The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1876-03-09
A BUFFALO STAMPEDE.


Passing out between the hills, the
Young fellows found themselves on a
nearly level plain, Here, toe, was Il
dense throng OF huilalocs, stretching of
to the uHdulating horizon. As the two
explorers walked on, a wide lane seemed
to open in the mighty herds before them
Inscnsibly, and without any hurry, the
creatures driitcd away to the right and
left, browsing or staring, but continually
moving. Looking back they saw that
the bunalocs had closed up their ranks
ON the trail which they had just pursued;
while before, and on either hand, was Il
wall of animals.
We are surroundcd.' almost whis-
pcrcd Arthur with some alarm.
"Ncver mind, my boy. We can walk
out, lust as the children of Israel did
from the RcdSca. Only We have waves
of buflhlocs, instead of water to close
behind and open before and he wall ON
each side. See ~
And as they kept on the mas, before
them melted away in some mysterious
fashion, always at the same distance from
them.
"Scc We move in vacant space
that travels with us wherever we 60,
Arty.'
"Yc..' the lad. "It seems Just rs if
were Il candle in the dark, The open
ground around us is the light we shed
the bufllocs are the darkness outside "
"N good figure of speech, that, my
addc. must remember it. Eut we
are getting out of the wilderness"
They had now come to sharp rise of
ground, broken by rocky ledge, which
turned the herds more to the northward,
Ascending this they were out of the
hufalocS for the time, but beyond them
were thousands more. Turning south
ward, they struck across the country for
the wagon-track, quite well satistedwith
their explorations.
Between two long divides, or ridges,
they came upon single wagon, canvas
covered, in which were two little cIil-
drcn. Two boys-onr about seven and
the other eleven years Old-wcrc playing
near by, and four oxen were grazing by
n spring.
in reply to Monts 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
hanalocS, and were out with their guns.
Their mother was over on the bluff
pointing to u little rocky mass which
rose like I'm island in the middle of the
valley. She had gone to hunt for sar-
vicc-bcrrics.' They were left to mind
the cattle and the children.
"Prctty careless business, | should
saw murmurcd Mont. WE'LL young
stcrs," he added, keep by the wagon
if your cattle stray off, they may get car
ricd away by the bufaIocs. Mind
that
They went ON down the valley, look
inc behind them at the helpless little
family alone in the wilderness,
&" A man ought to I've licked for leaving
his Young ones here in such lonely
place said Mont.
Suddenly, over the southern wall OF
the valley, like n thundcrrloud, rose Il
vast and fleeing herd ofbuIialocS They
were not onlyrunnng, they were rush
ing like mighty flood.
"a stampede, a stampede" cried
Mont; and, flying back to the uncon-
,couS group Of children, followed by Ar
thur, he said Run for your lives,
Youngsters Make forthe bluFl'
Selling one of the little ones, and bid
ding Arthur take thcOther, he started the
boys ahead for the isIand-bIutf, which
was some way down the valley. There
was not a moment to lose. Behind them,
like rising tide, flowed the butlaIoes in
surgcs \ confused murmur filled the
air; the ground rcsoundcd with the hur-
red beat Of countless hooIY, and the
earth seemed to I've disappearing in the
advancing torrent. Close behind the fly
ing iugitiycs the angry, panic.Strickcn
herd tumblcd and tossed. Its Iaborcd
breathing sighed like breeze, and the
warmth of its pulSations seemed to stiilc
the air.
"To the Ieltl to the lcitm screamed
Arthur seeing the bcwildered boys, who
fled like deer, making directly for the
stcepest part Of the bluff. Thus warned,
,,r,,,.";n,, ,ro , ,Lr mndcrhr,.h a. thrycIimbcd
ia I,"rG hGhind Them came Arty, pale. his
rootmrns drawn and ririd and bearing
in bis arms littIr yirl Mont brought
up the rear with Il stout boy on his
shuldcr and brcothlcss with excitement
and the aborious run.