The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-03-19
FREAKS OF STAMPEDES.
WILD SCENES AMONG WESTERN
PRAIRIE CATTLE.
Famous Rout OF an Ill Fstsd Army Sup
ply TraIn-some Incidsnts That
Result In stampedes-How
They Are Checked.

ENoT oluCo w dSIlugJOu irving
Tour OF the Prairies" Kendall's
Santa Fe Expedition. or the begin
ming OF the .'drive" OF vast herds OF
Texas cattle from the Southwest to
the cold climate OF the North. where
their horns were frozen of, and where
many an owners pocketbook was
stiffened to death. lively interest
has been taken in what is called a
stampede" or scare of animals in
herds.
A stampede OF a vast herd OF the
American bison. that twenty-five years
ago roamed by millions in the Interior
OF tho continent was an everyday
affair." says the New York Times.
Now such an occurance has passed
away forever. What caused the huge
beast accustomed to the tornado, the
vivid lightning. the terrible hail that
frequently accompanies the sudden
short storm OF the prairies to stam-
pede at apparently nothing. Is one Of
those problems that admits OF no solu-
ton. Sometimes 1t Is caused by a
flash OF lightning from dark cloud;
again the cry Of starved wolf. or the
appearance on the horizon of single
figure. or perhaps, something as in
significant as the barking OF prairie
dog. sitting on the edge OF its burrow.
A herd once started, frequently the
whole prairie for miles became abso-
lutely black with tho fleeing beasts.
There was nothing so indescribably
grand. yet so awful in its possible re-
suits. The earth shaken by the
heavy. rhythmic tramp OF their hoofs
upon the hard ground. fairly rever-
berated as they passed given point.
Woe to him that stood in the way OF
the mighty throng of infuriated ami
mails; nothing but humiliation. abso-
lutte and complete his portion.
Frequently the long army supply
train of an Indian expedition, com
posed OF six mule teams Chat of the
winter campaign OF 1862 was mile
long in four columns or four miles
long when strung out in single line)
was the scene OF stampede" The
picture presented when the frightened
animals dashed away from the trail I"
to be tied up in a confused mass of
wagons, harness. men and mules, can
not be portrayed by any pen.
Captain Ovenshine now lieutenant
colonel of the infantry regiments of
the regular army, received from the
writer at Fl Hayes Kan, five or six
teams OF the character described in
the winter OF 1888 to transport some
camp equipage from that post to Fl
ALL a..
train had covered about half the dis
tance-forty milestone afternoon.
just before going into bivouac. a por-
ton OF the animals stampeded, and
nothing could be discovered of their
whereabouts. Twenty years after
ward some Of the settlers near where
now the town of McCracken, Rus h
county. is situated were surprised to
find in n ravine, or small canon. the
almost disintegrated remains OF sever
al six-mule army wagons the skele-
tons OF over thirty mules and the
iron parts of harness. These frag-
ments were portion OF the train that
had stampeded so many years before.
Cattle have the .aflliction," so to
say, to break out when least expected.
One may travel for week. believing
that ones animals have been COM
pletely cured. when suddenly from
some atmospheric influence or other
unforeseen and unaccountable circum-
stance away they go. The devices
for breaking it up are many. Lamp
lights are used, noises such as sing
ing. &c. are employed but nothing
has ever been discovered that Is an in
fallible preventive.
1t was formerly tho custom OF vend-
ers to send herders to help start from
the neighborhood or ION the range"
as 1t was termed. These occasions
were always considered holiday, and
might herding" was an excitem emit
eagerly sought The 'watch"on one oc-
casion which consisted of two or three
reliefs. had donned their leggins and
spurs, partaken of u cup Of exhilar-
ating coffee and sung their way
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
in its tircsome way. the duty became
monotonous. the horders became
grum voiceless, eager only for the
watch to end.
On the night in question the owner
Of the hord. remembering the previous
quiet OF his animals bethought him
self OF what was afterward known on
the trail" as the ''bell-racket" He
purchased large .cow-bel, for each
horse, to serve the double purpose OF
soothing noise for the cattle. and. IL
the boys were wakeful, he would
know by the melody OF the bells that
they were In motion. attending to
their duties riding around. Upfor-
tunately there was in this 'outft' a
big. burly colored man. intent only
upon sleep and Sinking. He con-
ceived the brilliant idea OF disengag-
ing the bell from his horses neck and
fastening It to his stirrup. so that he
could keep up the motion with his
foot and nap n little at the same time.
On this particular night he was
slumbering sweetly. His horse
quietly cropping the grass happened
to stray into the middle OF the peace
full herd. At this juncture the negro