Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1908-09-24
HUNTING THE
BUFFALO
BY
THEODORE ROOSEVELT

we saw any game; then we made on.
In the middle of a large plain three
black specks, which proved to be buf
falo-old bulls. Our horses had come
a good distance. under hot sun, and
as they had had no water except from
the mud-holc in the morning they
were in no condition for running
They were not very fast anyhow; so
though the ground was unfayorable
we made up our minds to try to CREEP
up to the buffalo. We left the ponies
in hollow half Il mile from the game
and started off on our hands and
knees. taking advantage of every sage
brush as cover. After while we had
to lie fiat on our bodies and wriggle
like snakes: and while doing this
blundered into a bed of cactus, and
filed my hands with the spines. After
taking advantage of every hollow
hillock. or sage-brush, we got within
about Il hundred and twenty-five OF
fifty yards of where the three bulls
were unconsciously feeding, and as al!
between was bare ground | drew VI
and fired. 1t was the first time | ever
bulk and shaggy hair of the beast, |
aimed too far back at one that was
standing nearly broadsde on towards
me. The bullet told on his body with
loud crack, the dust flying up from
his hide; but it did not work him any
immediate harm, or in the least hinder
him from making off, and away went
all three. with their tails up, disap
pearing over slight rise in the
ground.
Much disgusted, we trotted back tC
where the horses We're picketcd
jumped on them, Il good deal out OF
breath, and rode after the flying game
We thought that the wounded one
might turn out and leave the others
and so followed them, though they
had over miles start. For some
seven or eight miles we loped oul
jaded horses along at a brisk pace,
occasionally seeing the buffalo far
ahead: and finally when the sun had
just set, we saw that all three had
come TO a stand in a gentle hollow
There was no cover anywhere near
them; and, as last desperate resort
we concluded to try to run them on
our worn-out ponies.
AS we cantered toward them they
faced us for Il second and then turned
round and made off, while with spur:
and quirts we made the ponies put OF
q burst that enabled us to close in witt
the wounded one just about the time
that the lessenng twilight had almost
vanished while the rim of the full
moon rose above the horizon. The
pony | was on could barely hold its
own, after getting up within sixty OF
seventy yards Of the wounded bull
my companion, better mounted, forged
ahead. a little to one side. The bul
saw him coming and swerved from his
course and by cutting across l wa:
able to get nearly up to him. The
ground over which we We're running
was fearful. being broken into holes
and bitches, separated by hillocks; il
the dull light and at the speed We
We're going. no attempt could be made
to guide the horses. and the latter
tagged out by their eXertions, founder
ed and pitched forward at every stride
hardly keeping their legs. When VI
within twenty feet | fired my rifle, but
the uaihhesS' anu eSpecl"llS 'he VIZ
lehl' Iaporeu inoIloi vi nlS poi9' hiaue
me mss L lrleu 10 se' III ciosel, "iei
suddenly up went llie pull tah' anu
Wheelihg, ne charSeu me Win lowered
hofhS' My pony, lrlshteheu ihto mo
mehtilry actlVlty, spun rouilu aho
tossed up MS head' WAS holulhs tn'
rifle III both hahdS, ana lhe pony
head striking IT, knocked 1t NlolehtiS
against my fofehead, cutting quite :
gash, from WINCH heated us was
the blood poured INTO my eyes Mean
while the butialo, passing me, chafgc'
my companion. ANA followed nm H.
he made off. and as the ground was