Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1886-10-12
BUFFALO HUNTING.

In riding over the green turf OF the
open county. one s-es every ~hsre -hu'
object. which 50 va.e, the strong sun
shine that they almost dsrrle the eye.
These are the bleaching skulls Of ths
buh.lo,s that used to roam 10 thousands
through this region. Every one has
read ho-. only df,y years ago. millions
Of buf.loes wandered over nearly half OF
the United States; row there are no
sres, herd, sseep, in The Territory Of
Mon,ans. AMI from thA, territory more
thaa q hundred ,hOsa,i skins have
been sen, TO "a. I,s in a year. For
nearly every skin that 10 seat away.
about half ,oa Of has m.., !. LEI, TO
decay on the prairie. II !. . reckless
waste Of animal life. and ! Am sorry to
say that our sovernmsn, does very little
to stop IL. Within ten years there will
be no more great herds Of baf.loes in
the uniiei States Small bands OF them
-ill linser hidden away in valleys. bat
by the time .oms boys who read this
have lived 10 BE- old men. the AmsrieAn
bi.on -ill probably be seen oaly where
!, |. ksp, a. q curiosity jas, /" the oac
little b.ni OF saroch,-,he fn descend.
ant. ofths -ild e.,il, which used to
roam over all Rlrops-n KEEP, by th-
Emperor Of Russia. Still. even nos. a.
times. single bgf.lo-s or small bands Of
them will wander back here TO their old
grazing grounds. La, summer party
Of hay. saw . band Of dozen or
no-e 10 . remote valley behind the peak.
Aai q fs~ day. later. one OF our neigh
Dor. q, the nsare., ranch. beyoad the
mountains. vas sitting In the doorway
Of hi. snug hons oas morning. after an
early breakfast, When. to his A',oalsh.
msn,. . sr-a, baf.lo bull came ,ro,iius
easily alons within . haadred yards Of
the door. tie would hardly have been
more surprised had an elephant OF rhi'
nOcsro. happened Ia for morning call :
zoe he had never seen buffalo. NOT had
he ever expected TO see oae I bic o~n
ranch. Ia, hi, sarpri.e left him breath
enough 10 shout. - buffalo . baa.lo.
The house ". full Of men just IN from
the work OF gathering bssf.eas,le for
shipment; and at the startling word.
every m.a seized the n.ars., nai OF
pistol OF .ho,.sun. and dashed away TO
lia the chase only one or t-o stopping
hastily u tho~ saddle on torse. A.
soon |. the chase began. the big beas,
ran .~ihly into the thiek-, sIons the
creek. Aad vas able TO keep on, Of sigh,
for .oms tins. The chase vas long add
eteiuas. bai the bif.los pursasfs ~srr
too many foe him. Some follo-ed up
the trail. while Others vaiehsd the out.
.kr. Of the thleset sai q, las, ois OF
the bs., muk.mea amjas thsn. catch
ius sigh, Of tas bis black body. took
quick line aim and orodshi the buffalo
down With . single bullet ; % all the IA
habi,anis Of the ranch ~ere tessisi with
baff.io MA, I. loaS a. IL eoili b. k'Pi
from .pollins. Bat where ths great
herd. range. there /, no such excitement
.bol, kllllns them.
oae day yoans fsllO- from the R.'.
to ,h, yarns Of an old baf'lo'
hunter. said. .s the hunter flashed his
story
II, mus, be very exciting sport.
John T.
"wsll. I'll tell you how !, h.' said
John. "l,'. sboa, s exciting as II you
we're to 70 out into the corral and shoot
. dozen Of ,ho,- old d.iy.eo~' -i,h
pistol. st Nicholas.