The Progress., 1893-08-19
A FIGHT FOR LIFE.

cent ravine in which the Pipestone
creek wends its sluggish way toward
the Quappelle river through numer-
ous Gran berry swamps and muskegs
1t was the nastiest scrape | ever
got into. and I'm going to tell you
all about it."
| settled myself comfortably in the
wagon seat for a good story, for
knew THAI Johnathan in his young
days had been an old buffalo hunter
and could tell many a good anecdote
if he would only allow himself to be
drawn out.
"Twas about fifty years ago." said
he. 'when these prairies were as
wild as nature made them add buffalo
were as thick as mice in a barn. that
i first came out here TO hunt and trap
for the Hudson Bay com pany In the
East there were few could beat me
as hunter, but up to that time |
didn't know much about the Western
big game. Well. | soon found the
favorite breeding ground of the buff
fals. and that was right around this
neighborhood. Many hundred have
l shot within five miles of this spot.
but although | have had many mar
row squeaks for my life, | only once
came near getting frightened to
death, and it happened right here.
Il hadn't exactly been hunting that
day, still | had my rifle with me. |
carried it partly from habit. you see,
and also for the very best of reasons
that didn't have any better place
to leave it. In those days there
weren't many of us hunters had any
very special homes in the West, and
when the weather was warm and
clear we frequently made long trips,
camping just where we found our
selves at sunset.
"Well, it was getting dusky on
that particular evening, so when / |
came to the creek here, thinks | to |
myself, I'll stay right here; so after
lettering the horse, | stretched out |
on the ground to enjoy my pipe.
AFTER lying perhaps an hour l
was suddenly startled by a peculiar
rumbling noise--it sounded like an
underground disturbance. l tried to
think my fancy had deceived me, but
it kept getting louder and louder, so
finally determined to GO and look
around.
al clambered up that bank as fast
as L could, noticing that as | neared
the top the rumbling sound grew
more and more distinct, but strange
to say, l never for a moment suspect
ed the danger.
well, when at length reached
the brow of the hill and looked over,
the sight that met my eyes fairly
froze the blood in my veins
"a living prairie of painting, strug-
CLING buffaloes. and the whole herd
under full steam, stampeding and
heading straight for me.
my heart just jumped fairly into
my mouth, for they wern't more than
q quarter of a mile away, but it
wasn't any time to stand thinking,
so l just turned down that ravine
faster than could run-it would kill
a man to do 1t in cold blood, but /
kneY had to reach my horse or lose
my lie.
LAS | neared the horse he plunged
and tore at the rope as though he
we're crazy, and it was evident that
ne had scented the danger.
Il had got to within twenty yards
If him. when he made frantic
plunge, snapped the rope. and away
ne went | turned in despair just as
he first buffaloes reached the brow
Of the hill, but | knew how useless it
would be to waste ammunition. /
ihink, however, that l would have }
ought it out had | not thought OF
he muskeg which commenced about :
orty yards from where [ stood;
knew that though / might get a
little way upon the quaking mass by
being very careful, still it would be I
mighty poor footing for a stamped
ng herd of buffalo. There wasn't
moment to lose, so headed for it as
lard as | could run, but short as the
distance was, l realized that it q
would be close race between myself .
md the frightened brutes already
urging down the steep bluff, heed {
oss of anything except fight.
Just as / reached the edge of the
norass the living wave broke upon
he bottom of the ravine, causing the
uaking ground to undulate in long e
wells which very nearly threw me d
into the muddy water y
81 recovered myself, however, and,
1aking a desperate spring, landed
pom one of those small moss islands p
Thich float here and there upon the 5
urface OF the quagmire. One more I
zap and l had reached my limit. /
ould get no further. for there was
OF another island within twenty feet. n
81 turned and faced the snorting, =,
,am-hecked mass OF maddened buff i
lloes. Il
''One glance showed me that only h
ne extreme left of the herd would 8
Ice the swamp-the great mass