The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-11-06
4 WHITE BUFFALO ROBE.
I'm CASPION NEARLY LOST HIS
LIFE m GETTING TIE PRIZE.


Was in a stampede-Thrilling In n
c,dent Of the Far Western Plains.
"In living twenty years in the plains ,
country beyond the Missouri In the t
time when herds of buffalo covered the (
prairie never saw white buIaio, 1
said Martin Wringshy, formerly Kan ,
sas hunter and ranchman, III the new
York Sun. ''But it IS certain enat !
three skins at least of this rare animal
we're in existence at o time subsequent
10 1866. The one best known is the
stuffed skin of the white buffalo COW
that stood in the museum OF the state
House at Topeka, Kan, IN 1851, ana
probably is still in existence IN care
81 tbe State. The second was carried
at his saddle by Roman Nose, the
CHEYENNE chief, who led the grand
charge against Captain "Sandy" For
svthe's band of scouts in the memora-
bic fight on the Arickaree branch OF
the Republican River in 1857, IN
which the chief was killed. The third,
taken in 1871, was for ten years IN |
possession of the hunter, James Cas-
pion, who killed the buffalo that origl-
nally wore it. OF where it went after
he DISPOSED of it, I have not the least
idea
"Caspion was one of party OF three
| hunters who with wagon train and
saddle horses went, in October, 1871,
out on the plains of western Kansas to
hunt buffalo. On October II Casplon,
with Sam Tillman, started out on
horseback in the morning to look for
buffalo, leaving the third man to fol-
low along in the wagon. In order to
hiring a greater range of country into
view the two horsemen separated,
keeping always in sight of each other.
Late in the afternoon, riding up the
slope Of long ridge Of rolling prairie
and looking over the crest Caspion saw
ahead of him twenty-five miles away
range OF steep bluffs. Between him
and the bluffs, the nearest buffalo
heing within long rife range, was the
great southern herd, which every sum-
mer fed northward from Texas and
New Mexico, remaining in Kansas ana
Colorado until the storms OF winter
drove them to the south again. There
were tens of thousands of the beasts
in view, as Caspion said, but what
particularly caught his eye was milk
white buffalo feeding among the Others
. at the distance of mile away, Its
= yhiteness contrasting strangely Will
A.. the dun tints of the beasts around IT,
; sHaving signalled to Tillman on thu
: ridge behind him to come up ne dis
mounted and lay watching the here
u over the summit, trying to think o
some way by which he and his partne
: could get possession of the whit
buffalo's skin. When at last he turne
; round to look for Tillman it was to Sc
= him riding for life back over the rout
H. thew had come with fifty Cheyenn
. warriors after him. The chase was
short one. A shot crippled Tillman
horse. and the Indians closed abor
him. The hunter emptied two sac
dies before the firing stopped. The
- with Tillman's scalp borne aloft on
- lance the Indians turned and came II
u Caspion. He had to run for it, and
he could not ride to right or left witt
- out giving the Indians the advantae
" OF being able to cut him off, he put b
r. horse ahead straight toward the buffa
M. herds.
70, srrhis naturally started stamped
I'm Caspion was well among the buffalo b
cb fore the unwieldy beasts knew what h'
happened and got fairly to runnin
Then his horse was carried away in t
H. rush. and the last thing the hunt
saw. before the dust shut everythll
- from view, was the Indians conn
over the crest of the hill he had y
,,. left. After this it was all crowdlr
Ia. iostling, and smother as his horse "
49, hurried along in the press, and al
W darkness fell the buffalo still We
49, going. At last he could tell by
~. feel of the ground that they had Co
'-1 to a very rough and billy country
~ bluffs in fact that he had seen in
afternoon, The herd, unable to SC
the bluffs, had to divide, most OF
aou buffalo turning to the left, but some
- them following the valleys between
MI. eminenee. Caspion's horse was for
49, by the buffalo into one Of these vail
mo- and carried along with the column t
w W. crowded the narrow defile. 1t
not so dusty there as it had been
NV the open plain, and presently W.
oys the valley widened, letting in the II
of the moon, he saw ahead OF HIM
white buffalo. They came to pl
;rh, where a deep ravine, worn by wa
-e cut close against the side OF the b
,.;a The buffalo that were nearest the
=, I 7 side kept their footing. The OIL
ron were crowded off into the ravine,
w. Caspion could hear them falling to
rim, bottom. His horse passed the p
safely. and as the valley widened
. 20 yond he took this chance to rein
bus. horse away from the buffalo and
from among them. Finding a
tt;a nook .among some great rocks
7aIa turned in there and passed the rel
Ala the night, with the buffalo poun
past him for hours after he had r.
himself in his blanket.
,;ea sTn the morning light only tw
o , three Struggling buffalo were to be
IIe - in the valley. But, looking Owe
at,,r. edge of the ravine, Caspion saw 81
a' Of buffalo lying at the bottom kill
too badly hurt to get away: Ag
the bank was leaning the white |
be- tarfh r