The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-09-07
RIDING Al BUFFALO.
a Traveller Escapes Ono Danger
by Getting Into Another

Twenty five years ago, In the fall Of
1897. | was travelling on horseback
over the plains. my digestive point be-
| ing small mining camp near whcre
The city OF Deadwood now stands. Il
had been on prospecting tour two
hundred miles 70 the northwest, and
was yet about one hundred miles from
my destination. when the adventure !
am about to relate occurred. IL was
dreary November afternoon. and the
clouds threatened heavy falluf snow.
II WINS about two o'clock. and / was
making for an uninhnbitca hut III.
teen miles away, where ] knew could
And shelter for myself and horse for
The night.
was riding along feeling perfectly
lafe hi that wilderness when strange
sound broke upon my ears was not
long In doubt, however, Tor on Rlaneing
back along TIE road behold about
mile away something fast approaching
that looked like a black cloud moving
rapidly along close 20 the ground
From what Ind heard knew at once
that | was being pursued by a half
tamished pack Of black wolves. and
that II ! could not reach the cabin my-
self and horse would be torn 10 pieces
by the ravenota creatures. | lost no
time in pnttipa sQuls to my horse for
race to the death. The animal caught
the alarm and needed no urging 10
make him do his best. For Il few miles
The bravo horse did noble work aud the
merciless pursuers failed TO gain upon
rs. but II soon became evident that the
horse could not keep up tho gait and
that the wolves were sure to overtakc
Al before we could arrive within five
miles Of the log hut
On we went. but soon the speed Of
my horse began to slacken, and the
wolves were slowly closing the gap.
My mind was intensely busy with the
problem OF what was best to be done.
IL occurred to mo that my only chance
was 10 abandon the faithful animal aud
rush ahead on foot while the wolves
were devouring his carcnss II was n
forlorn hope, but there was no other
chance 81 escape, and, like the drown
Ing man, ! caught at the only straw
held out to me.
Ny horse sank down ON the roadside
As soon ns ] ceased To spur him for
ward, and idashed along on foot, see
ing that my two pistols were ready for
use. When the wolves reached my
horse they pounccd npon him, as had
anticipated. and snapped and snarled
and fought like demons over the
choicest portions Of their feast. While
they were thus engaged gained fully
mile upon them. But ! knew they
would quickly be upon my trail again.
Soon heard the ominous sound that
had first fixed my attention. and gazing
back over the level plain ! saw the
pack In full pursuit Knowing that /
could not keep them from overtaking
me, siackened my pace and gathered
strength for the life-and death contest
that was inevitable. My idea was to
Gre and kill two or three wolves at q
time and then rush forward as far as
possible while they were consuming
the bodies Of the dead animals. fred
rapidly at the foremost, and was lucky
enough to kill four In as many shots.
Then / rushed forward, and gained some
distance before they devoured the dead.
and again started in pursuit Again
fred, and killed three or four, and
again ran for dear life. II was still
fully four miles to the longed-for hut,
and I began to feel that the contest
was too unequal, and that might as
well give up the struggle first rs last
The running fight was kept up for q
mile or two more, when / was suddenly
relieved from all danger from the
wolves, but threatened by another
fully as horrible. had halted and
turned for the purpose Of firing another
fusillade Mt my relentless enemies, when
the whole pack suddenly stopped and
stood for fully minute in listening
attitude. From the west came sound
milling distant thunder, and great
clouds Of dust were rising not far away,
obscurinR the western view. The
wolves appeared 70 thoroughly under
stand what caused the ominous sounds
and clouds Of dust. for they gave one
frantic howl over being deprived Of
their expected prey. and then darted
madly away to the northward. At first
l felt as II had been delivered by the
hands OF special providence, but was
not long in discovering that was still
in the greatest OF peril, and had not
one chance IN thousand Of escaping q
terrible death. That which caused the
seeming distant thunder and clouds of
dust was what was known in tho par
lance Of the plains as "a buffalo stam-
pede." No one has ever explained
h whatever caused herd now and then
TO become suddenly frightened and In
almost one solid mass rush \madly
away, never stopping until they we're
completely worn ont. In those stan-
pedes the maddened animals would
keep up a snorting aud believing.
creating a scene that could be conn
pared to nothing but pandemonium
No living thing ever escaped being
trampled into shapeless mass that
happened to be III front Of Thorn. Even
the wolves that followed me with such
logged purpose understood the danger
perfectly we'll