The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-08-19
Habits Of the Buffalo.

H. d.
A curious fact illustrating the habits OF
these mOnarchs of the plains is cited by
our author. and is a leaf from the unwrit-
ten history of the buffalo taken from tn
era when he Pacific railways first spanned
the continent. The winter of lS7l-2 was
unusually severe in Arkansas. The ponds
and smaller streams TO the north were all
frozen solid, and the buffIlO were forced
to the rivers TOR water.
The A,chiSon, Topeka and Santa Fe
Railroad was then in process of cOnstruc-
ton, and nowhere could the popularity OF
the buffalo of which am speaking be bet
ter studied than from its trains. II a herd
was on the north side of the track it would
stand stupidity gazing and without symp-
tom of alarm, though the locomotive
passed within a hundred yards. If on the
south side OF the track, even though at a
distance of one or two miles from it, the
passage of train set the whole herd in
the Widest commOtiOn. AT its full speed,
and utterly regardless of consequences, it
would make for the track, on its line of
retreat. If the train happened not 10 be
in its path it crossed the track, and stopped
satisfied. If the train was in the way each
individual buffalo went at it with the
desperation of despair, plunging against
or between locomotive and cars, Just as the
blind madness CHANGED to take them.
Numbers were killed, but numbers still
pressed on to stop and stare as soon as the
obstacle was passed. After having trains
ditched twice in one week, conductors
learned to have a very decided respect for
the idiOsyncraSies of the buffalo, and when
there was possibility of striking herd
- on the rampage" for the north side OF
the track, the train was slowed up, and
sometimes stopped entirely. Late in the
summer of 1867 herd of probably four
thousand buffalo attempted to cross the
South Platte near Plum Creek. The river
was rapidly subsiding, being nowhere
over a foot or two in depth, and the chan
nelS in the bed were filled or filling with
loose quicksand. The buffalo in front
were hopelessly stuck. Those i'm
mediately behind urged on by
the horns and pressure Of
those vet farther in rear, trampled over
their struggling companions to be them
selves enguIfed in the devouring sand.
This was continued until the bed of the
river, nearly half mile broad, was COW
cred with dead or dying buffalo. Only
comparative few actually crossed the river,
al d these were soon driven back bv hun
tiers. 1t was estimated that considerably
more than half the herd, or over 1000 but
falo, paid tor this attempt with their lives.
When travelling unmOlested the buffalo
is extremely careful in his choice of grades
by which to pass from one creek to
another. so much so, indeed, that though
a well defined buffalo trail may not neces-
sarily be d good route for wagon road,
one may rest well assured that it is the
best route TO be had. He seems to have
raj antipathy to the exertion of going
up or down steep places. In crossing
streams his instinct deserts him. He
plunges in anywhere without fear or care,
and shows less sense in extricating him
self from the difficulties incident to such
action than any other animal, either wild
or tame. His indispOsition to travel over
bad ground is by no means to be taken as
inability to do so. When frightened he
will, at full speed, and with perfect impu-
nitv, climb banks or plunge down preci-
pices where it would be impossible or
certain death to horse to attempt TO fol-
low. l have spoken of his liability to
stampede, but, even when impelled by the
madness which Overpowers stampeded
animals, such is his strength and power of
resistance that he is rarely seriously in
iured by tumbles which would disable, if
not kill, any other heavy animal. Plains
Correspondent Of Chicago Inter Ocean.