Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1886-09-16
A BUFFALO HUNT.
Narrow Escape from Death by a
Stampeded Herd.
A lsarricade of Dead Bodies Divides and
Stems Living Torrent-The Story
Told by Lieutenan. 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, fragment O
Sitting Bulls great camp, wcr,
brought in as prisoners of war. Order.
were received to send them to Stand
ing Rock Agency, and it fell to my lo
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 wild and, so to speak, unex-
plorcd region as yet, with hostile
Sioux and Cheyennes scattered all
through it. The plains of Montana
were pretty full of buffalo at the time
l write, and it is of an adventure with
them 4 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 hunt, by reason of umbers,
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
Cr1prly RI aoopp,nonr ma ryo A
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 let
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 a
look Of conscious superiority over the
common herd. This animal had been
the property of Rain-in-the-F Face, the
Sioux Indian who claims to be the
slayer of General Custer. He was a
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 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
NAL as possessed.
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
few minutes the herd scattered and so
we selected certain bunch which we
followed up. l had gotten pretty close
upon my quarry, when whisk-Out of
sight they went. and in moment l
had followed them. They had gone
over a bank into creek so suddenly
that, not observing it. followed close
upon their heels; and there we were,
buflaloes, pony and myself, uninjured,
but tloundering and swimming about
in deep water. By the time l got to
the opposite bank and secured my
pony the buffaloes We're gone out of
sight, scampering across the prairie to
join the main herd, and my orderly
stood on the bluff behind where we
had just tumblcd from, laughing at
my predicament. He had luckily
checked himself and steed just in time
to save both from following us.
In half an hour matters were
Strengthened out and we rode to the
top Of a neighboring knoll to get
view of the surroundings. Our orig
NAL herd was dim in the distance,
cloud of dust on the horizon telling
where they were going at full speed.
While regretfu!ly watching them my
orderly suddenly exclaimed:
Look, Lieutenant, here comes
another herd across the country and
making straight for us
Casting my eyes in the direction in
Dictated, sure enough another tremen-
dous herd was pointing in the direction
of our knoll and coming directly at us
like a thunder-cloud. No use to fly,
for there was no place to fly to. One
solid black mass was sweeping toward
us like whirlwind, and it became nee
essary for us to do mething, and do
it quickly, too, have the life
trampled out of us in few minutes.
'Dismount!' l cried; "sling the bride
over your arm. and when l give the
word fire as rapidly as you cam"
We both dismounted and, drawing our
four revolvers, opened fire on the solid
phsaaDx at long range. The great |