The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-09-09
ALMOST SLAIN by DUFrALoEs.

Dcatii--A Montana Adventure.
In the summer of 1879, while stationed
ut one of the fl ontier forts in the Yellow
stone Valley, Spotted Eagles band of
bostiles, fragment of Sitting Bulls
great camp, were brought in as prison
ers of war. Orders were received to
send them to Standing Rock Agency,
and it fell to my lot, writes q lieutenant
in the regular army to the Philadelphia
Times, to escort them across the coun-
try. My detachment numbered thirty
men, mounted on Cayuse ponies and
well armed aud equipped. The next
morning, with our prisoners under
guard, we struck out boldly across the
country, in the direction of Standing
Rock. 1t took us sixteen days to make
the Journey, which was full of interest
ing incidents and adventures, for The
country was q wild and, SO to speak, I'M
explored region as yet, with hostile
Sioux and Cheyenncs scattered all
through it. The plains Of Montana were
pretty full of buffalo at the time [ write,
and it is of an adventure with them l am
going to speak. About the third day
out we were in the midst of thousands of
bison, and as it was no fun to kill them
with rifle or to still Aunt, by reason of
numbers [ proposed to have the rare
sport of hunting q few with the revolver
and from horseback. Next morning I
was up before break of day, and telling
my orderly to accompany me we started
ahead of the command to hunt our
game, each with brace of Colts "forty-
five" revolvers and 200 rounds of ammu-
milton apiece strapped across our per-
sons
We came in sight of one herd as day
was breaking, and Immediately gave
chase. The bison fled before us, we
tearing after them like mad; but in n
few minutes the herd scattered, and SO
we selected Il certain bunch, which We
followed up. l had gotten pretty close
upon my quarry, when, whisl! out of
sight they went, and i'll n moment I had
followed them. They had gone over q
bank into creek so suddenly that, not
observing 1T, L followed close upon their
heels; and there we were, brffnlocs,
pony and myself, uninjurcd, but found
.oriug and swimming about in deep
water. by the time got to the oppo-
site bank and secured my pony the
but1aloes were gone out of sight, scamp
ering across the prairie to join tho main
herd, and my orderly stood on the bluff
behind where VIC had just tumbled from,
laughing at Iny prcdicament. He had
luckily checked himself and steed lust in
time to save both from following us. In
half an hour matters were straighteued
out and we rode to the top of n neigh
boring knoll to get q view of the sur,
roundlngs. Our original herd was dim
IN the distance, a cloud Of dust on the
horizon telling where they were still
going at full speed. While regretfully
Watching them my orderly suddenly cx.
claimed:
'Lool, Lieutenant, here comes anoth-
er herd across the country, and making
straight for us"
Casting my eyes in the direction indi-
Gated, sure enough another tremendous
herd was pointing in the direction of oul
knoll and coming directly at us like q
thunder cloud. No use to fly, for there
was no place. to fly to. One solid blacl,
mass was sweeping toward us like q
whirlwind, and it became necessary fol
us to do something, and do it quickly
too, or have the life tramplcd out of rs
in q few minutes.
"Dismount!" L cried; "sling tho bride
oVcr,your arm, and, when / give tn,
word, fire as rapidly as You can"
we both dlsmOunted and, drawing on
tour reyolvcrs, opened fire on the sole
phalanx at long range. The great drcv,
OF animals were plunging wildly forward
with thor heads down, almost sweeping
the ground, and consequently did no
sec us. Our hope was to attract thei
attention, and by so doing to frightcl
them and endcavor to throw them out O
their course. Had they seen us in tn
first place they would probably hay
halted or turned their course to on
side. As it happened they kept madl
on until our bullets began to sting then
when the leaders looked up and sccin
the strange sight in front of then
actually paused, or attempted to do sc
but it was at their peril, for the forcmo,
were Immediately trnmplcd bcncnth til
feet of the rushing, crushing multitud
behind. The pile Of bodies was OF
salvation, for it served as an impcdimcl
to those in the rear, and together wit
our rapid fire sort of stnmpcdcd til
whole outfit. The pile became highC
and higher as buffalo after buffalo cam
rolling on to the heap and this blockad
actually caused the tremendous mass t
split and divide, mOicty going enc
side of it. The centre had been checked
but the wings were still sv coping by ;
ihlhptb ol'CCii' VIC llull Il GOWN 10 I'll
pile of carcasses as bci"g our safes
point, and stood there Watching the Sc
of animals raging and tearing by like til
bi.lows of an angry sea. A hundrc
yards or so further on the wings cam
together again, and there we were,
the midst of that living mass, safe an
free from harm.
1t was strange, remarkable sight
one which never expect to sec on cart
again. My head turned dizzy with S
much motion all about mo, but bot
myself and the orderly had sense enoug
to blaze away incessantly directly i
front of ,Is, which had tho effect :
throw the successive leaders in still NOR
confusion, and no doubt was the mean
of saving us from being trampled t
death. After this tremendous herd @
bison, going at about twelve miles q
hour, had passed, which consumed som
forty minutes of time, we found ou1
selves among the scattered tail end O
the herd. Here was our chance. Quick
~ singing out an animal, L was 500