Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-11-14
The Excitemsnts Of the Chase on the
"Great American Desert"
Correspondence Lawrence (Kansas) journal

Correspondence Lawrence tKansas) Journal
At 10 o'clock in the morning our long
train, loaded with three hundred eager
excursionists, moved out of the Law
renee depot at the sound of music by the
band, and steamed away westward to-
ward the regions of lie and the buffalo.
Our com missary car is loaded to the muz-
zle with good things for the inner man.
The day is auspicious-the hunters eager
for the fray. A goodly mum Der of ladies
are present, who, despite tb ramors OF
Indian massacres, that appI.l the hearts
of timid down-easters, are hound for the
dark and bloody ground" to become
the enthusiastic spectators Of deeds that
shall eclipse the days of chivalry.
At the 225th mile-post we first hove in
sight of the grand army advancing from
the north, and for fifty miles we have not
been out of sight of their dark threaten
ing lines. No estimate can be made ofthe
countless thousands of these shaggy mon
sters who have hung upon our right flank,
checked in their southern march by the
railroad and passing trains. Experienced
frontier men affirm that they have never
before seen such countless numbers to-
/
at some points, crossed to the southwark
| of the road, and these, as our goodly en-
gine-the Seminole-advanced, would
seek to recross to the main herd. Then
would ensue such wild race as no
words can describe. Such neck-and-
neck race as we had at about three pm.
| A mile away on our left about twenty
we're deserted making curve in the road
about two miles in advance of the engine.
Keeping his engine at speed just suffi-
| cient to encourage them in their effort,
the skillful engineer of the Seminole
threw down the gauntlet and the race
began. In an instant a hundred car
windows were thrown up, and the lett OF
our train bristled with two hundred guns.
The engine screamed and the spectators
shouted, and the earth seemed to tremble
with the tread of the huge monsters, as
half enveloped in q cloud of dust they
bounded over the level plain nearing us
at every bound, and now at the distance
of six hundred yards, and just abreast OF
our train they received the desultory fre
of our eager marksmen. And thus for
more than two miles, these great dark,
rolling, wallowing, swsying monsters,
ran the fery gauntlet till, apparently dis
heartened. they slackened their speed,
turned defiautly at bay for msment and
then sped away to the left out of range
of our guns, with q gait which told too
we'll that some Of our shots had taken
effect.
But the grand adventure of the day
was yet to come. Just at dark we ran
into a vast herd spread out on both sides
Of the track. In an instant the whole
prairie seemed in motion. Again the
portion on our left sought to cross the
track, and again we gave chase. The
mass we're too quick for us, but three i'm
meuse bulls were cut off in such q way
as TO give them an even chance with the
Seminole. In the darkness of the even
ing they could scarcely be disceraed,
except BY the fash Of the guns, as q
little in advance of the engine and close
along the track, they drew the diagonal
ERE Of two hundred guns. II was race
Tor life. and they ran as IL the demon Of
despair was in them. By this time the
Seminole was wors ed and with lurch
and q bound they sprang across the
track twenty feet in advance OF the
engine. But not to escape. 10 bash
our gunners were on t1e opposite side OF
the train, and as their huge backs came
rolling up the embankmentthey received
full br0adside from our battalion. Two
we're seen 20 stagger and fall, but rose
again 10 their feet "D0wn brakes vas
uhisiled, aud men, women aud children
tumbled from the train aud joined in the
pursuit. Scarce hundred yards from
! the train the largest one fell dead. he
was shot through the heart The other