The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-07-28

feeding. others lying down, others paw
ing up the earth, rolling on it. &c. Th
novel spectacle was too atte mpting fo
our sport.mep. The wagons were stop
ped, and two meu walked quietly tom ar
the center Of the font of the herd. Fa
vorcd by watercourse, they crept up t
within fifty rods of the Buffalo, and fire
eight or ten shots into the herd, with n
visible effect. The animals nearest th
hunters retreated as they advanced, bu
the great body of the herd was DO NOR
disturbed or conscious of danger than
a couple of mosquitoes bad alighted amon
them. After an hour of this fruitless eff
fort. the hunters gave it up. alleging tha
their rife was SO foul and badly sighted
as to be worthless. They rejoined us
and we came away, leaving nineteenth
of the vast herd exactly where We foun,
them. And there they doubtless ar,
sleeping at this moment, about three
miles from US.
We are near the heart Of the Buffalo
region. The stages from the West that
met US here this evening report the sight
of millions within the last two days -
Their trails ohequcr the prairie in every
direction. A company of Pixies Peak.
ers killed thirteen near this point few
days since. Eight we're killed yesterday
at the next station west Of this by timply
stampeding herd and driving them over
a high creekb bank, where so many broke
their necks. Buffalo meat is hanging or
lying all around US, and calf two or
three months old is tied to stake just
beside our wagons. He was taken by
rushing herd up steep creek bank;
which SO many could not possibly climb
at once; this one was picked out in the
melee as most worth having. and taken
with rope. Though fast tied and with
but short tether, be is true game. and
makes at whoever goes near him with
desperate intent to butt the inturder over.
We met or passed to-day two parties of
Pixies Peakers who had respectively lost
three oxen or steers, stampeded last ight
by herds of Buffalo. The mules at the
Express stations have to be carefully
watched to preserve them from a similar
catastrophe-to their owners.
| DO not like the flesh of this wild OK
1t is tough and not juicy. OF course, |
remember that our cookery is of the most
un-ophi-ticated pattern-carrying us back
to the age of the building of the Pyra-
mids, at least-but | would much rath-
er see an immense herd of Buffalo on the
prairie than eat the best OF them.
The herbsge bereat out is nearly all
the short, fine grass, known as the
buffalo grass, and is closely fed down;
We are far beyond the stakes of the
land--urEeyor-beyond the usual haunts
Of white men. The santa Fe trail is
far south of US; the California is con-
north. Very probably, the
Buffalo on Soomou's Fork were never
hunted by white men till this Spring
Should one of these countless herds take
4 fancy for a man-hunt, our rifenen
would find even the Express wagons no
protection.
Though our road is hardly two
months old, yet We passed two graves on
t to day. Oae Is that Of In iufant, born
u a tent of the wife of one of the station
ID Dasters on her way to his post. and which
ired but day; the other that of Mis-
'ouriau oD his way TO Pixies Peak, who
vas accidentally shot in taking rife
rom his wagon. His party seems to
rave been singularly unfortunate. A
lamp or two further on, hurricane over
ook them and tore their six wagons into
,venwood; they were able to make but
hree passahle wagons out of the rem aims.
| heir los in other property was serious;
md they sustained much bodily harm
)ne more of them was buried camp or
wo further on.
Those whom we met here coming
lown confirm the worst news We have
lad from the Peak. There is scarcely /
ny gold there; those who dig cannot av-
rage two sbilIiugs per day; all who can
.et away are leaving; DeDever and Au
aria are nearly deserted; terrible suffer
DgS have been endured on the Plains,
nd more must yet be encountered; hun
reds would gladly work for their board,
'ut cannot fnd employment--iu short,
'ike's Peak is an exploded buble, which
thousands must bitterly rue to the end
{ their days. Such is the tenor of our
atest advices. | have received none this
lde of Leayenworth that contradict them
ly informant says all are getting away
Tho cap, and that We shall find the region
early deserted. That is likely, but we
hall see.
OF THE BUFFALO.
RIsINGER's CREEK, Station No. l3. .
likes Peak Express Co., May 81, 1859
| would rather not bore the public with
;uffalo. / fully realize that the subject
not Dovel-that Irving and Cooper.
nd many others, have written fully and
dmirably upon it; and that the travellers
recital falls coldiy on the ear
the distant, critical, unsympathising
eader. Yet | insist on writing this once
lore on the Buffalo, promising then to ,
rop the subject. as We pass out of the !