Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-07-07
nanArIoNs or rnE nrrrALo.
Drifting North and south From Their
Home Arou--d the Upper Missouri.

Home Arou--d the Upper Missouri.
I was in the Buffalo country as early
as 1852, and during the four following
years I traversed their ranges from
Southern Texas to the Gallatln river
in Montana. and at that date know
that the buffalo could only be found in
certain localities at certain seasons.
One summer during that period l
crossed Texas, Its entire breadth from
the Gulf to the StalIed Plain, and
more than half its length from north
to south. and never saw or heard OF
buffalo, writes a contributor IN Forest
and Stream. All the cattlemen and
rangers, who We're constantly hunting
cattle and ranging for Indian horse
thieves over every portion OF the state,
declared that they had gone north. Get
ting into the indian Territory IN the
early fall We found a few old bulls
never more than three or four In a
h-unmlstakably stragglers like
those In the wake OF an army / do
not believe there was at that time
single buffalo IN the State Of Texas
that was able 20 get out Of IT., and only
few outcasts here and there in the
Territory. as we crossed It at a point
well supplied with grass and water at
Texas was. geographically speaking
an ideal buffalo country. but the buf-
falo is decidedly an eplcure, and its
grasses We're to his taste far inferior
to those OF the North The great herd
crossed the Platte twice annually, go
Ing north In the spring and south late
In the fan, but II never tarried there;
and OF the thousands OF immigrants
which passed along on both sides OF the
~ ne
Denver, salt Lake and California. not
one-half OF them met with a single
buffalo. The Republican Fork and the
Smoky HIN river were. however
favorite winter ranges and preferred
by them to any portion of Texas for
the quality OF grass on those rivers
was better than It was either further
south or along the Platte. II will per-
haps be remembered that while the In
dams readily made treaties permitting
travel by wagons and later by rail up
the Platte. they fought both PROPOSE
lions bitterly on the Smoky Hill.
But the home par excellence OF the
buffalo. the land where he was at rest
and away from which he was never
contented to stay. was the great valleys
OF the Yellowstone and the Upper Mis-
souri, Here the sweet nutritious bur
falo grass. deprived OF which he was
never happy. grew in greatest abun.
dance; down every mountain side OF
that favored land tumbled crystal
streams OF most refreshing coolness.
wher he could queuch his thirst and
stand immersed for hours I'm the heat
OF the day, for, although able to en-
dure with impunity climate OF arctic
rigor he suffered greatly from heat and
Insects. Here was the elysium. the land
OF his birth, and It was only when
the deeply drifted SHOWS OF winter
deprived him OF his sustenance that he
reluctantly turned his face toward tho
retreating sun, and as many another
wRnderer who. having once cut loose
from the charmed circle OF home. finds
no tie to bind, his hayward feet, So
the buffalo dritted southwark. even 10
the land m the Aztec
But he did not STAY there. He r-,-,r
forgot that he was but a visitor IN a
strange land, and when the great white
winding sheet OF winter rolled away
before the soft breezes OF early surIng
and the tender grass suringinr into
renewed life began 20 tint the ling
swells OF the prairie. then dii he gathrr
his countless cohorts and sweep north
ward In mighty host To- the sources
OF those great rivers that flow eastward
and westward TO the sea.
These vibrations were NJ Tint time
as clearly defined and as ven under
stood rs those Of tho will geese. and
the old frontlersmen always knew
about whore the herd was at any par
iieular time although large sections OF
the ranRe were overrun bv hostile In
dams, who never hesita ted 20 eNterrnI-
nate any party not sufficiently fornild-
able 70 make the success OF an attack