The Burlington weekly hawk-eye., 1862-06-28
BUFFALO HUNT ON THE PLAINS.
Correspondence Of the Cincinnati Commercial.
CAMP ON THE PLATTE RIvER,)


of the war movements characterizing the pre-.
sent time, yet have reason to believe that
description of scenes transpiring in the West
would not be uninteresting to your readers;
and hence pen to you the following narration
of = buffalo hunt on the plains, in which had
the pleasure of participating:
Near the time of my last communication to
your columns, (about the 1st of May Lieut. A.
G. Smith and myself withdrew from the army
and projected journey to the Pacific Coast
for the improvement of my physical health
We took our departure from Leavenworth City
on the I'd of June, and after eleven days travel
on the route to Fort Laramie, arrived at the
head waters of the Little Blue River, where, by
aid of glass, we were able to discover vast
herds of buffalos on the prairie swells some ten
miles to the South, and after making this dis.
covery, we travelled six miles to Pawnee Ranch,
at which place we pitched our tent at 2 o'clock
P NJ, and succeeded in getting our ambulance
across the river, we set out IN . southwestern
direction across the prairie, at rapid drive, for
tory to taking hunt on the following day. In
three hoursFe reached high ridge bordering
on Liberty Cheek, from which we scanned the
blue ewells to the southwest, with glass, and
found them literally covered with the huge den.
izens of the plains. Ere we left the point of
these observations, we discovered two persons
approaching US on horseback, in the distance
and by surveying them closely, found that they
were individuals Of no mean appearance, one Of
them being lady in full riding habit, which,
under the circumstances, seemed strange and
unaccountable, as the surrounding country was
wild and uninhabited, with the exception of the
ranch which We had left few hours before
As these persons we're travelling in direct line
for US, We awaited their arrival, and found them
to be Wilkins, the English Consul, and lady,
who with their servants had been to the butfa.
10 range. and who being separated from the
rest of his party, had lost his course and was
nearly famished, having left the ranch at six in
of neither food nor water, and was no doubt
forced to the conclusion that buffalo hunt was
not exclusively ideal in character, but at times
contained an admixture Of the real to an extent
that psrtakes considerably of the hconvenient
Having fully satisfied ourselves Of the psrticu.
lar whereabouts Of the game in question, We re-
turned to the ranch late in the evening, and hav.
ing put our rifles and dragoon pistols in proper
shape, laid down to dream of the thrilling ex.
ploits of the morrow, Sunrise on the following
morning, found US on our way to the hunting
ground, with two men to care for, and wagon
to transport the game, and NO fast horses for
the chase. We travelled up Liberty creek until
striking the old Government road leading from
Fort Craig to Fort Kearney, when we crossed
the creek and travelled due south some ten miles,
and reached the diuide between Republican and
Liberty creeks. This divide was, as near as
can judge, two miles in width, and cut at right
angles by numerous ravines leading down the
slopes on either sides and emptyng into the two
creeks already mentioned, and was covered with
numerous hordes of buHaloes as far az the eye
could reach, those nearest presenting the ap-
pearance of huge monsters as they paved the
ground and hideously beloved at our approach,
while those in the distance appeared smaller
and smaller, until the far off blue swels seemed
literally covered with small black specks, each
of which, however, represented the pondsrous
body of buffalo.
I In the different herds were groups of huge
bullocks, and their bellowings were truly terrific
as they engaged in fearful combat, and raised
great clouds of dust as they struggled and
doundered on the parched earth. After spend.
ing few moments in taking q survey Of our
game, we determined to make an effort on foot
to kill a few calves, of which there were hun
dreds, but the trial proved Intellectual as the
younger ones, the better to protect themselves,
kept in the centre of the herds; whilst the bul.
locks kept on the outer circle. The frequency
of the attacks made upon them by the passing
emigrsnts bad rendered them rather shy, and
being in feeble health, We did not extend our ef-
forts on foot very far, but returned to our wag-
ons, mounted our horses and took circuitous
route go as to reacht he rear Of q large herd
that were quietly grazing Oft to the Northeast
A rapid ride Of half mile through several
deep ravines enabled US to reach che desired
proximity with our game, when We made an
impetuous charge upon it. No sooner were We
discovered than the whole herd was in rapid
flight to the southwest, and their heavy tramp
ling sounded like thunder. At distance of
few hundred yards We overlook the hindmost
ones, aad, siogling out those most desirable.
commenced the attack with our dragon revoly.
ers. I soon succeeded in seriously woundine a
three year old bullock, which left the herd and
made its way down an adjacent ravine, where
succeeded in following it, and with few extra
shots brought it to the ground, and being consid
erably exhausted did lot continue the chase
longer; but my comrade-Lieut A. c. Smith
being mounted on q swift race nag, pursued
the herd for distance of mile, and succeeded
In Staying four before coming to q malt, and in
the meantime was under the necessity of per.
forming some skillful feats of horsemanship to
evsde wounded bullock that made desperate
attack upon him, at q time when his horse was
60 tagged and jaded as to scarcely be able to
escape the thrusts of the wounded foe, which,
however, soon gave up for loss of blood. But
few who are inexperienced in buffalo hunting
can conceive of their great tenacity Of life, some
of them running at full speed for . mile with
several large balls shot through their vital parts.
After having given sufficient exercise to our de.
strsieties mature, We repaired to place in the
distance, where We discovered trees projecting
above the swells, in search of Water Tor ourselves
and famished horses. On our near approach to
the cluster Of trees in the ravine, we beheld on
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