Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-01-06

peaks of the west and sending back
over the fair city its last rays when
this story was begun. Resuming, he
said:
1.-THE morning broke with drizzling
rain, out of {. night that had been tenn.
pestuous, with a fierce gale, heavy
thunder, and unusually terrific light.
ming. Gradually the rain stopped.
Jack Lyman and myself got in the
boat, and we had gone but short dis.
tance when the clouds broke away, the
sun shone forth, and the earth appeared
glistening with a new beauty. Ours
was an aimless trip. We had enough
of hunting. We had a vague idea that
we might meet some emigrants. newly
from the east, at the ford some miles
below, which, in the present swollen
condition of the river, would be impas.
sable. There they would be compelled
to wait for the river to subside. Abe ad
of us appeared, high up on the bluffs, a
clump of trees and bushes. AS we drew
near sudden caprice seized us, and,
shooting our boat up the shelving
bank, we secured it and then climbed
the steep embankment. We intended
to knock around in the brush little
while and then resume our trip. A
fine specimen of an eagle caught oul
eye perched high up on the dead bougt
of a tree.
Moving around TO get good position
to pick him off with my rife so thai
bis body would not be torn, / caught
sight through an opening of the trees
of an immense herd of buffaloes brows.
ing and moving slowly in our direction.
We moved forward a little to get bet
ter view of the herd when the eagle,
unaware TO us, spread his pinions, and
when we looked again>for him he was
soaring at n safe distance from our
rifles. We were on the leeward side OF
the herd and 50 safe from discovery il
we took ord nary precaution among the
trees. 1t was Il fine spectacle which
they presented and what was more we
were in Just the mood to watch them.
The land undulated but was covered
for many acres with minuter undula.
| tions of dark brown shoulders slowly
drifting toward us. We could hear the
rasping sound which innumerable
mouths made chopping the crisp grass
I
| faint, rhythmical sound borne to us
from afar. We listened intently. The
sound grew more distinct, until we
| could recognize the tread of another
herd of buffaloes coming from an oppo
site direction.
1--WE sl1ulked low through the under,
| growth and came to the edge OF the
wooded patch just IN time to see the
van of this new herd surmounting a
hill The herd was evidently spend
ing its force, having already run fol-
miles. 1t came with lessened speed
until it settled down to a comfortable
walk. About the Same time the two
herds discovered each other. One herd
was at first little startled. But after
brief inspection of the approaching
mass the work of clipping the grass Of
| the prairie was resumed. The fresh
| arrivals came to a standstill and gazed
/ at the thousands of their fellows, who
| evidently had preempted those Sec
tions. Apparently they reached the
| conclusion that that region was
| common property, for they soon low
| cred their heads and began to shave
the face of the earth of its green
| growths. The space separating the
/ herds slowly lessencd The outermost
fringes touched but a short distance
from our point OF observation. 1t was
not like the fringes OF lady's dress
coming in contact with the lace drapery
| OF window, l can assure you. Moth
ing SO soft and silibant as that. 1t was
more like the fringes of freight en-
gines coming in contact with each
other when they approach with some
momentum on the same track.
Two powerful bulls had unwilling
| ly found themselves in close proximity
to each other, coming from either herd.
Suddenly, shooting up from the sides of
the one whose herd was on the ground
| first fumes OF dirt made graceful
cuHges in the air. They were the sig.
mails for hostilities to commence. The
hoofs Of the powerful beast were as
/ sisted by his small horns, which dug
! the sod and tossed punches that set
tied out OF the air In his shaggy name.
/ These belligerent demonstrations were
responded to in quite as defiant q
fashion by the late arrival. He, too
was an enQrmous affair. We noticed