Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-11-06
Buffalo Hunting on the Kansas & Pa
cIilc Railroad.

/
&C. M. c." writing 10 the Chicago
Tribune of the excursion Of the Ticket
AGENTS Convention, gives the following
picturesque description Of the buffalo
aunt:
At o'clock the train was in motion,
ind, rapidly moving westward, soon LEFT
Hays far behind, Every one was on the
lookout for the first signs OF the buffalo,
whose appearance was anxiously awaited.
When about thirty miles west OF Hays,
the cry Bufialoes, bufialoes ~ was heard,
and amid general rush for platform and
window, and the exclamations that arose
from every side, great numbers of huge,
hairy monsters were seen galloping with
unwieldly movement from the line of the |
track on either side. AS the train rolled |
by they strung out here and there, many |
of them within fifty yards distance. We |
had surprised them. Great was the ex- |
citement on the train. Madly impatient |
yelling and shouting, the men rushed for
the platform and baggage car, got in one
another's way, discharged their weapons
here and there at random. Not a few
narrowly escaped being victims to impru
dent and headlong carelessness. The side
entrances to the baggage car were blocked
up, and within those unable to obtain a
shot were frantically stamping and tugging
at those in front Of them. Men who had
never before held a rifle in their hands,
discharged their arms not thinking of
taking aim. Some who had forgotten the
instructions about loading were ridiculous
objects of despair, as they stood, bewil
dered after having vainly tried to thrust
in their cartridges at the muzzle. Leland,
with unusual activity, clambered to the
roof of one of the cars and thence blazed
harmlessly away with a pocket revolver
at the fleeing herd. Several crowded
forward into the tender and from there
kept up steady fire. Moran was
seen wrangling about the possession Of q
buffalo-who, unharmed, was making
good time over the plain. with His Honor,
Judge Sweeney, and offering to bet four
dollars and half that 1t was his bullet,
not that of the Judge, which had brought
down the game. Meantime, many gi-
gaDtic monster was seen TO falter, while
those yet untouched galloped rapidly
away. The rattling of bullets was heard
from window and platform, and the
screams of the ladies were drowned in the
yelling and shooting of the men. The
train was soon Stacked up, and many, not
waiting for it to stop, leaped out and gave
chase. So deceptive was the distance that
the pursued did not seem to gain, and it
was not until many an one had given out
from sheer exhaustion that 1t was seen to
attempt to overtake was fruitless. Still
the firing went on, and bullets flew in
every direction. Some few took effect /;
the most failed, The party were soon
scattered over the plain, needless of the
admon1tlon they had received to beware
nf IN int N1,,a
1t was ludicrous to witness the excite
ment and yet beholder and hunter shared
alike the common feeling, The burly
figures of Atmore and Day were beheld
running nimbly for awhile after the fugi-
tive animals, and then gradually faltering,
until, after having vainly chased for mile
or more, yielding to fatigue and excess of
avoirdupois, and sinking, utterly tagged,
upon the carpet-like plain, gazing mourn
fully upon the rapidly disappearing herd.
Lighter weights kept up q longer chase,
and only ceased pursuit when out of sight
in depressions of the seemingly level plain.
To the northward was seen a vast collec-
tion of animals, covering several miles of
ground, feeding peacefully, needless of the
firing whose sound did not reach them.
Toward this herd several of the wounded
animals made their way. They were pur-
sued by others of the party, and one of
them fell about mile from the train, having
received well sent BALL Within few mo-
ments the body was surrounded by a score
OF excited men, who with axe AND knife
soon had the quarters, tongue, skin, tail
and horns separated. With these they re-
turned, and then set out for fresh victories.
The train meanwhile moved off with por-
tion OF the party in. search of fresh herds
further on, From the summit of one of
the embankments thrown up by the side
of the track the sight was a grand one.
So clear was the atmosphere, and so de-
ceptive the prospect from the absence of
tree or break in the surface with which to
measure the distance that the immense
! herd feeding to the northward on the
slopes of the bluffs seemed scarcely mile
of, though four times that distance away.
Several of the party were anxious to get a
shot at this drove, but, being unable TO
| persuade those who had already. had
enough of chasing buffaloes on foot to ac-
company them, they were dissuaded, when
drily told by Curry that if they wished to
get back they should have started early in
the morning. To the south and east the
hunters were strewn, singly and in twos
and threes, endeavoring to steal a march
on the animals, who were divided into
droves of from three to dozen each, and
who had ceased fleeing when at safe dis
tance The sport was pursued with vary
ing success. In some cases two or three
shots suf1ced to bring down monster of
an animal. But the buffalo never gives
! up until he is dead, and many after having
run the gauntlet of a dozen repeating
rifles, galloped miles over the plain, and
| fell lifeless too far distant for the slayer to
secure his trophy. The legs of some were
broken with bullets and yet they ran of
at great speed, sticking the mutilated
stump into the soil with every step. The
| game was pursued with the utmost reck-
lessness and disregard of danger, and when
the days adventures were afterwards con-
| sidered, all felt thankful that no accident
had occurred. As the afternoon advanced
the hunters began to return to the rem.
devious at the railroad, where they await
ed the return of the train. 1t was nearly
five o'clock when this appeared
in sight 1t had proceeded Out
some eight or ten miles, where
was encountered another immense drove
grazing hard by the track. A number Of
animals were killed before they could re.
move out Of range One great bull, who
had been wounded from the train was
pursued some distance and finally brought
down by Mr., Day. In the baggage. car
were deposited the quarters of no less than
thirteen buffaloes. 1t was computed that
not less than forty had been slain, the
most of them falling long distance
away.
Well satisfied, the party started on theiI
return. The adventures of the day were
commented upon and recounted. Not q
few faces grew sober and thoughtful when
they reflected upon the risk that had beer
taken, and Curry congratulated all when
the roll was called and none were found
missing. Gathered in the commissary cal
about the demijohn, numerous were the
laughable incidents and remarks. Day
put in his claim for having killed The
largest buffalo, but he was speedily al
fenced by Cook, who produced his tro
phies from the fuel box in which he had