The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-03
The Yymy TO Munt Buffalo.

We commend the following amusing mode
of hunting buffalo to all ambitious young
amateurs who feel like going out West to
enjoy the SPORT
There is o disease prevalent among the
people who inhabit the Eastern portion of
this country, which annually carries off o
large number of most respectable citizens
Among the first symptoms is desire to con-
suit late maps of the great West, particularly
those which exhibit the Great American
Desert, divided from Missouri by the river of
the same name. Then the afflicted person is
seized with an irresistible desire to buy fire.
arms, and unless he is carefully watched by
experienced friends, WILL in a remarkably
short time, become possessed of from one to
three v,-on loads of the most deadly wea-
nono ,e;tl -st;"h. after 'itt'" f'''+l ,or ,,ro-
gress of the malady he will suddenly disap-
pear.
The next thing seen of the invalid, he will
suddenly burst upon the astonished view of
the quiet citizens of Leavenworth with car
load of accoutrements, and himself standing
in pair of top boots that terminate only at
the arm pits. | am not aware that any name
has yet been given to this disease in the
East, but here we call it buffalo hunting"
presume that nearly every man east of the
Mississippi River has been more or less
afflicted with it, but it has not heretofore
proven as fatal on the west as on the
east side Of the Alleghanies. The reason for
this is probably found in the fact that the
noble warriors and peerless nlaidens of the
Cheyennes and Arapahoes are not fully ap-
precated by Western men, who, when they
are captured by the Indians, stubbornly insist
on designating the manner in which they shall
be cooked, whether broiled, baked, or made
into soup, while the Yankees appear CORES
pondingly Indifferent about these little minor
details, SO they are permitted to kill buffalo
first.
have long thought it to be the duty of
somebody out this way to furnish few in
structions to these hunters from the Atlantic
slope, in order that they may not seek;relief
in vain for their disease Old plainsmen may
| object to this on The ground that Eastern
buffalo hunters have already killed large
proportion of the bison and that this whole
| sale slaughter should be stopped instead of
| encouraged, but when a man feels that it his
| duty to do certain thing, let nothing deter
| him. Therefore 1 shall drop few hints
| which will be found valuable:--
l. Be sure to buy firearms before leaving
New York. Nearly everybody neglects this.
Small pistols, the latest patterns of rifles that
will load themselves and double-barrelled
shot-guns with patent cartridges, that are
| warranted to kill every time, should be secured
| at once. The pistols are convenient at short
range to stick into the unfortunate bisons ear
after you have dropped him with your double
b shot. Large shot tear the game and rem
der it useless. Buffalo are very tender. ANY
body can kill buffalo. Shot-guns are also
better than rifles, because it is sometimes
necessary to shoot the game while it is NOV
ing; and then, by firing on a herd you are apt
to kill eight or nine, by letting off both bar
rels at once, if your gun scatters Lord
Napier, who headed a hunting party few
years ago, killed seventeen at one shot, with
his English fowling- piece, and would have
wounded another if his horse had not stepped
into the chimney of prairie dogs house.
The Indians like shot-guns best, and if you
are captured the presentation of one may
secure you the privilege of choosing your
route to the spirit-land The scenery is very
fine on some Of these routes. They are
"studded with stars unutterably bright"
which is quite an item.
2. 1t is seldom that any bison are seen be-
fore reaching the Missouri river, and travellers
are not permitted to carry their guns in the
sleeping cars. The usual practice of loading
up while crossing the ferry on the Mississippi
is not necessary, as there are not Indians and
buffalo in Missouri in sufficient numbers to
attack express trains.
3. Everybody has heard of the Missouri
Valley. Well,A there are no buffalo there.
No county containing over so, 600 inhabitants
is permitted by the Legislature to have herds
Of bison within its borders, as they would in
tefere with hotel-runners and omnibuses.
So hunters need not get excited as soon as
they step on Kansas soil, as the game is still
several miles distant.
T. You had better put all your pistols on
here, however, and strap your guns over your
'.lo. e r r. -.