The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1876-09-14
4 GREAT BUFFALO "POT-HUHT."


of the discovery of the main herds. The
line Of march is at once turned toward
the point indicated, and the laws against
firing and leaving the main body are
rigidly enforced. The long train moves
cautiously and as silently as possible.
Advantage is taken Of depressions in the
prairie to keep the train concealed from
the buffalo, and not a sound is raised
that may give warning of its presence.
Approach is made as closely as may be
compatible with safety, always keeping
to the windward of the herd. Then, if
a convenient locality is reached, camp is
made, and busy preparations for the
evening hunt begin. Guns are carefully
scanned, pOwder-fasKsand bulIet-pOuches
filed, saddles and brides examined, and,
above all, the horses to be used in the
final chase carefully groomed, for highest
among his possessions the plain-hunter
ranks his "bufalO-runner" 1t is to him
like the Arabs steed-a daily comrade
to be petted and spoken to, the COM
paniOn of his long journeys, and the
means of his livelihood.
The bufalo-runner belongs to no par
ticular breed, the only requisites being
speed, tact in bringing his rider along
side the retreating herd and maintaining
certain relative distance while there,
and the avoiding the numerous pitfalls
with which the prairie abounds. Horses
well trained in these duties, and possess
ing the additional requisite of speed,
command high prices in the hunt, often
!. EsDg;;ssaagg from fifty to eighty pounds ster-
ing. ssssl A5sssnt they are seldom used
for any other purpose 49, 60 49, af he
final race, except it may be to OCCASION
ally draw the cart of madame at times
when her neighbor appears in unwonted
attire.
Before daybreak on the following
morning-for chase is seldom begun
late in the day-the great body of hunt
ers are off under the guidance Of scouts
in pursuit of the main herd. A ride of
an hour or more brings them within, say,
a mile of the buffalo, which have been
moving slowly off as they approached.
The hunt up to this time has moved in
four columns, with every man in his
place. As they draw nearer at a gentle
trot, the immense herd breaks into a
rolling gallop. Now the critical and
long-desired moment has arrived. The
chief gives the signal. "Allee! allee!"
he shouts, and a thousand reckless riders
dash forward at wild run. Into the
herd they penetrate; along its sides
they stretch, the trained horses regu-
lating their pace to that of the
moving mass beside them; guns fash,
shots and yells resOund the dust
arises in thick clouds over the struggling
band; and the chase sweeps rapidly
over the plain, leaving its traces behind
in the multitude of animals lying dead
upon the ground, or feebly struggling in
their death-throes. The hunter Pauses
not moment, but loads and fires with
the utmost rapidity, pouring in his bull
let's at the closest range, often almost
touching the animal he aims at, To IA
cilitate the rapidity of his fire he uses a
fint-lock, smooth-bore trading gun, and
enters the chase with his mouth filled
with bullets. A handful of powder is
let fall from the pOwder-hOrn, bullet is
dropped from the mouth into the muzzle,
tap with the butt-end of the frelock
ON the saddle causes the salivated bullet
to adhere to the powder during the mo-
ment necessary to depress the barrel when
the discharge is instantly effected without
bringing the gun to the shoulder.
The excitement which seizes upon the
hunter at finding himself surrounded by
the long-sought buffalo is intense, and
sometimes renders him careless in exam
lining too closely whether the object fired
at is a buffalo or a buffalO-runner
mounted by friend. But few fatal &C
cidents occur, however, from the Pell-
nell rush and indisoriminate firing; but
it frequently happens that guns, as the
result of hasty and careless loading, ex-
plode, carrying away part of the hands
using them, and even the most expert
MINERS sometimes find their way into