Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-02-12
THAT STRANGE ANIMAL.

North and east Of Fort Davis, Tex.
stretching far away to that strip of non.
descript soil, known as mo Man Land.
is the remnant of the so called Great
American desert, designated on the maps
and in the biographies as ''Llano Estaca-
do" or Staked Plain. The name desert
is misnomer, for the Llano Estacado is
not a desert. but rather a well watered
grassy plain, covered with hay and yer.
dure, the natural home and refuge at
the present time of nearly all the large
game animals of the southwestern por-
ton of the United States.
All the buffaloes we have in the coun-
try, except a scattered pair mere and
there, and the mountain bison of the
Yellowstone park, are TO be found home
1essly wandering over the staked plain.
Mustangs, wild and untamed, gallop
with unshod hoofS over the soft, velvety
carpet, and antelope, the most dainty of
all feeders, seek here the delicate wild
clover and maiden flowers which are
found nowhere else in such abundance
A Texas cowboy, in search of stray
cattle, came in from the plains and re-
ported that, while chasing wild and I'M
tamable steer into an entirely unknown
region, where perhaps no human foot
save that of an Indian had ever travel
ed, he saw in the dim distance a large,
bulky and unwieldly creature, which he
lo l,,,G oIo -
not be buffalo, for it was too large and
too slender of build, and covered the
ground in long, looping sort of stride,
whereas buffalo, when put to his speed,
usually adopts a short Sallop, very much
like range steer.
Big enough for an elephant. and yet as
slender as giraffe, what in the name Of
wonder can the creature be? thought the
cowboy. His jaded mustang was too
weary and the day too far gone for him
to undertake chase to the death, so the
COW puncher turned his tracks and trotted
slowly back to the round up camp, where
he told his yarn to his comrades, with
due exaggeration as to the size. speed and
build of the strange animal he had en-
countered.
Snow come, Bill exclaimed one,
'what did the beast look like, anyway"
"Why, jest as [ tell YER" answered
Bill. 'He was a great big brute, with
two story legs, long neck, a fast, ugly
trot, an hump on his back big as a
hogshead.
'Oh, l see," said another Nothing
but stray buffer, cause he had hump
on his back. Yer got fooled that time,
Bill, and fooled in the bargain by an old
buffer bull. Yer ought to know better.
Bill"
Tell yer, Jim, I'm not fooled" ex-
claimed Bill. holly. Don't I know a
buffer bull when | sees one? That Teller
was no butler. nor no steer, an I'll bet
ninety foot lariat he don't belong to this
country, either"
The others were quite interested now,
for they knew Bill Ierkes was likely tc
be correct when he was SO earnest about
it, and an agreement was made that
rounding mp. cutting out and branding
should be suspended n couple of DAYS,
while the whole party went on a chase
scross the country in search Of the Won
derful animal seen by their comrade
that day.
Next morning, before day, four stout.
sturdy fellows were in the saddle and
moving westward. leaving one OF their
number behind as guard for the camp.
Their mounts were beautiful. The mus.
tangs they bestrode had been captured
IA, Il Il,
that yet, in limited numbers, course over
the great plain, except the one ridden bv
Nerkes, and this animal was a gaunt,
raw boned specimen, raised somewhe
in the southeastern part Of the state and
brought TO the range bv Nerkes himself,
who seemed very fond of the brute.
The four men separated, striking off in
different directions, like an open fan,
and agreeing to meet that night for
camp on a branch of the south fork of
the Canadian. which was nearly dry at
this time of the year. About sunset all
had arrived at the rendezvous except
Bill Ierkes. While the others were
sitting around the camp fire. about 8
O'Clock, Teasing upon wild turkey which
1issU pctli SilOt from tree near nV. lNelT
missing comrade rooe up.
He threw himself from his horse, re-
moved the saddle, warered and picketed |
his animal and then Joined the others.
wal, fellers," he exclaimed. "Ihave
spotted the darned cuss again
Tho deuce you have" calculated the |
others, with great interest.
Eyes, / found INN about six miles I
above here at shutdown, and Jest as was
about to give I'D the hunt"
"Well. what Is itT' exclaimed the
three in one breath.
"Darned if know, said Yerkes. 1T |
was too dark TO see clearly. and then /
the tarnal cuss sighted me as soon as
Gid him and off he started toward the |
setting sur like locomotive. But I've /
got his bearings. and I'll catch that
skunk tomorrow or give up cow punch
Ing and range riding for good |