The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-11-03
A RNFEALO EIGHT.

Mr.. William A. Bell, in his recently pub
lished book, ''New Tracks in North America, /"
gives the following lively description of a
buffalo fight
Soon after sunrise our train of wagons
moved slowly past Fort Hayes. We had
gained greatly in strength since our last days
march; the twenty wagons had increased to
forty seven, and the cavalry, which fanked
us on the right in the form of little square,
with flag flying gayly in the centre, added i'm
mensely to the dignity of our march. The
day before had picked up very good nag,
a chestnut-sorrel mare, nearly thoroughbred,
whose master had given up oil hopes of get
ting her safely to Denver. 1 was trying her
PAGES, and wishing for gallop over the short,
elastic sod, when suddenly spied four fine
buffalo throwing themselves along and bearing
straight down upon us as fast as their awk-
ward legs could carry them. Borrowing an
additional revolver, darted off, and found
that rival in the field, who was pressing
them hard in the flank, was the ORIGINAL cause
of their flight. Singing out the one to the
extreme left, tough old bull, 1 made straight
for him, Colt in hand, cooked and ready. AS
soon as he saw fresh enemy approaching he
stopped, surveyed the position for an instant,
jerked his huge head to one side. which
seemed to swing his body round, and rushed
off in the opposite direction. was soon
alongside, watching his every movement.
What curious freaks of nature these North
American buffalo arel The small hind-quar-
ters look out of all proportion to the massive
strength of the shoulders and chest smooth,
and apparently shaven, like the back of a
French poodle, they do not seem to belong
to the same animal. The hind legs are small
and stand close together; the fore legs thick,
short and far apart. Between them the huge
head hangs low. 1t is completely covered
with long shaggy hair, matted together, which
hides the features, and only allows the tips of
the crescent-shaped little horns to appear.
Thick hair, for the most part, conceals the
hump from sight, but both add immensely to
the massive effect of the fore part of the
body The little corkscrew tail ends in a
tuft My antagonist keep lashing his naked
tianks, while at moments / could see, by the
sideward toss of his head, that he was having
a look at me, though his eyes were completely
hidden by the hair. My first shot, presume,
passed harmlessly over his back; with my
second, from the distance of half dozen
yards, planted ball in his side, but too
high up to take immediate effect. He threw
himself angrily round for an instant, and of
swerved the mare; for she evidently knew hel
friend and his habits well. He did not
change, however, but made straight for Little
Big Greek, which was swollen to a deep tor
ent by the heavy rains of the previous week
My companion in the chase, who had with his
last shot brought down the fat COW he was
following, then dashed by and planted |
second ball in the brute's carcass. The bal
did not however, lessen his speed. Jus
before he dashed into the creek, 1 came uE
again and gave him his third bullet. Tit
crossing he had chosen was very miry and
too full of timber for cur horses; so we en-
tered the stream a little higher up. 1t was
very deep and rapid, and we had some diff
Guilty in swimming across. When We caugh
up to our buffalo again he was good dea
exhausted, and we could plainly see thre