The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-06
STAMPEDE FREAKS.
WILD SCENES AMONG HERDS OF
SAVAGE PRAIRIE CATTLE.

of an Ill Fated Army Supply Train
Some Incidents That Resulted in Siam
pedes-How They Are Checked.
Ever since Washington Irving's "Tour oil
the Prairies," Kendall's Santa Fe Expe
dition," or the beginning of the drive Of
vast herds of Texas cattle from the south
west to the cold climate of the north
| where their horns were frozen off and
where many an owners pocketbook was
| stitfened in death, a lively interest had
been taken in what is called stampede
or scare of animals in herds.
A stampede of vast herd of the Ameri-
can bison. that twenty five years ago roam
ed by millions in the interior of the CONT
nent, was an every day affair. Now such
an occurrence has passed away forever
What caused the huge beast, accustomed
to the tornado, the vivid lightning, the ter
rible hail that frequently accompanies the
sudden, short storm of the prairies, to
stampede at apparently nothing, is one of
those problems that admit of no solution.
Sometimes it is caused by flash of light
ming from dark cloud; again the cry of a
starved wolf, or the appearance on the
horizon of single figure, or, perhaps,
something as Insignificant as the barking
of prairie dog sitting on the edge of its
burrow.
A herd once started, frequently the
whole prairie for miles became absolutely
black with the fleeil z beasts. There was
nothing SO indescribably grand, yet SO aw-
full in its possible results The earth,
shaken by the heavy, rhythmic tramp of
their hoofs upon the hard ground, fairly
reverberated as they passed given point.
Woe to him that stood in the way of the
mighty throng of Infatuated animals; moth
ing but annihilation, absolute and COM
plete, his portion.
AN ILL FATED ARMY TRAIN.
Frequently the long army supply train
of an Indian expedition, composed of sin
mule teams (that of the winter campaign
of 1859 was mile long in four columns,
or four miles long when strung out in q
single hne), was the scene OF 'stampedes."
The picture presented when the frightened
animals dashed away from the "trail," to
be tied up in a confused mass of wagons,
harness, men and mules cannot be por-
trayed by any pen.
Captain Ovenshine, now lieutenant col
onel of one of the infantry regiments of the
regular army, received from the writer, at
Fort Hayes, Kan, five or six teams of the
character described, in the winter of 1868,
to transport some campequipage from that
post to Fort Dodge, on the Arkansas
When the train had covered about half the
distance-forty milestone afternoon, Just
before going into bivouac, a portion of the
animals stampeded and nothing could be
discovered of their whereabouts
Twenty years afterward some Of the set
tiers near where now the town of Nc
Cracker, Rush county, is situated, were
surprised to find in ravine, or small
canyon, the almost disintegrated remains
of several six mule army wagons, the skel-
etons of over thirty mules and the iron
parts of harness. These fragments were a
portion of the train that had stampeded SO
many years before.
Cattle have the "affliction," so to say, to
break out when least expected. One may
travel for a week, believing that ones
animals have been completely cured, when
suddenly, from some atmospheric infu-
ence or other unforeseen and unaccount-
able circumstance, away they go. The de-
vices for breaking it up are many. Lamp
lights are used, noises such as singing, ETC.,
are employed, but nothing has ever yet
been discovered that is an infallible pre-
ventive.
STARTED FROM A BELL
1t was formerly the custom of vendors
to send herders to help start from the
or "off the range" as it was
termed. These occasions were always con-
sidered a holiday, and might herding"
was an excitement eagerly sought. The
watch" on one occasion, which consisted
of two or three reliefs, had donned their
ieggings and spurs, partaken of a cup of
coffee, and sung their tour
through The cattle were resting very
quietly, as is their custom at first, only
rising to turn from one side to another. AS
the drive" continued on its tiresome way
the duty became monotonous, the herders
became grum, voicelesS, eager only for
their watch to end.
On the night in question the owner of
the herd, remembering the previous quiet
of his animals bethought himself of what
was afterward known on the trail as the
"bell racket" He purchased large cow
bell for each horse, to serve the double pur-
pose of soothing noise for the cattle and,
If the boys were wakeful, he would know
by the melody of the bells that they were
m motion, attending to their duty riding
around. Unfortunately, in this outfit"
there was big, burly negro, intent only
upon sleep and Sinking. He conceived the
brilliant idea of disengaging the bell from
his horses neck and fastening it to his stir
rup, so that he could keep up the motion
with his foot and nap little at the same
time.
On this particular night he was slumber-
Ing sweetly. His horse, quietly cropping
the grass, happened to stray into the mid
die of I'll peaceful herd. AT this juncture
the negro suddenly awakened and. discov-
ering where he was, began to shake his bell
The noise of course started
avery steer to his feet and away went the
animals on run.
A STAMPEDE AT NIGHT.
In a moment every horseman in the en-
tire outfit" was in pursuit, with each in
dividual bell Earring discordantly and add
ing new terror to the stampeded herd. The
pursuers soon became aware of the folly of
flying herd with such noise,
so they abandoned their instruments.
Another stampede was caused by a herder
who carried a cap and ball pistol and an
old fashioned powder horn in his waist belt.
One night it had raired very hard and
iampened his powder He thought he
would dry it by his watch fire" 1t dried,
Of course, but with such noise that the
whole herd stampeded.
One night herder rose too close TO the
cattle. His horse stumbled and fell against
q sleeping steer. Then there was a roar as
II all the thunders OF Mount Olympus had
spoken. Away went the herd, everyInan
running with it to the trail" about half
a mile distant, where they met other herds,
with heriers singing their lullaby in front