Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-09-30
Sold black mass was sweeping toward

Noiu Hlc do Idpluly us you can.
We both dismounted and, drawing our
four revolvers, opened fire on the solid
phalanx at long range. The great
drove of animals were plunging wildly
forward, with their heads down, al
most sweeping the ground, and conse-
quently did not see us. Our hope was
to attract their attention, and by so do
ing to brighten them and endeavor to
throw them out of their course. Had
they seen us in the first place they
would probably have halted or
turned their course to one side. AS it
happened, they kept madly on until
our bullets began to sting them, when
the leaders looked up and, seeing the
strange sight in front of them, actually
paused or attempted to do SO; but it
was at their peril, for the foremost were
Immediately trampled beneath the feet
of the rushing, crushing multitude be-
hind. The pile of bodies was our sal
walton, for it served as an impediment
to those in the rear, and together with
our rapid fire sort of stampeded the
whole outfit. The pile became higher
and higher as buffalo after buffalo
came rolling on to the heap, and this
blockade actually caused the tremen-
dous mass to split and divide, moiety
going each side of it. The center had
been checked, but the wings were still
sweeping by at railroad speed. We
hurried down to the pile of carcasses
as being our safest point and stood
there watching the sea of animals
raging and tearing by like the pillows
of an angry sea- A hundred yards or
so further on the wings came together
| again, and there we were, in the midst
of that living mass, safe and free from
harm.
1t was strange, remarkable sight
one which ! never expect to see on
earth again. My head turned dizzy
with so much motion all about me, but
both myself and the orderly had sense
enough to blaze away necessarily di-
rectly in front of US, which had the eff
feet to throw the successive leaders in
still more confusion, and no doubt was
the means of saving us from being
trampled to death. After this tremen-
dous herd of bison, going at about
twelve miles an hour, had passed,
which consumed some forty minutes of
time, we found ourselves among the
scattered tail end of the herd. Here
was our chance. Quickly singing out
an animal | was soon dashing along
side of him and pumping cold lead
into his bosom from my revolver. My
pony, well trained to such sport, never
left his side until the poor brute stag
gered in his tracks. When he rolled
over on the prairie in the last throes of
death l singled out another big fellow
and was soon pouring leaden pills into
his shaggy hide also. had dropped
an even dozen before my little Cayuse
or became winded. Then looked
around for my orderly, but he was no.
where to be seen. One old bull took no
less than twenty cartridges before he
yielded up the ghost, which compelled
me to reload both revolvers from
horseback while going at tearing
pace. The buffalo dies very hard
Even though MORALLY wounded, an in
dividual unacquainted with its nature,
though never so good marksman, is
much surprised not to see him fall at
once. One would suppose that shot
about the head or central part of the
body would prove fatal, but such is
not the case. To kill bison the ball
must either divide his spine or enter
his body behind the shoulder a few
inches above the brisket, this being the
only point through which the heart
or lungs can be reached. Even with a
i forty-fve ball through the most vital
part, / have known bull to run for
half mile before falling, although
, shot to the death.
t l observed a curious thing in con-
, nection with that days hunt, and
; something which l believe is not gen.
l orally known. l saw antelope mixed
i promiscuously with the bison herd.
a Until that time it had always been my
. opinion that antelope, of all animals,
"fere nature," herded by themselves
] but here was case where they were
E scattered all through the bison. and in
a considerable numbers, too. All plains
/ men will agree that antelope are the
: most difficult of game animals to bag
r for the simple reason that it is hare
) matter to get within range of them
: Most of my antelope have beer
: dropped at five hundred and six hun
/ bred yards, and none less than three
/ hundred yards.
: On this day l found Icould approach
antelope within pistol shot with tn,
7 greatest ease. Riding up close to one
c he would make g few jumps, and then
e turn around and gaze at me in aston
a ishment seemingly bewildered ant
o puzzled. To see how close it was pos
e sible for me to approach / rode up t.
e within fifty yards of fine buck anC
4 gradually reduced the distance t.
twenty-five yards, all the while OF
e horseback. There he stood gazing a
y me and making jump now and then
e but never going more than step o
}, two in any direction. pointed IN,
|, revolver at his heart, pulled the trig
1t ger, when, making one bound and
% few whirls, he spun around for a min
y ute and then fell dead on the prairie.
,f But it was late in the afternoon an
% time to think of looking up the detach
Y ment. Again anxiously scanned tn
e horizon to catch a glimpse of my OF
It DERBY, but he was nowhere to be seer
y l rode back over my trail until smss
lie in hopes of finding some trace of him
but saw no sign or indication of hi
re presence, and so respectfully had Z
lie give up the search for time. TakinI
my landmarks / struck out for camp
? which | reached about nine o'cloc
a that night. The orderly's pony hs
g already come into camp ahead of mt
/. which left the conclusion that the poe
~ fellow had been ENDORSED, or perhar
had received some injury; and po
s sibly he might at that very moment !
ID lying on the prairie awaiting assistanc
from us. / Immediately started th
n whole command out in search of hin
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