West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-09-17
A BUFFALO HUNT.
Narrow Escape from Death by a
Stampeded Herd.
Barricade OF Dead Bodies Divides and
Stems Living Torrent-The story
Told by a Lieutenant of
the Army

In the summer OF 1879, while sta
toned at one of the frontier forts in
the Yellowstone valley, Spotted
Eagles band of hostiles, a fra gment of
Sitting Bulls great camp, were
brought in as prisoner, of war. Orders
were received to send them TO stand
ing Rock Agency, and it fell to my lot
10 escort them across the country. NV
detachment numbered thirty men.
mounted on Cayusc ponies and well
armed and equipped. The next morn
ing, with our prisoners under guard
we struck out boldly across the coun-
try in the direction OF Standing Rock
Ii took us sixteen days To make the
journey, which was full OF interc sting
incidents and adventures. for the coun-
try was a wild and, 50 to speak. umex-
plored region as yet, with hostile
Sioux and CheYcnneS scattered All
through it. The plains Of Montana
were pretty full of buffalo at the time
j write, and ii is of an adventure with
them ! am going to- speak.
About the third day ont We were i'm
the midst OF thousands of bison. and
a it was no fun to Kill them with a rifle
or TO still hunt, by reason of numbers
proposed to have the rare snort
Of hunting few with the revolver and
from horseback. Next morning | was
up before break of day, and telling NV
orderly TO accompany me we started
ahead of the command to hunt our
game, each with brace of Colts
'forty-iive' revolVers and two hundred
rounds OF ammunition apiece strapped
across our persons.
My pony was the most beautiful little
fellow imaginable. Hi, color was iet
black. and 20 glossy that it seemed to
possess the power of reflection. Every
point was perfectly developed. with
legs sleek and slim, beautifully arched
neck. on which was a head that bore a
look nj conscious superiority over the
common herd This animal had been
the property of Rain-in- the-Face. the
Sioux Indian who claims to be the
slayer of General Custer. He was =
perfect buffalo pony. trained to hunt
them bow-and-arrow style. never leay-
ing The side Of bull until the Latter
tumbled i'm his tracks. A. wanted to
adopt similar tactics. substituting the
revolver for the bow and arrow. he was
the very best pony could have selected
for the purpose. My orderly was well
mounted, also. but upon no such ami
maj as possessed
No came IN sight II one herd a day
was breaking and immediately cave
chase. The bison fed before as. we
tearing after them like mad. but in q
few minutes the herd scattered and "a
We selected certain bunch which we
followed mp ! had gotten pretty close
upon my quarry. when whi,k out oil
sight they went. and in moment I
had followed them. They had gone
over bank into creek 20 suddenly
thai, not observing it,. ] followed close
upon heir heels. and there We were.
bufialoe- pony and myself. uniniured.
but foundcring and winning about
in deep water. Bv tbc time got 10
The opposite bank and secured nv
pony The bunJloes were zone out OF
sight ,campcring across the prairie 10
Join The main herd. and nv ORDERLY
stood on the bluff hchind where We
had just tumblod from. laughing At
my prrdicamont BE had luckily
checked himself and -teed Just in time
10 save 10th from following u..
To nai nm hour matters were
straighicrcd ont and VIC rode to tho
top Of ucighDor.uo knoll To- yet =
view oi The surrounding Our orig
NAL nerd wa- dim FOO the distance. 4
cloud ol dust on Tie horizon telling
who're they wcrr going go mII -pccI.
While rogrcfu'It watching them ms
orderly -uddcuIt exclaimed.
Look Lieutenant. her. comes
another herd across tnc country and
making straight for u..
Casting mF 'FD- u luo direction iu-
d.na'ad. rIr enough another fromcu-
don herd wa- pouf.ugi 'hn direction
ni our Knoll. and coming directly 40 u.
Ikc huudcr-c'yud SO use 100 Hy.
inr .Ua was mo place fJ Ng 0y. one
solid BLACK mass was weeping toward
u- Dds whIrI0 nd. audit became ucc
-str, fnr u- To- d0 -ome.hing. and n,
b. quickly. too. oil have tho Iil
Irampled out of u bob foW minute.
D-mouuf cried "-Iing lhc bridI,
over Your arm. and when I give Do,
word Iirc rapidly as sou cam
N, both di-mouutnd and. drawing Oui
four revolver opened fire on tbe solid
PhsianA ~ long range. The gEea