Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-09-06
ON A BuTFALo's BACK,
witchers Wild Ride Before a STAN
peding Herd on the North Platte.


Capt. Russell is one of the Black
Hills pioneers, and in the country
where he Is known no man would
think of sneering at what he said.
In general talk he related many
singular occurrences. but none like
the ride of n. l.. Witcher, of Sturgis,
s. D., which Witcher had on the back
of buffalo in lS49. Here II Is, minus,
of course, the interesting manner
which Capt Russell impaired to II.
1t was in the summer Of 1919. A lot
Of Californians were in camp on the
North Platte, in the vicinity of CHM
ney Rock, which is a landmark now
of former times. The Californians con-
Guided shat they would like some buff
falo steak out Of herd they saw
grazing in the distance. 1t was no
uncommon sight in those days But
you won't see 1t any more. No more
buffalo, and never will be again. Some
body thought different once. but there
won't be any more buffalo. The party
/ mentioned started out to run down
one of the herd. Witcher took the
north side of the herd and his friends
came up on the south and west sides.
That stampeded the herd for the boys
had fired on the buffalo.
'.Fhey took header towards Witch
er, who was on horseback He saw
them coming and he knew they
wouldn't turn aside for him. lie had
seen them run before. In spite of the
speed of his horse he was soon over
taken. He saw the herd gaining on
him, and he began thinking He had
been in many an Indian skirmisi, and
l reckon a man has to think as quick
ly in time like that as he ever does
in his life. Witcher had his mind
made up what to do 10y the time he
was overtaken, provided he wasn't
trampled to death before he could do
it,
"rhe foremost of the herd. an old
bull came upon him and gored his
horse to death almost instantly
Witcher as an athlete and as quick
as cat. He leaped upon the back OF
the buffalo and grasped his shaggy
main with both hands. That only ac-
celebrated the speed of the buffalo,
Witcher realized that he had saved
himself for the time being. But he
heard the snorting, believing, infuri-
ated stampede behind him. His AMI
NAL might be run down, or ne might
lose his grip and fall to be trampled
under hundreds Of feet NJ any mo-
ment. Pandemonium on foot was
gaining on him. He had to do some
more quick thinking. He knew his
only solution was for his buffalo TO
fall back to the rear. And this is
how he did it:
He had long knife, such as the
'49ers carried in those days. He man
aged to get II out, and hanging on
for life with one hand he reached
with his knife one side of the neck
Of the buffalo and slashed into IT..
The animal leaped like maddened
devil at the thrust and Witcher held
on like a tick on country dog. Quick
or than 1t takes to tell 1t he changed
the knife to the other hand ana made
Il slit on the other side of the4animaPs
neck. The blood spurted from both
sides and stained the ground over
which Witcher was going at rate
that was too much for his comfort.
But very soon the animal commenced
to weaken.
SLOWLY he began to fall hack, and
finally all the others had passed him
in the race in which he had had the
send-off. The animal fell and Witcher
jumped from the back of the buffalo
which had saved his life. Under any
other circumstances to have killed
that which had saved him would not
nave been like Witcher. But this was
a case where it admitted of no sor.
row. A MAJ would kill dozen buffa.
10 in those days to save his own life"
Chicago Herald.