The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-01-22
BAGGED A BUFFALO.
Three Hunters Once Did 1t, But Re-
gretted 1t.

''Yes, buffalo-hunting in the West is
about over" said Dakota hunter to a
St. Paul Day reporter at the Merchants
last evening. There are a very few
west of the Missouri in Dakota this fall,
and when 1 60 back am going to get
crack at some of them Did l ever
tell you of my first exploit at buffalo
huntingP No? Well, take seat and
I'll give you the story.
'1t was in September, 1879, when a
party of three of us started west from
Millbank, two hundred miles, for the
Missouri river. The members of the
party were Capt. Dalton, Mel Hanson
and myself. We were equipped with a
team of horses and light wagon we'll
stored with provisions and carrying a
small cask of water. We got on all
right for about seventy-tive miles, when
we crossed the Jim river, refilled our
cask with water, and early in the
morning started west again. We trav-
eled about forty-fve miles and came
into valley of mighty pretty land just
as night was falling. The twilight is
quite short in Dakota, so we tethered
our horses and pitched our camp. The
country was very fine, and we fell to
speculating on the future city that
might be built there and its probable
location. In the morning we erected a
mound on the place where we camped,
drove stick into the ground, and dedi-
Gated it to the city of the future. We
called the place Big Boom Camp
Trusting to find water in the hills be-
yond, we gave the last to our horses
and continued our journey. The day
was hot and dry, and by noon we had
found no water and were getting tired
and thirsty. After short halt we pro-
ceeded climbing the interminable hills,
and finally descended into a beautiful
valley that stretched away towards
the west. We had as yet seen no water
and it looked as if we would have to 90
another day without a drink, when to-
wards sundown, the horses pricked up
their ears and started at a good pace.
We looked anxiously ahead towards
the western hills and plainly discovered
what seemed a tree looming up in the
hazy atmosphere. The horses were
travelling directly towards it, and short
ly after dark we came to the bank of a
pretty little lake which we named
Spring lake, from the GOODNESS of the
water, and which to us was a godsend,
as both ourselves and the horses were
suffering for water. Refreshing our
selves by a nights rest, we started on,
and soon entered the hilly country that
borders the river for twenty-five miles
on both sides of this place. As we were
ascending hill, keeping a sharp look
out for game, suddenly the Captain
bawled out: BY George boys, there's
a buffalo, or I'm a sucker
"'Where?' cried Mel and at the
same time.
"'On that hill there to the right
yelled Cap. Don't you see him? Why,
he's as big as house.
There he was, indeed. And in the
haze that perpetually surrounds these
hills he appeared to be forty feet high,
and to grow bigger every time we
looked at him. I'll tell you how we'll
fix him. said Cap. Wen tie the
horses here. Then I'll surround him
and drive him down that ravine, and
you can hide at the mouth and shoot
him when he comes out. The plan
looked feasible to us, and we concealed
ourselves near the mouth of the ravine
and waited, our hearts in our mouths
for the noble game. The Captain had
about mile to go to round him up,
and we were getting awful impatient,
when suddenly we heard great rush
ing sound in the ravine, and soon the
gigantic animal came forth crashing
through the brush that lined the ravine
We only got a glimpse OF him, but that
was enough, and we both fired and had
the satisfaction of seeing him stagger
forward few steps through the brush
and fall, the noblest game huntsman
ever brought down. We raised a shout
of triumph and started towards our
prey, when we heard great hallooing,
and looking up the hill saw the Captain
running down towards us, waving his
hands and shouting at the top of his
voice. We thought something was the
matter, and waited for him. The first
words he used as he ran up all breath
less were:
g You fools, you didn't shoot him,
did you?' You bet we did, l replied.
Well, l never saw such internal
idiots! Can't you see anythingP That
was nothing but a bull-a Durham bull
belonging to some cattlemen here.
Didn't you hear me holler?' We didn't.
Sure enough the animal was bull be-
longing to Kennedy Brothers rancho,
and that buffalo steak cost us $25
apiece, and our stomachs were not
strong enough to eat it,