Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-03-09
A BUFFALO STAMPEDE.
The Pleasant Experience Of Splitting Ore
in the West.


William A. Richards commissioner OF
the land office, spent many Of his early
days on the great plains of the west,
and always has at HAND a fund of good
stories ready to tap when called upon.
This is one of them: "A party of four
teen of us We're going south from Fort
Is carney, Neb., on foot with two mule
teams to haul our camp equipment and
supplies, related Mr. Richards "One
AFTERNOON we were making eur way
leisurely along ridge when we sudden
~ deserted on the summit of another
ridge huge black line at least half Il
mile IN length. Those 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 herd of buffalo. We could
see PLAINLY enough that with our heavily
loaded team we could not get beyond
the line before the herd would be upon
US. Our chief. therefore, promptly called
a halt. gave orders that the two wagons
be brought up close together. one behind
the other. and directed that the mules
be unhitched, placed behind the wagons
on the side opposite that from which
the buhalo We're coming, and securely
fastened to the wheels. Then one man
WAS detailed to each mule to keep il as
quiet as possible, While ten OF US were
instructed TO Nil our pockets with cart
ridges. form line, go out 20 meet the
huffalo and try to split them. and keep
them divided until they passed the
wagons
The Spencer carbines with which We
We're armed shot o0-caliber bullet with
a charge Of powder much 100 light for
that weight of load and that Kind of
game. We went back some 800 yards
from the wagons and opened fire. The
rear enc Of the herd had not yet come
nm l,n l..
were confronted by a mass of buffalo
half mile long on the front and extend
ing at least that far back. The animals
were coming toward us at what was
only Il fast walk until we opened fire
and then broke inIo q gallop. To stop
them was out CT tie oucstlon, for those
III front were urged forward by those
behind. | recall distinctly that when |
fred my first shot, the front of the line
beng about 200 yards from us | thought
had struck a horn, Int when | had
fred several shots and heard them all
strike | knew l was hitting something
besides horns. / thought noise might
be of benefit al this time, so, having good
lungs. | eXerted them to the utmost.
joined az once by the rest Of the firing
party And my theory worked out all
right.
The noise of our guns and our voices.
With what execution our bullets were do
TO each side of US. Bat we soon found
ourselves in Il precarious situation.
When the herd first split, the buffalo
could see as we'll as hear US. and they
veered of either way. but those that
were following created such Il noise
themselves and raised such cloud OF
dust that they could hardy see or hear
US. and soon began 10 crowd in on MS in
way that was exceedingly disQeieting.
The animals We're being forced back
ward and N and upon each other TO such
an extent that ii became doubtful wheth-
Ell we were going to succeed in our eff
fort. II we should fall il meant that we
would be trampled under foot and the en-
tire party as well as the outfit wiped off
the face of the earth. We had been forced
into solid line and We're splitting the
herd, because we would not be doubled
up or give way on either side. We had
been gong back foot by foot. had few
cartridges left, and it was becoming evil
dent that we could not hold out much
longer. when our backs came in contact
with the wagon, and almost at the same
instant saw daylight ahead of US. and
there was the end of the herd. The most
remarkable thing about the whole affair
was that when the herd mad passed and
the dust had settled there were only two
dead buffalo living upon the claims. while
more than 300 shots had been fred.
N IN pW Star