San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-06-14
Written Tor the Pass Passs.
"reminiscences Of Texas Veteran--.The
Santa fe Expedition, etc.
pY @. fRHARD.
tcopyrish,ed
KrSpALL's NARRATIVE CONTINUED.


XXvI.
The chase continued till il became too
dark, and further pursuit would have been
useless; the buffalo escaped the sight of the
hunters. We knew he must be 80 badly
wounded as to be past recovery; our hopes
were that he had not died in the early part
of the night and been devoured by wolves.
At night one of the heaviest showers fell,
lightning lit up the prairie all around, and
the darkness which followed each flash ap-
peared to me more than common blackness
thick and impenetrable-a wall of gloom.
The wind, too, howled and moaned around
us, and struck cold chill through our scan
ty covering. Tired and faint, however,
from want of food, wet and cold as / was, l
soon fell asleep. -+t
The next morning some of our party found
the buffalo badly wounded and unable to
run. and well-directed shot completed at
last the work of the previous evening. On
taking off his hide, il was found that more
than thirty balls had struck him. Every
pound of his poor tough flesh. for he was an
old lean bull, was brought into camp, and
after being divided among our men, prepa-
rations were made for our departure.
We had scarcely proceeded u mile before
we encountered narrow but deep gully,
running nearly north and south. filled to the
top with water. Having no certainty of
finding fording place, we dashed boldly in
and swan safely across. We hurried rapid
ly on, with the hope that before nightfall we
might discover some trees or bushes of some
kind with which to cook our buffalo meat,
but it was vain hope.
We gathered few buffalo chips, but in
the present instance they had been made
damp by the late rain, and it was with the
greatest difficulty we could ignite them at
all. We made out. however, to warm our
meat n little-and voraciously did swallow
several pounds of the tough, unsavory food.
That night, and for the first time since we
had struck the grand prairie, we were sere-
naded by pack Of wolves. The sign
was considered highly favorable, as these
Lrutes are seldom found far from woods or
settlements.
On the following day we made an early
start, the prairie before us presenting the
same lone and dreary appearance. We had
travelled but few miles when a drove of
horses es-about seventy -fve-was discovered
to our left Some of our men even thought
they could see men on them. Our main
party halted and formed, while some four
of them set out with the intention of taking
a closer view of our neighbors. Had we
proceeded q little further towards them oil
our doubts would have been set at rest, and
possibly we might haye saved ourselves
many miles of weary travel.
About noon, and about ten miles from the
place where we had seeh the horses. the
deep-blue tops of range OF mountains
were discerned 1t may be readily conceived
that this was joyful sight to us. We had
now been seven days upon the prairie, aver
aging at least thirty miles day, and many
began to despair of ever getting OIL the
dreary waste. There was now prospect OF
a change. We continued until near three
o'clock, when suddenly beautiful valley,
studded here and there with clump OF
trees, appeared to our sight. To the north
in the distance, there was every appearance
of a large stream of water. A halt was
called in a pleasant little grove of cotton
woods, through which small stream OF
fresh water was gently purling, and here we
built large fire from dry fallen trees and
cooked what was left of our tough buffalo
meat. Two hours were spent at this COM
Portable camping ground after which we re-
sumed our uncertain journey. Unable to
continue our old course, north west, on ac-
count of deep and abrupt ravines TO the
northward, we travelled west this afternoon,
through narrow valleys eneircled by high,
conical. and singularly formed hills. AT
sundown we reached a small spring among
these hills where we bivouacked Ct once.
During the night there was panic and half
stampede among our animals, caused, in
opinion Of the guard, by the appearance Of
a small drove Of rnustangs on the siesP nils
which overlooked our encamPment
Resssning orr march early on tie follow
ing mcraing. We soon became entAngied
among high. steep ald roEgh hills. the pas
sags over which vas almost impossible
sz.h vas tls nature OF this Singular piece
Of coz-t-y ;sat ~ Ee-s YJn2slsd thcSEh