The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-09-22
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sM the Park of a Stampede Herd
Incidents of the HUNT.

am an officer in the regular army, was
stationed at one of the frontier forts in the
Yellowstone Valley, and in company with
an orderly sergeant started out one morning
to hunt buffaloes with revolvers. Each of
us was armed with q brace of Colts revoly-
ers, and had 200 rounds of ammunition
shipped to sur persons. We had pursued
one herd without getting shot at it anc
while watching it as it was disappearing in
the far distance my orderly suddenly ex
claimed
Look, Lieutenant, here comes another
herd across the country and making straight
for u.s."
Casting my eyes in the direction indicat-
sd, sure enough another tremendous herd
was pointing in the direction of our knoll
and coming directly at us like thunder
cloud. No use to fly, for there was no
place to fly to. One solid black mass was
sweeping towards us like whirlwind, and
it became necessary for us to do something
and do it quickly, too, or have the lif'
trampled out of us in few minutes.
g Dismount /" cried sling the bride
/
fire as rapidly as 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, almost sweeping the
ground, and consequently did not see us.
Our hope was to attract their attention and
by SO doing to brighten them and endeavor
to throw them out of their course. Ha6
they seen us in the first place they would
probably have halted or turned their course
to one side. As it happened, they KEEP,
madly on until our bullets began to sting
them, when the leaders looked up and, see-
ing the strange sight i'll front of them actu-
ally paused or attempted to do so, but it
was at their peril, for the formost were inn
mediately trampled beneath the feet of the
rushing, crushing multitude behind. The
pile of bodies was our salvation, for it serv-
ed as an impediment to those in the rear
and together with our rapid fire sort of
stampeded the whole outfit. The pile be-
came higher and higher as buffalo after
buffalo came rolling on to the heap, and
this blockade actually caused the tremcnd-
Gus mass to split and divide, moiety going
each side of it. The center had been check
ed, but the wings were still sweeping by at
railroad speed. We hurried down TO the
pile of carcasses rs 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 TINT living
mass, safe and free from harm.
1t was q strange, remarkable sight-one
which never expect to see ON earth again.
My head turned dizzy with 30 much motion
all about me, but both myself and the
orderly had sense enough to blaze away
incessantly directly in front of us, which
had the effect to throw the suceessiy,
leaders in still more confusion, and nc
Doubt was the means of saving ma from
being trampled to death. After this ire
mendous herd OF bison going at about
twelve miles an hons. 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 alongside of him and pumping cold
| lead into hia bosom from my revolver. NV
pony, well trained to such sport, never left
his side until the poor brute staggered in
his tracks. When he rolled over ON the
prairie, in the last throes of death, singled
out another big fellow and was soon pour
ing leaden pills into his shaggy hide also.
had dropped nm even dozen before my
little Cayuse or became winded. Then
looked around for my orderly, but he was
nowhere TO be seen. One old bull took no
less than twenty cartridges before he yield
ed 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 individual unacquainted with its nature,
though never 80 good o 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, few
inches above the brisket, this being the
only point through which the heart or lungs
can be reached. Even with a forty fiye
ball through the most vital part ! have
known bull to run for half mile before
falling, although shot TO the death.
observed curious thing in connection
with that days hunt and something which
believe Is not generally known. saw
antelope mixed premiscuously with the
bison herd Until that time it had always
been my opinion that intel ,pe, of al
animals, "fere nature," herdel by them
selves but here was q case where they were
scattered all through the bison, and in con-
siderable numbers, too. All plainsmen will
agree that antelope are the most difficult of
game animals to bag, for the simple reason
that it is hard matter to get within range
of them. Most of my antelope have been
dropped at 500 and GOO yards, and none
less than 800 yards.
On this day / found could approach
antelope within pistol shot with the greatest
ease. Riding up close to one he would
make q few jumps, and then turn around
and gaze al me in astonishment, seemingly
bewildered and puzzled. To see how close
it was possible for me to approach / rode
up to within fifty yards Of a fine buck and
gradually reduced the distance to twenty
five yards, all the while ON horseback.
There he stood gazing at me and making
jump now and then, but never going more
than q step or two in any direction. Ipoint-
ed my revolver at his heart, pulled the
trigger, when, making one bound and
few whirls, he spun around for a minute
and then fell dead on the prairie.
But it was late in the afternoon and time
to think of looking mp the detachment.
Again anxiously scanned the horizon to
catch glimpse of orderly, but he was no.
where 70 b seen. l rode back over my
trail until INSET in hopes of finding some
trace of him but saw no sign or indica-
of his presence, and so regretfully hrd to