Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-08-09
Btiseeltaneu11s &eading.
THE LAST BUFFALO HUNT.

| THE LAST BUFFALO HUNT.
1t Was In 1873, and In the Next Year
There Were But Few to Be
Found.
The bill providing an appropriation
of $4,000 for the protection and pre-
/ servation of the American bison, or
buffalo, is now a law. This was part
of the original bill drawn up and pro-
posed by Buffalo" Jones, Of Topeka,
Kan, providing for an appropriation Of
$50, 900 for fencing and restocking a
portion of the Yellowstone Park with
buffalo. It also called for the estab-
lishment of an experimental station for
cross breeding various animals of DIFF
ferent genera, with a view to obtain
| ing breeds of sheep, goats and cattle
capable Of enduring the western win
ters without shelter or feeding. The
experiment station part Of the bill was
killed and the 100000 was cut down to
SIS, 900, but even in the shape that 1t
finally passed it will result in a great
deal of good and in the protection Of
big game in the Yellowstone.
Col. Jones arrived in the city last
Saturday, and when seen by reporter
soon after the passage Of his bill he
stated that he was the happiest man In
Washington. The bill does not say
who shall have charge Of the work Of
fencing off a part of the Yellowstone
Park and caring for the buffalo there
in but this mater has already been
settled by the department Of the inte-
rior inviting Col. Jones to take charge
of the work and by his accepting the
place.
Mr.. Jones was accompanied on this
his last visit to the capital by Mr.. A.
w. Stubbs, of Kansas City, Mo-, who Is
very much interested in the enterprise
and in all efforts toward the preserva-
ton of American game animals and
who enjoys the distinction Of having
attended the last great buffalo hunt
ever held in the United States. In
1878 Mr., Stubbs, who speaks a number
of Indian languages, was stationed as
Indian interpreter, under Agent John
d. Miles, at the Cheyenne and Arapa-
hoe agency, in the Indian Territory.
The Cheyennes had some time previous
to this date September, 1878, been in
rebellion and were then prisoners of
war and not allowed to leave the reser-
vation, but when the news reached the
agency that large herd Of buffalo had
been seen on the plains some 100 miles
to the west of that point, the Indians
were so eager for big hunt that Agent
Miles was finally prevailed upon to tel
egraph to the war department for per-
mission. The request being granted.
hurried preparations were made for the
chase by the Indians, who were as hap
by as a lot Of boys out skating. The
story of how the hunt was conducted
and it's result, Mr.. Stubbs relates as
follows:
1.-The hunting party that left the
agency the day after Mr.. Miles receiv-
ed word from the war department that
the Indians might take the hunt num-
bered about 400. There were 80 Chey-
enne bucks IS Arapahoe bucks and 300
squaws, all mounted on swift-footed
Indian ponies. The men, Of course, did
the hunting and the killing, while the
squaws went along to do the skinning
and cutting up the meat, and such 9TH
hot nrIc nd rIoQ
considered beneath their dignity.
was detailed by Mr.. Miles to accom-
pany the party as their guardian and
protector, and to see to it that the set
tiers did not mistake or misunderstood
their mission and give them trouble,
for in order to reach the buffalo, we
had to pass through a section of Kan
sas that, for western country of that
day and time, was fairly we'll popula-
ted. I took with me six cavalry men,
big army wagon, driver and COOK.
81 had list of the names of the In
dians that formed the hunting party
that had to turn in to the war de-
partment, along with my report, when
we returned, and one Of the first things
that had to be done just before we
started was to read and check off this
roll each and every Indian in the par
ty answering as his name was called.
Although the Indians numbered only
4O5, they took with them 1000 ponies
to carry the meat which they expected
k1 fI4
order also to have fresh horses when
they reached the hunting grounds, and
in addition to all this, they took along
what seemed to me about 1000 NANCY,
wolfish Indian dogs.
According to Indian custom. the
men rode first, the squaws bringing up
the rear, and commanding the party
were two Indians, who although they
held no office in the tribe, were chosen
to direct the hunt by reason Of their
reputation and skill as hunters. I had
never attended a buffalo hunt Of this
character before, and this custom Of
electing two men to direct operations
was something new to me. 1 learned
that in the event an Indian killed any
game without first securing the per-
mission to do so from these masters Of
the hun. he was forthwith stripped Of
all his clothing and belongings, his
horse killed and himself driven out Of
the party for the offence that he had
thus committed. The members Of an
Indian hunting party place implicit
reliance and faith in the judgment and
saga city of those whom they elect on
an occasion of this sort, and they obey
them as the peasants of Russia do the
czar.
1.-The first two days after we left the