
| the bison once mere. As drew nearer him .
ian easy matter, for the wound in his haunch .
disabled him for fast Funning-he stopped, and /
| lowered his immense bovine head, rolled bis
glaring eyes horribly upward, and beloved
! forth a deep-chested note Of defiance. it vas
clear he meant TO stand at bay, aud sell his life
as dearly as possible.
was under such headway, that could not
rein in, until almost upon the huge brute By
turning my horse however,, passed the bull,
and in passing gave him blow with the spear.
Another below, and mad plunge at Charley's
side, was the result of this third wound. For
tunately, we escaped The attack, s desperate
fight ensued, in which nothing but the aeetness
of Charley, and the exhausted condition of the
bull, prevented me from being worsted almost
at the outset. | wheeled about him, driving
the sharp spear-head into bis neck and sides at
every turn, and at length he stood, head down,
trembling from loss OF blood, his tongue hang
ing from his mouth, and his tail lashing his
sides in the frenzy Of impotent rage
Again I advanced, aiming my weapon just
back of his fore-sholder, where the heart lies,
to give the death-blow, when he gathered his
whole strength for one last effort, and meeting
me half way, we met with terrible shock.
Over we went, buffalo, man, and horse, pei-
NELL with a crash like the fall Of giant
oak.
remember how in that awful moment, the
/ seconds seemed like ages to me. My whole past
: life flashed through my memory, and seemed
10 review 1.-The acts and incidents had known.
, fell tha, d.ah stared me In the face, and that