The record-union., 1893-03-01
BATTLE OF BUFFALO.
Fierce Fight for Supremacy Be-
tween the Rival Leaders.
Notable Contest Witnessed From a
Hill Top By Interested Hunters
How the Bully of the Herd Settled
Presumptuous Antagonist-Ter-
rifio Shock of Hard Heads.

st was the afternoon of day in early
summer, along in '59, when we found
ourselves drifting in boat down the Mis-
souri," remarked a tall, wiry gentleman,
whose hair was sprinkled with gray. He
was citizen of the enterprising metrop-
oils of Denver. The sun was just touch
ing the mountain peaks of the west, and
sending back over the fair city its last
rays when this story was begun. Re-
Stunning, he said:
The morning broke with driZzling
rain, out of a night that had been tenn
pestuous, with fierce gale, heavy thun-
der. and unusually terrific lightning.
Gradually the rain stopped. Jack Ly-
man and myself got in the boat, and we
had gone but short distance when the
clouds broke away, the sun shone forth,
anu 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 emil
grants, newly from the East, at the fords
some miles below, which, in the present
swollen condition of the river, would be
impossible. There they would be COM
peIled to wait for the river to SubSide.
Ahead OF us appeared, high up on the
bluffs, 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 a little while
and then resume our trip. A fine speci-
men OF an eagle caught our eye perched
high up on the dead bough of tree.
Moving around to get good position
to pick him off with my rifle so that his
body would not be torn, l caught sight
through an opening of the trees of an i'm
mense herd of buffaloes browsing and
moving slowly in our direction. We
moved forward little to get a better
view of the herd, when the eagle, I'M
aware to us, spread his pinions, and
when we looked again for him he was
soaring at safe distance from our rifles.
we were on the leeward side of the herd,
and so safe from discovery if we took or
binary precaution among the trees. 1t
was fine spectacle which they presented,
and what was more, we were just in the
mood to watch them. The land undu-
lated, but was covered for many acres
with mlnuter undulaIions OF dark brown
shoulders, slowly drifting toward US.
We could hear the rasping sound which
1nnumerable mouths made chopping the
crisp grass. AS we looked our ears
caught low, faint rythmical sound
borne to us from afar. We listened in
tently. The sound grew more distinct,
until we could recognize the tread OF
another herd of buffaloes coming from an
opposite direction.
We skulked 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 hill. The
herd was evidently spending its force,
having already run for miles. 1t came
with lessening speed, until it settled
down to comfortable walk. About the
same time the two herds discovered each
other. Our herd was first little startled,
but after brief inspection of the APP
preaching mass the work of clipping the
grass of the prairies was resumed. The
fresh arrivals came to a StandStill and
gaZed at the thousands of their fellows
who evidently had pre-empted those sec
tons. Apparently they reached the con-
cIusion that that region was common
property, for they soon lowered their
heads and began to shave the face of the
earth of its green growths. The space
separating the herds slowly lessened.
The outermost fringes touched but a
short distance from our point of observa-
ton. 1t was not like the fringes of a
Iady's dress coming in contact with the
lace drapery of a window, L can assure
you. Nothing so soft and sibilant as
that. 1t was more like the fringes of
freight engines coming in contact with
each other when they approach with
some momentum on the same track.
1.-Two powerful bulls had unwittingly
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
1irst, fumes of dirt made graceful curves
in the air. They were the signals for hos
tlllues to commence. The hoofs of the
powerful beast were assisted by his small
horns, which dug the sod and tossed
punches that settled out of the air in his
shaggy name. These belllgerent demon
STATIONS were responded to in quite as
defiant fashion by the late arrival. He,
too, was an enormous affair. We noticed
his unusual proportions of head. But his
shoulders, with their great names, were
worth displaying to excite admiration
and and awe at their possibilities, if they
could do nothing more.
"Unquestionably the two fellows re-
garded themselves as representative oil
their different herds, the one first on the
ground viewing the other as an inter
loper, and he in his turn looking upon
the former as reigning because no one had
the spirit to contest his supremacy and
show him where he belonged. They
sided up nearer each other, their heads
all the while kept low to the ground, and
their eyes, red with anger, rolling in fine
fury. This display of the preliminaries
OF battle drew the attention of an lncreas-
they would look up, then recommend
their eating, and then direct their atten-
lion more intensely as the com batants
began to measure their strength more
closely. And when the fight was on they
became quite absorbed in the varying
fortunes OF the struggle.
AT last the two huge fellows, after 6
good deal of circumlocution, made the
grand rush. / reckon it would be your
everlasting fortune if one OF you college
fellows who play football had the force tc
make the great rush which either one O.
these animals presented. The collision
was straight and square. A crash O.
horns, heavy, dull thud of heads. We
thought surely the skull of one or the
other or possibly both, was crushed III
But evidently they were not even hurt
Didn't they push then? Well, / guess
The force would have showed an old
fashioned barn from Its foundations. The
muscles swelled upon the thighs, the
hoofs sank into the earth. But they were
evenly matched.
For an instant there was mutual ces.
sation of hostilities to get breath. Their
they came together with more resound.
ing crash than before. Instantly we per.
ceived that the meeting of heads was MOI
square. The new champion had the bes
position. Like a flash he recognized il
and redoubled his efforts to take its full
advantage. The other appeared to quad
ripple his efforts to maintain himself ir
position, and his muscles bulged out, bu
his. antagonist made a sudden move
which wrenched his head still further of
the line, when he went down upon his
knees. That settled the contest, for hi:
enemy was upon him before he coulc
recover. He was thrown aside and his
flank was raked by several ugly, up
ward thrusts of his foe, which left hin
torn and bruised all in heap. AS quick
as he could get on his feet he limpeC