The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-09-07
IN A WILD STAMPEDE
HoEsE AND RIDER SWEPT ALONG FOR
TWO DAYS IN A BUFFALO HERD.


Bunaloes,
ut was in 1865, tho year Of the close OF
the civil war said Hank Marsten, Mon
tana cattleman. ''I was high private In
the Second Kansas cavalry, and, instead o.
being mustered out at the close Of the
struggle, our regiment was ordered TO the
column sent out against the Arapahoes
and southern Cheyennes, who had been
playing hob on the plains while our hands
were tied up fighting the Johnny Rebs
This kind Of campaigning was not new to
Kansans for whom alkali water and dusty
plains had no terrors. We passed through
a country where there was the finest ante
lopc and buffalo hunting, and we took such
advantage of our opportunities that it was
an unlucky day when the hunters didn't
bring in meat enough TO supply the entire
command
"Three of us, Tom Packard, Ed Farms
worth and myself started out one morn
ing with two days rations in our haver-
sacks for a hunt, shaping our course to the
right of the line Of march. We killed two
antelopes the first day. but It was not until
the morning of the second day that we
sighted buffaloes. But when we did there
were buffaloes, and no mistake. 1t was the
big southern herd feeding northward from
the Texas plains that we had come upon,
and the prairie was black with buffaloes as
far as the eye could reach.
Thousands and tens of thousands Of
the heavy shouldered, shaggy neoked
brutes were pasturing as peacefully as cat
tie on a farm, with the bulls standing
guard on the outskirts all around to keep
off the wolves that were sneaking about
H1rm hg } 49,
up stray calf. We Htaid to look at the
scene for awhile before we got down to
work Our spencer carbines did not carry
far enough TO stalk the buffaloes at long
range We had to ride in on them, and,
each man picking out the buffalo he want
ed to kill we gave our horses free rein
and the spur, and rode at the herd
''It was half a minute or so before the
buffaloes seemed to get It into their heads
that We were coming and make up their
minds what to do, and by that time we
were among them. Then the nearest ones
turned and ran, and this gave the alarm
to those beyond them, and they ran too.
So the panic spread through the herd like
the tipping down of a row of bricks, and
in a minute or more the whole herd was
in motion. Farnsworth and Packard each
got the buffalo he went for, and they bag
ged two more besides But the one I Sc
lected-it was q fat young oow-was so
far in the herd and ran SO well that by
the time l was alongside her the buffaloes
were all around me, every one running
head down and tail in tho air, not caring
for what stood in the way. There was
only one thing to do, and that was to 20
with them. So I sent a shot in behind the
cows shoulder that dropped her, and then
let my horse take his head. He was car
ried away, as a horse is apt to be, by the
excitement of the stampede, and tried to
run away This took us farther into the
herd, until the buffaloes got so thick about
us that he could not force his way among
them. After that for hours and hours
there was nothing but dust and noise,
with buffaloes on every side as far as I could
see through the smother, crowding, jos
| tling, pushing, every one trying to get
ahead of the others. My horse was jammed
and tossed about by the buffaloes, but he
kept his footing and went along with the
rest. Tho dust filed my eyes and nostrils.
Darkness came, and still the stampede
went on through the night. 1t was not
until morning that the buffaloes slowed up
and began to scatter and feed. tried then
to work my way out from among them,
but before 1 had got half way out my mo-
tion alarmed them and they stampeded
again. There was no stopping the thing;
so long as they saw me among them they
were bound to stampede, and there was no
getting away from them. They carried me
along with them that day, and, although
now their pace had slowed to a walk,
they did not stop until darkness fell again.
Sometimes we would come TO a gulch and
/ could hear the humping sound as the
buffaloes off to left or right went heels over
head down to the bottom over the edge.
But by good luck the part Of the herd
where was struck n place every time where
we could get across. About 10 O'Clock in
the night the buffalOes halted once more
and began to scatter and feed. A good many
Of them lay down, as If they were tired out
with travelling and wanted no more Of 1t.
l started again to get clear Of them, and
this time, by working carefully along, let
ting my horse feed as he went and avoid
ing every motion that might alarm them,
] got to the edge of the herd Just as the
sky was growing light in the east.
when / felt that was far enough be-
yond the main herd to be safe against an
other stampede, I shot young bull.
Strange to say, this caused no stampede or
sign of alarm among the buffaloes. They
had had enough Of stampeding, and those
nearest the bull only moved away few
steps at tho report Of my carbine, and then
lay down or went on feeding. 1t was not
only that they were tired, but they had got
used to my presence, and have no doubt
that my horse and could have kept with
them as long us we chose without throw
ing them into stampede again.
Il took the buffalo's tongue and cut
! from his loin, and then set out to find wa
ter, leading my horse; for he was too badly
played out for me to ride him after all we
had been through. I struck a spring in
! the course Of an hour, and water was good
for us about that time. After my horse
and had drunk all it was safe TO drink at
the time, washed the dust from my ewes
and face, picketed my horse out to feed and
/ cooked about six pounds of steak for my
breakfast Then l dropped down In nv
tracks and slept till nightfau l got nv
| bearings by the stars and set out to find
our command. 1 knew the direction they
would take and how far they could march
In IA day, and hit 1t so well that 1 was in
sight Of the dust raised by the column on
the march by O'Clock next morning.
They were surprised enough to see me alive
and sound, for Packard and Farnsworth,
after following me up awhile, had come
back to camp to report that had been car.
ried away by the butfaloes A party had
been sent out to follow the trail and gath
er up and bury so much Of my remains as
could bo found. They came into camp six
hours after me.
! But / was hard looking sight when
| / got back TO the command. was covered
| with dust from head TO foot, and my