Thomas County cat., 1889-10-31
STAMPEDES.
An Exciting Experience with a
Herd of Buffalo.


81 shall never forget that canyon,
not if live century," said a 'front.'
tsrsman, as the train was slowly creep
ing along over deep but narrow
abyss, common in the Western coun-
Try.
-'Why?" l asked.
because, was the reply, 81
dropped into it once. or rather, was
&hrown in, and had the narrowest es-
cape OF my life. l was what is termed
Il COW puncher' in those days, and l
did a little of every thing. The year
have In mind was guide for party
al prospectors and engineers, and
zEz6er contract to supply them with
beef. Beef meant buffalo, and there
was plenty of it-too much, as you
SsN see, in those days, though they
ars al gone now.
Il generally worked ahead of the
party an hour or so, to be on the look
ssat for the Indians and game, and one
a2ay, having sighted big herd of
L
party to kill some, and have them
dressed by the time the main party
came up. My companion was new to
She business, but | had no idea that he
would put me into the scrape he did.
VI G were about four miles from this
canyon, which is simply a big wash,
cHt- the sides almost up and down
and q thousand feet wide. A horse
eau jump from the edge at some
points and fall fifteen hundred feet
without striking; that's the kind of a
place it is. In crossing in the cars
you do not see the steepest part OF it.
I'VE started off in high spirits. 1t
Tas q beautiful morning. and there
was something in the air that stin-
sslased me, something that is difficult
To explain. but exists nevertheless.
The country to the south and east was
as level as the sea; but to the west
rose the Rockies. blue and pink, and
here and there isolated buttes Away
60 She northwest rose a cloud of dust,
7uaich hung over the ground for hum
ssrtads Of acres. That dust meant buf-
fsAioes, and for it we headed,
Il intended riding slowly. and when
we got near to put on speed and
scharge them. But all at once nv
xnsn's horse went into hole, and
brake the cinch. rode on and left
slm 60 mend it. thinking, of course.
4ssst he would follow. l had gone two
miles, when it occurred to me to stop
axa wait for him. The buifaloes were
JUS. ahead, and | wanted to give him
a. Eair chance. For half an hour
zSsited, and then suddenly noticed a
movement in the herd, which was APP
f1ayently coming in every direction.
The dust seemed to cover the entire
horizon. rising in the air like a cloud,
and spreading 20 each side.
In moment ! was in the saddle
ana riding out toward it to see which
direction it was taking, still not want
Aug to leave my companion. just then
! began TO hear roaring sound like
thander. Eregy instant it grew loud
Ssr, and finally began to realize that
aasheS across my mind that it was
stampede. In a second | was about
aud away in the direction of the
l'arty; but | had been standing in a
depression. and rs | came up saw
that l was in the center OF a half-moon
81 dust Thousands of bulfaloes were
si&sSing down on me, like an ava
sanche, and their iiankers reaching
s,Rt As II to hem me in. | didn't waste
I2luch time, and was soon on a dead
run If you have ever seen a man or
"a horse run down 4 track before an en-
siRe. animals leaping along before a
prairie fire. or to escape cyclone, YOU
caa imagine the feelings which i'm
peiled me. 1t was merely matter of
getting around the herd, sbut they
werc closing in on me. and a fall, an
accident o! any kind. meant being
xrsnp!ed to death. | soon saw that il
vas useless to attempt getting around
She herd: it was too big and the start
was too great. and so simply ran for
1t ran for lie
You never saw a stampede?
Well. imagine eight or ten thousand
cattle. perhaps more, impelled by
fssar or terror, dashing along. crowd
kng together 4 living glacier; it is
Irresistible; nothing can stop it; a
.surTing, solid mass, rushing blindly
forward. with a roar and noise which
shakes the very earth. Imagine
something like this. and you can re-
=aiize something. perhaps. of the
features of a stampede. 1t is merely
She wild rush oi terrified cattle or
oaifaloes.
Il ran before them twenty minutes.
ard of course gained. and. seeing
ssome buttes at distance of a mile or
Eaorc, l thought could make them.
d would consequently be safe.
life is uncertain. and SO is riding