The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-12-16

M IA to haul our camp equip
mcnts and supplies" relates MI. Klch-
ards. "One afternoon we were max
ing Our way lesurely along rldge'
when we suddenly deserted on Tue
summit of another ridge huge Dlach
line at least a halfmile in length. Ihose
OF us who had not been on the plains
before could not make out what this
line was. but we were informed by the
chief of our party that it was nero
OF buffalo
1--WE could sec plainly enough that
with our heavily loaded teams we
could not get beyond it. Our cher
therefore promptly called halt, gave
orders that the two wagons be brought
no close together, one behind the other
and directed that the mules be I'M
hitched, placed behind the wagons on
the side opposite that from which the
buffalo were coming and securely las
tened TO the wheels. Then one man
was detailed to each mule to keep 1t
rs quiet as possible, while ten OF us
were instructed to fill our pockets with
cartridges, form line, go out to meet
the buffalo and Try to split them and
keen them divided until they passed
The wagons.
"rhe Spencer carbines with which
we Were armed shot a .50-caliber bullet
with charge of powder much too llght
for that weight of load and that KIND
o. game. We went back some 300
yards from the wagons and opened
fro. The rear end of the herd had not
yet come up over the opposite ridge.
SO that we were confronted by mass
Of buffalo half mile long on the front
and extending at least that far BACK.
The animals were coming toward us at
what was only a fast walk until we
0uencd fire. and then broke into gal
Jon. TO stop them was out OF the ques-
ton. for those in front were urged Tor
ward by those behind.
II recall distinctly that when fired
my first shot, the front of the line
being about 300 yards from us,
thought | had struck horn, but when
| had fired several shots and heard
them all strike l knew | was hitting
something beside horns. l thought
noise might be of benefit at this time,
so having good lungs l exerted them
10 the utmost, joined at once by the
rest OF the firing party. And my theory
worked out all right. The noise of our
guns and of our voices, with what exc
<ution our bullets were doing, caused
thc herd TO divide and pass to each
side Of us. But we soon found our
selves in a precarious situation. When
the herd was first split, the buffalo
could see as we'll as hear us, and they
vcered off either way, but those that
were following created such noise
themselves and raised such cloud of
dust that they could hardly see or
bear US, and soon began to crowd IN on
os in a way exceedingly disquieting.
SITUATION EXCITING.
The animals were being forced back
ward and in and upon each other to
such an extent that it became doubt
fnl whether we were going to succeed
81 our effort If we should fail it
meant that we should be trampled un-
Ger foot and the entire party as well
as the outfit wiped off the face OF the
earth. We had been forced into a solid
line and were splitting the herd, be-
cause we would not be doubled up or
give way on either side. We had been
yuing back foot by foot, had few cart
ridges left and it was becoming evident
that we could not hold out much
longer when our backs came in contact
with the wagons, and almost at the
same instant we saw daylight ahead
If us. and there was the end Of the
herd. The most remarkable thing
about the whole affair was that when
the herd had passed and the dust had
settled there were only two dead buff
faloes lying upon the plains, while
more than 800 shots had been fired.
Having small supply of water in
ou wagons, we camped at the place
where the fight had taken place, but
cot little sleep, as the herd stopped
within a short distance of us. On ac-
count of the wounded buffalo and smell
Of fresh blood, they were IN state OF
turmoil all night, while the wolves
both coyotes and the large cray ami
mais-kept up an incessant bowling all
night long. We moved on the next
morning in good order with plenty OF
buffalo meat. the first we had obtained
upon the trip.
"The buffalo is, under ordinary cir.
cumstances, continued Mr.. Richards,
"a docile animal. neither aggressive
nor combative. but l had some exper-