Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-02-08
COLORADO LETTER.


Dear Democrat As began to say a
few days since, our people who were most
IL from the far east, had 10 take hand In
buffalo hunting, just To see how il would
SEEM or 10 have something worth telling
the folks at home, or their grand children.
Mind you now. | never aimed Carnal
weapon at them, II except knife aud
fork; but have seen nj least twenty
thousand buffalo covering the slopes about
me, and the carcaSses lying about on the
plain as thickly as logs In an old down
east forest, and OF no account 10 any one
seemingly, except the wolves and coyotes.
Tons OF excellent meat spoiliug within
radius of mile. Men OF all classes, and
some OF their wives. went 10 the bunting
grounds, and many aud marvellous were
the tales they told. once among the game
the sound OF fire arms could be- heard In
all directions. There was no telling what
yuuugstcr would do cor whittier his
bullets might whiG. Armstrong tells of
the young man who was busy with frying
pan and coiiec-pot over a smouldcring fire
OF buffalo chips, when the FIRST buffalo
was discricd by the early morning light |;
There young man. Is your chance at your
first buffalo" The cofec-pot was In hand
and the rifle near by, and over the plain
ran the Young hunter, cotfcc;pot In one
hand and rifle In the other. Put down
your coffee pot" shouted Armstrong
Put down that coiee-pot. -
For a while there was great furore for
capturing buffalo calves, and quite n num-
Der were brought into town. We had two
or three on our place, but the wildness OF
their nature could not be much changed.
To the latest day Of their stay on this
place, they were wild budalos still, and
when we went 10 feed them and cornered
them, up would 90 the tail, down would
90 the head and then there would be
spirited charge, a. earnest and savage as
that OF the veterans OF the herd. The
most satisfactory buffalo, was one that
had been foisted upon an old Texas COW.
They were lighting fond OF each other, and
held 10 their union until the calf was ship
ped east 10 grace somebody's park.
Some one has made fine picture called
the Guardians OF the Herd, In which are
represented Gordon OF old bulls on the
outskirts OF herd OF buffalo. The idea or
the painter seemed TO be that these guard
ians were defending the herd. Alas 1t Is
sad to have TO disturb this poetic Idea.
These males are only the superannuated
fellows that have been driven out OF the
herd by their more powerful sons. Later
still, these sad old fellows are found roam
ing singly among the hills. toothless and
NANCY, and destitute OF hair, waiting for
death. Thus is shown something Of the
survival OF the fttest.
Since wrote my last letter, the buffalo
have began to come in to the river sixty
miles below Greeley, but SO poor after the
past dry season, that the hunters do not
pretend to kill them.
The buffalo Is very tenacious OF lifei In
fact it is almost impossible TO kill them
unless you shoot them right. Numberless
stories are told of their obstinate cllnging
to life. My elbow friend, who often as
sists me when want an idea, tells me that
his brother and brother-in-law were hunt
ing, when the latter dropped two buffaloes.
He had cut the throat Of one from ear to
ear, and had commenced life work on
the second which lay ten rods distant,
when, on looking up, he saw the first up
and charging upon him. He ran, and the
brother ran, in different directions, and
the buffalo went for" brother and would
have caught him too, had not his compan-
ion put another bullet into the brute.
As these hunters were on. the way home
with great load Of meat, the buffaloes
were thick on both sides OF the road, and
destitute OF fear, not as yet having been
much hunted. Seeing fine black buffalo,
the hunters decided TO shoot it for its hide.
They shot it and before it was skinned the
others smelt its blood, and came paving
and believing round as cattle will some
times do. The men hastily skinned and
put the hind quarters on the wagon, but
forgot the hide in the fright, fearing every
moment that charge would be made on
the team by the Infatuated beasts. So
dense was the herd that one man had to
get between the leading horses, and put
ting his hat on the end OF his rife, keep
thrusting it out at them, thus soaring them
and making them give back enough for the
team 70 pass. .. h