The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-03-31

: r1he. When within about five wards
noticed he was 9 pretty HYely-lookfn
= corpse, but, ere had time to runinate
he up and charged. InstinctiveIy
} pointed the rife at his head and fred
: The old fellow merely shook his cram
um, but delayed not. I dropped m,
rifle then commenced one of the mos
interesting races ever beheld. was
little ahead, with the bull q good sec
ond. After retaining my slight leaC
for about seventy-f7e yards 7 heard ny
partner, on the opposite side of tht
creek, yelling with laughter and halloo
ing, Go it, CoOk-go itP' Previous r.
receiving this encouragement I haG
been doing my utmost to beat the buf
taIo. Presently my partners rife
cracked, and, glancing over my shoul
der, saw my antagonist was down
having evidently withdrawn from the
contest. The moment I felt I was safe
l began hobbling toward my partner
but he at once objected to my mode OF
locomot3on, claiming it to be an utter
impossibility for cripple to make such
good time as had recently done. He
ever afterward insisted that, with little
training, 1 would be the feetegt foot
man on the plains.
On another occasion Leonard wound
ed a young bull, which leisurely walked
into the stream and lay down. As we
were anxious to have him on dry
ground, / we5 to poke him with stick,
! snd, when he charged me, my partner
was to shoot him down. After good
| deal of punching, the animal came out
to interview me. Unfortunately. after
he got on terra frma, Leonard's rife
missed fire, and had another foot-race.
We, however, only raced about fifty
yards, when the buffalo, apparently
stricken with remorse, withdrew from
tha contest, and returned to the stream.
The next time coaxed him cut & sure
shot laid him low.
About once in two weeks we loaded
up our cart with an assortment OF
game, which I used to haul to the sta
ton and exchange for neoessaries we
required. This trip of 100 miles alI
alone, right through O hostile Indian
country, was not pleasant one. There
was no trail, and, as the plains are of
very monotonOus appearance, it was
dlihcuIt matter to keep the right
course. / generally managed to make
Brush creek the first night, and, after
preparing supper, no matter how cold
1t might be, / had to put out the fire,
as l Was afraid it might attract the at
tention of neighbOring Indians. On
one of my excursions, when I reached
Brush creek the night was intensely
cold, and [ thought, Indians or no In
dians, I'n keep fire this night. My
blankets were stretched near the fire,
and I uypC InzI-rr Y-~zl1,r1 = rIo
OF the Question, when / heard a crack
ling among the twigs and dry leaves. |
On looking around, about ten feet 6i5- |
tant | saw pair CT shining eyes glar-
ing riBhG at me. My first impression |
was that 1t was an Indian crawling on /
his hands and knees, and I acIknOWl- |
edge a feeling Of fear. On reaching
for my rifle, l began to think it might
possibly be only wolf, and, if so, it
was dangerous to fire off gun at that
time of night, not knowing who my
neighbOrs might be, or their where
abouts. Finally, becoming satisfied it
was wolf, I drew brand from the fire
and threw it at the two eyes. With a
mort and rush, my visitor uneeremo>
liously left NE.
/ have read accounts of buffalo bel
owing and paving the ground before
making charge; but I never heard
me even moan, and they do not even
ose any time in paving. IneVer heard
Il them attacking q man, unless badly
Until bull is years old,
rs horns stand up erect, and he is then |
allied spike-bnIl. After that his
lorns commence curving toward each
'ther The old patriarch bulls, who
AVE outhved their usefulnees, are run
ut OF the haretn s1ld rove around dis
ons"tst8, either singly or in herds.
}utfalo sometimes exhibit astonishing
enaciby-of life. I have known them
.et clean away with probably pound
+ Lead Ia them. Occasionally the first
hot viii kill one {" too dead to skin" 3"
The most noisy animal on the plains
) the coyote. When about three of
hem acongregate at dusk and begin
their evening hymn, instead
t trio you would imagine il was a !
rand chorus in which 800 voices par
.clpated. The music produced is !
bout as melodiOus as what we are ac-
to hear rendered by that back
ard artist, the Thomas cat The coy !
te, although notendowed with superior
lusioal abilities to the feline, has !
reater compass of voice. AS his song !
not productive of sleep, I have often
lsbed to conclude his serenade by !
emily caressing him with club. E
During stormy weather we had ample h
me to cut up and salt what meat we J
ad on hand. Although the winter :
assed pleasantly, it was a Robinson :
rusoe kind of existence. On Christ /
as day our big Camp-kettle contained g
10 breasts Of three or four turkeys, a
ck-rabbit, small pieces Of deer and n
ltelope, and a portion of buffalo 4
imp. I doubt whether there was a a
mily on the continent which had 4
ch variegated bill of fare. Ny !.
rtner, who had q weakness for eccen- q
C costume, during the winter made G
msef cap from q badgers skin, a 81
st from beaver pelts, and pair Of n
nts from the hide of buffalo calf. I.
. also seriously contemplated the o.
lnufacture Of a coat from wolf-skins. d1
is hard work, but there n,
so much excitement attached to it o.
At the hunter does not feel tired un- in
his days work is done and he finds Sc
nsef five or six miles away from w
mp. Ne
Toward spring we divided our spoiIs OF
l I returned to Denver. I never saw b.
heard of my partner since.
s-w-==A---=----
Tho Vor,a. TeJwSa TA,.n.-.