The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-18
MIXED A BUFFALO.
Cne of ]. R. Meals Expert
enceS on the Prairie.
LACTEAL FLUID NOT BAD
Story of a Wounded Buffalo
That Wanted Vengeance.

When the subject Of buffalo comes
Up among the oId-time hunters Of WITCH
Eta the word buffalo IS seldom mention
ed. If the chase is in pursuit OF buffalo.
It is pursuit of bulls and cows, by which
appeIlations the buffalo were known, the
absence Of any domestic breed at the time
precluding what would now appear a like
~ confusion.
One day. when the prairies knew not
the barbwire fence or the bottom lands
the touch Of a plow, somewhere between
the Saline river and the Solomon river.
James R. Mead of this city came out OF
the brush at tsie crest Of a small emin-
ence near q water-course. Down to the
water-course itself there was a gentle
descent The morning was one Of those
Kansas kind, stiE seen, where a thin,
sparkling fog fills the air. not wet enough
Tor a mist, not obstructive 60 the sight
c- binding as TO details in the landscape,
lut moist enough withal to affect ammu-
nton- Down this gentle slope Mr.. Mead
s3w six cows and d bull. The buffalo
were grazing and were unaware Of the
presence Of a hunter.
Dir. Mead, VINO had tilen been long in
the business. successfully dropped the
COWS. He was not after the bull, didn't
want sliIn and would have been pleased
had he gone away. But HIS majesty did
not motion 10 depart, and Mr.. Mead
had his doubts about soaring him off
50 ne resolved to finish him also. So he
Ieveled his weapon and fired. The bull
went down IN a heap as the< cows had
done before tlfm and with no other
thought than that all beasts were dead,
Mr.. Mead went up 10 the group Of fallen
animals Il was his custom, when there
was question Of a bulls being dead TO
stand on the horns of the slain buffalo
and sever the jugular vein. He turned
his attention 20 The bull. When ne got
around in front Of this animal, there was
look in the bulls eye which indicate
anything but all-submissive death
Promptly sheathing MS knife, Mr.. Mead
picked up his rife and went around in
front again The buffalo seeing him was
on his feet in an instant and coming like
an infant cyclone for him, eyes glazing
with animal hate. Mr.. Mead took care
ful aim and pulled the trigger.
Il has been said it was misty morn
ing. The cap had been dampened and the
sun did not go off. Mr.. Mead dropped
the gun. turned and ran for MS life with
the bull in full an close pursuit. Mr..
Mead had on moccasins and he never ran
before or since as he did that morning.
lie came to a slight obstruction. a dead
COW, and jumped II and ran on few feet
Cf-ancing back over his shoulder he saw
that the bull coming to the COW had stop
ped The bull watched Mead and Mead
watched the bull, and then Mead made
circuit ous sneak for his gun BY much
diplomacy ne secured It. affixed a new
cap and his majesty Of the prairies fell
fer the last tine.
Speaking OF knowing definitely whether
the wound given a buffalo was mortal
r not, Mr.. Mead says that a shot through
jEe brain Of a buffalo a very difficult
slot 20 place. TO those who do not IN
Gerstand, dropped ti1e beast like a shot.
4 shot through the heart did not have
this instantaneous result. But there was
always a sign which, to Mr.. Mead at
le4st II not TO other hunters, indicated
beyond a peradventure of a. doubt that
the buffalo was MORALLY wounded. BY
long hunting the bufraIo-killer was,
through MS sharp knowledge Of the anat-
oIny Of the beast, able TO stand at any
fngIe from the beast ana land a bullet
through his heart. A bullet piercing the
teart made no difference, except in one
detail in the appearance Of the buffalo.
lie did not drop. But as the bullet pass
81 through and the gun cracked, there
was an unfailing flip of the bunalo's
thort tail. Mr.. Mead says he has known
# no instance where this was not true.
He also says that the geography tale
and story-book yarn about a bunalo's
forehead Is the sheerest nonsense. Il has
been told. years without number, that
the buffaIo's forehead being tricky tufted
with rich fur, that the buffalo rooted
his forehead in the clay and pebbles. &C
cummulatfng a heavy. impenetrsble wad
of dried earth there for his protection.
Mr. Mead says ne never saw such a thing.
The skull Of buffalo is as easily pene-
trated as any other skull Of like size. Mr.
Head thinks a twenty-five rife ball would
penetrate II. But why the brain s+iot vas
g fiicult 20 the novice was because tie
shaggy head Of the animal made his fore
head difficult to locate and induced most
new &unters 10 shoot too low.
He vas asked about milk from the buff
40 COW Did any one ever milk a buffalo
cow and what was the milk dke, would
Il rahse cream and make butter?
Mr.. Mead said that one morning he was
In camp with "a party OF his own hunters
.n northern Kansas. He got VI al day
light and emerging from the camp saw
several groups Of buffalo which he took
cut after, killiuS one occasionally but
going from bunch 20 bunch before him
The aunt was - exciting he lost all track
@ lime snt went on, intent only on more
buffalo ~ last ne became naturally very
fain; and hired. He judged from the sun
J-lat il was now past noon and seeing his
predicament and being tremendously nun
cry decided 10 nave recourse 10 d last
resort. buffalo milk SO he shot a COW
and MIXED her iucc his hand. drlnkins, k
and feeling refreshed.
he never tried il aCaiR. The milk Vas
not bad. EslfTalo milk is very rich. richer
than tEe domestic bovines product Mr..
Mead never heard o. any one using the
milk Ia make butter q. but ne mas 10
doubt that butter could BE- made OF &
as rich cream would he sure 70 rise.
The udcer u = full grown buffalo COW
! about - large as that Of a two-year-
old heifer There may nave been cases
OF domestfcatiug buffalo for lacteai pur-
poses. but ne knows Of none.
In the old days 3ir Mead heard %
many buffalo Being domes5icated. but ~
only one pair pul 10 work These were
oNzpned b. a man in Saline county ana i
IS said he broke prairie with them Mr..
Mead never saw this, but ne often wish
- r.,---.7 har-a saa--
One OF me arithmetical problems OF the
mains be never seiYed VS. MS. far a ha