The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-03-09

A Tenderfoot Who Fled Before the Beast
which He Had Pursued.

Tenderfoot Who Fled Before the Beast
which He Had Pursued.
John Swinton, the New York writer
and speechmaker, recently narrated
some OF his early experiences on the
western frontier, and this is the story
he told OF his first and last buffalo
hunt:
1T was an ambition of my youth, as
a New York boy, To go on a buffalo
hunt. One day in the spring of 1857.
when | WIS in Kansas, news reached
my shanty that there was a herd OF
buffalo moving up the Republican
river, or, as IL used To be called. the
Republican fork. The long -loolxed-for
chance had come 10 me at last, and,
though some squatter might jump.my
claim when l had gone out 20 hunt was
ready TO run the risk. had no proud
steed, but 1 owned "A mule, Jennie,
the best mule i'm Usage county,
and the fastest In early morn
Jennie was saddled in way,
and then EARNED with Sharpe's
rifle and sixshooter, which were car
ried under my blue blanket, set out
for the hunt. / secured the country
for miles; l reached the great Santa Fe
trail; got To Council Grove; / crossed
the Smoky Hill fork; old Fort Riley
came in sight. Not buffalo had vet
seen. At the fort soldier said he had
heard Of some buffalo up the fork OF
the Republican. Twas then near
nightfall. Man and beast were tired.
Jennie was short of breath and craved
the tempting grass and water, which
were free 10 all. / camped not fur
from the old fort.
Scouting around soon after sunrise
next morning. hullol yonder In the
distance on the bank OF the river were
the buffalo. They were grazing.
Words can not tell of the exultation of
the mortal spirit at that moment. Keep
still, mani This is the time for level
head and a steady hand. Even Jennie,
who could read my mind like book,
seemed To feel quickened in both
ears. She sprang forward To the prey
as touched her side with spur, gave
yell, raised the rifle TO action and
fired. The buffalo took To their heels;
there were perhaps five or six of them,
but they looked like a thousand Crack
went the siX-shooter; onward swept
the foe. The chase must have been for
"a mile. while the blue blanket flut-
tered in the breeze like the burnous
of an Arab. After awhile the herd
seemed 20 lessen their speed. at sig
nal. perhaps, from the leader. Sud
denly the hindmost Of them cast look
rearward, turned about suddenly, and
with head prone, hump aloft, and tail
up, struck out this way toward the in
fatuated mule in pursuit, and became
the pursuer OF the hunter i'm the heat
of the chase.
'"rhe onset of the enraged beast was
terrible TO behold, but IL had hardly
been begun when Jennie, with the
spurs in her TANKS and yell in her
ears, turned tail, rushed off In way
that would have won prize in the
Coney Island races, looked sideways
several times, as did the rider. for the
rampant monster which was behind,
and never stopped till "A safe refuge
was reached on the right side OF the
fence which surrounded Fort Riley.
My buffalo hunt (the first and LAST was
ended, and have been both the hun
ter and the hunted, without suffering
10 the buffalo or the mule, or the rider.
have a book which says that the
bison would not attack man, but
know that he will give chase TO a
mule. Buffalo hunting, you see, had
It's risks, even in the year 1857; but
do not believe that any hunter faced
those risks along the Republican fork
of anywhere near the head OF the roll
ing Kaw as late as 1862. Chicago
Times