Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-03-23
A BUFFALO STAMPEDE.

Young fellows 1OunQ themselves OH
nearly level plain. Here, too, was q
dense throng OF buffaloes, stretching of
to the undulating horizon. As the two
explorers walked on, wide lane seemed
to open in the mighty herds before
them. Insensibly, and without any
hurry, the creatures drifted away to the
right and left, browsing or staring, but
continually moving. Looking back,
they saw that the buffaloes had closed
up their ranks on the trail which they
had just puAsued; while before, and on
either hand, was wall of animals.
"We are surrounded I" almost whis-
eered Arthur, with some alarm.
"Never mind, my boy. We can walk
ont, Just as the children of Israel did
from the Red sea. Only we have waves
of buffaloes, instead of water, to close
behind and open before aud be wall
on each side. See !"
And, as they kept on, the mass before
them melted away in some mysterious
fashion, always at the same distance
from them.
"Sso! We move in q vacant space
that travels with US wherever We go.
Arty."
YES" said the lad. est seems just
as if Wa were candle in the dark. The
open ground around US is the light we
shed: the buHaloes are the darkness out
side"
GA good figure of speech, that, my
laddie. [ must remember it. But We
are oerting out of ths wilderness.
They had now como to sharp rise
of ground, broken by a rocky ledge,
which turned the herds more to the
nerthward. Ascending this, they We're
out of the buffaloes for the time, but
beyond them were thousands more.
Turning southwark, they struck across
the country for the wagon track, quite
we'll satisfied with their explorations.
Between two long divides, or ridges,
they came upon a single wagon, canvas
covered, In which were two little chill
dren. Two boys-one about seven and
the other eleven years old-were playing
near by, and four oxen were grazing by
spring. ....
In reply to Mont's surprised question
as to how they came off the trail, and
why they were here alone, they said
that their father and uncle had come up
after buifaioes, and were out with their
guns. Their mother was over on the
bluff-pointiug to q little rocky mass
which rose like an island in the middle
of the valley. She had gone to hunt
for sarvice berries" They were left
to miad the cattle and the children.
"Pretty careless business, I should
say" murmured Mont. swell, young
sters," he added, "keep by the wagon;
if your cattle stray off, they may get
carried away by the buffaloes. Mind
that!"
They went on down the valley, look
ing behind them ct the helpless little
family alone in the wilderness.
a man ought to be licked for leav-
ing his young ones here in such a lonely
place." said Mont.
Suddenly, over the southern wall of
the valley, like a thunder cloud, rose o
vast and fleeing herd of buffaloes. They
were not only running, they were rush
ing like mighty flood.
A stampede a stampede !" cried
Mont; and, flying back to the uncon-
scious group of children, followed by
Arthur, he said: "Run for your lives,
Youngsters! Make for the bluff"
Seiziug one of the little ones, and
bidding Arthur take the other, he start
ed the boys ahead for the island bluff.
which was some way down the valley.
There was not a moment to lose. Be-
hind them, like rising tide, flowed the
buffaloes in surges. A confused muir
mur filed the air; the ground resound-
ed with the hurried beat of countless
hoofs, and the earth seemed to be disap-
pearing in the advancing torrent. Close
behind the flying fugitives the angry,
panic stricken herd tumbled and tossed.
It's labore,3 breathing sighed like a
breeze, aud the warmth of its pulsations
seemed to ssihe the air.
"To the left F! to the leftn' screamed
Arthur, seeing the bewildered boys,
who fled like deer, making directly fol
the .teepest part of the bluff. Thns
warned, the lads bounded up the little
island, grasping the underbrush as they
climbed. Hard behind them came
Arty, pale, his features drawn andrigid,
and bearing in his arms a little girl.
Mont brought up the rear with stout
boy on his shoulder, and breathless with
excitement and the laborious run.
Up the steep side they scrambled,
falling and recovering themselves, but
mp at last. Secure on bare rock, they
saw a heaving tide of wild creatures
ponr tumultuously over the edge ano
fill the valley. 1t leaped from ledge tc
ledge, tumbled and broke, rallied again
and swept on, black and silent save fol
the rumbling thunder of many hoofs
and the painting breath of the innumer
able multitude. On it rolled over every
obstacle. Tie wagon disappeared in
twinkling, its white cover going dow
in tho black tide like sinking ship a
sea. Past the islandike bluff, where
little group stood spellbound, the hero
swept, the rushing tide sep rating q
the rocky point. against which it bea
and parted to the right and left. Look
ing down, they saw the stream flow by
on and up the valley. It was gone, ant
the green turf was brown where it haG
been. The spring was choked, and th,
wagon was trampled in q fat ruin.