The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1893-03-10
RIDING A BUFFALO.
a Traveller Escapes One Danger
by Getting Into Another.

WcEIy-IlNc years ago, III IIlC ISiIl VI
1861, l was travelling on horseback
over the plains, my objective point be-
ing small mining camp near where
the city of Deadwood now stands. l
had been on a prospecting tour two
hundred miles to the northwest, and
was yet about one hundred miles from
my destination, when the adventure |
am about to relate occurred 1t was n
drcar.y November afternoon, and the
clouds threatened q heavy fall of snow.
1t was about two o'clock, and l was
making for an uninh abited hut fif-
teen miles away, whore l knew | could
find shelter for myself and horse for
the night.
l was riding along feeling perfectly
safe in that Wilderness when strange
sound broke upon my ears. l was not
long in doubt, however, for on glancing
back along the road l beheld about Il
mile away something fast approaching
that looked like black cloud moving
rapidly along close to the ground
From what had heard knew at once
that 1 was being pursued by half
furnished pack of black wolves, and
that if could not reach the cabin my
self and horse would be torn to pieces
time in putting spurs to my horse for
race To the death The animal caught
the alarm and needed no urging to
make him do his best. For n few miles
the brave horse did noble work and the
mcrciless pursuers failed to gain upon
is, but it soon became evident that the
horse could not keep up the gait and
hat the wolves were sure to ovortake
Is before we could arrive within five
miles of the log hut
On we went, but soon the speed of
my horse began to slack en-, and the
wolves were slowly closing the gap.
My mind was intensely busy with the
problem OF what was best to be done.
- occurred TO me that my only chance
was to abandon the faithful animal and
.Ush AHEAD on foot while the wolves
we're devouring his carcass. 1t was a
forlorn hope, but there was no other
chance of escape, and, like the drown
ing man, | caught at the only straw
nCld out to me.
NV horse sank down on the roadside
as soon as / ceased to spur him for
ward, and dashed along ON foot, see
ing that my two pistols were ready for
use. When the wolves reached my
horse they pounce.a upon 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
Il mile upon them But l knew they
woIld quickly be upon my trail again.
Soon | heard the Ominous sound that
had first fixed nay attention and gazing
back over the level plain ! saw the
pack in full pursuit Knowing that /
could not keep them from overtalling
me, l slaclIened my pace aud gathered
strength for the life-and-dcath contest
that was inevitable. My idea was to
fire and kill two or three wolves at a
time and then rush forward as far as
possible while they were consuming
the bodies of the dead an: finals. / fired
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 |
fired, and killed three or four, and
again ran for dear life. 1t was still
fully four miles to the longed-for hut,
and | began to feel that the contest
was too unequal, and that | might as
well give up the struggle first as last.
The running fight was kept up for a
mile or two more, when l was suddenly
relieved from all danger from the
wolves, but threatened by another
fully as horrible. 1 had halted and
turned for the purpose of fl ring another
fusillade at my relentless enemies, when
the whole pack suddenly stopped and
stood for fully a minute in listening
attitude. From the west came sound
cmbling distant thunder, and great
clouds of dust were rising not far away,
obscuring the western view. The
wolves appeared TO 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
! felt rs if | 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 a thousand of escaping
terrible death. That which caused the
seeming distant thunder and clouds of
dust was what was known in the par
lance of the plains as "a buffalo staIn-
pcdc." No one has ever explained
whatever caused herd now and then
To become suddenly frightened and in
almost one solid mass rush madly
away, never stopping until they were
completely worn out In those stam-
pcdcs the maddcncd animals would
keep up a snorting and believing,
creating a scene that could be com
pared To nothing but pandemoninm.
No living thing ever escaped being
trampled into n shapeless mass that
happened To- be in front of them Even
the wolves that followed me with such
doggcd purpose understood the danger
perfectly well.
1 had given myself up for lost, for |
was near the center line of the APP
pr roaching herd, and it would have
been folly for me to have run forward
or backward with the hope of getting
out of their way. On they came, like
the huge waves of an angry sea, and,
al Though | fully appreciated the great
peril | was in, the scene fascinated me,
and 1 awaited the end with calm resig-