Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-09-30
A BUFFALO HUNT.
Narrow Escape from Death by a
Stampeded Herd.
a Barricade of Dead Bodies Divides and
Stems Living Torrent-The Story
Told by 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 fragment of
Sitting Bulls great camp, were
brought in as prisoners of war. Orders
were received to send them to Stand
ing Rock Agency, and it fell to my lot
to escort them across the country. My
detachment numbered thirty men,
mounted on Cayuse 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.
1t took us sixteen days to make the
journey, which was full of interesting
incidents and adventures, for the coun-
try was a wild and, so to speak, unex-
plored region as yet, with hostile
Sioux and Cheyennes 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 | am going to speak.
About the third day out we were in
the midst of thousands of bison, and
rs it was NO fun to kill them with rifle
or to still hunt, by reason of numbers,
l proposed to have the rare sport
of hunting few with the revolver and
from horseback. Next morning | 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 two hundred
rounds of ammunition apiece strapped
across our persons.
My pony was the most beautiful little
fellow imaginable. His color was JET
black, and so 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 head that bore q
look of 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 8
perfect buffalo pony, trained to hunt
them bow-and-arrow style, never leav.
ing the side of bull until the latter
tumbled in his tracks. As | wanted IL
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.
NAL as possessed.
We came in sight of one herd as day
was breaking and immediately CAV;
chase. The bison fled before us, we
tearing after them like mad, but in 6
few minutes the herd scattered and 81
we selected certain bunch which w,
followed up. had gotten pretty clos,
upon my quarry, when whisk-out O
sight they went, and in moment
had followed them. They had gon,
over bank into a creek so suddenly
that, not observing it, followed clos,
upon their heels; and there we were
buffaloes, pony and myself, uninjured
but laundering and swimming abou
in deep water. BY the time got +
INC OppOSltt balih anu otSulCu Ii
pony the buffaloes were gone out Q
sight, scampering across the prairie +
join the main herd, and my orderl,
stood on the bluff behind where w
had just tumbled from, laughing a
my predicament He had luckil
checked himself and steed just in tim
to save both from following us.
In half an hour matters wer
Strengthened out and we rode to tn
top of neighboring knoll to get
view of the surroundings. Our orig
NAL herd was dim in the distance,
cloud of dust on the horizon tellin,
where they were going at full speed
While respectfully watching them m
orderly suddenly exclaimed:
Look. Lieutenant, here come
another herd across the country an
making straight for us"
Casting my eyes in the direction in
Dictated, sure enough another tremer
dous herd was pointing in the directio
of our knoll and coming directly at =
ike thunder-cloud. No use to fy
for there was no plate to fly 10. On