The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-12-02
HUNTING THE
BUFFALO
BY
THEODORE ROOSEVELT

Tt was late in the afternoon before /
in the middle of a large plain three
black specks. which proved to be buff
falo-old bulls. Our horses had come |
a good distance, under hot sun, and |
as they had had no water except from
the mud-hole in the morning they.
were in no condition for running |
They were not very fast anyhow; SO.
though the ground was unfavorable, |
we made up our minds to try to creep /
up to the buffalo We left the ponies
in hollow half a mile from the game,
and started off on our hands and
knees, taking advantage of every sage
brush as cover. After a while we had
to lie fat on our bodies and wriggle
like snakes; and while doing this
blundered into a bed of cactus, and
filled my hands with the spines. After
taking advantage of every hollow,
hillock, or sage-brush, we got within
about a hundred and twenty-five or
| fifty yards of where the three bulls
were unconsciously feeding, and as all
between was bare ground ] drew up
and fired 1t was the first time ever
/ shot at buffalo, and, confused by the
bulk and shaggy hair of the beast,
aimed too far back at one that was
standing nearly broadside on towards
me- The bullet told on his body with
a 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-
pearng over a slight rise in the
ground.
Much disgusted we trotted back to
where the horses were pfcketed,
Jumped on them, 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 a miles start. For some
seven or eight miles we loped our
faded horses along at brisk pace,
occasionally seeing the buffalo far
ahead: and finally. when the sun had
lust set. we saw that all three had
come to a stand in 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 second and then turned
round and made off, while with spurs
and uuirts we made the ponies put OF
a burst that enabled us to close in with
the wounded one just about the time
that the lessening 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
nv companion, better mounted. forged
, ahead. a little to one side The bul
saw him coming and swerved from al:
course, and by cutting across l wa:
. able to get nearly up to him. The
ground over which we were running
was fearful, being broken into holes
and bitches. separated by hillocks; II
the dull light. and at the speed Wa
were 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 III
within twenty feet l fired my rife. bu
the darkness, and especially the vic
lent, labmed motion of my pony. mad'
me MISS i tried to get in closer. whel
suddenly up went the bulls tail. ant
wheeling. he charged me with lowerei
horns. My pony, frightened into mo
mentary. activity. spun round ant
tossed up his head: was holding thu
rifle In both hands. and the pony
head, striking it. knocked it violenti.
against my forehead. cutting quite I
cash, from which, heated as l was
the blood poured into my eyes. Mean
while the buffalo, passing me. charged
my companion, and followed him a.
he made off. and. as the ground wa
very bad, for some little distance hi
lowered head was unpleasantly nea
the tired pony's tail. l tried to run il
on him again. brt my pony stoppet
short, dead beat; and by no spurrini
could l force him out Of a slow trot
My companion jumped off and took
couple of shots at the buffalo, whicl
missed in the dim moonlight: and t
our unutterable chagrfn the wounded
bull labored off and vanished In tn
darkness. I made after him on foot
in hopeless and helpless wrath, unit
he got out Of sight.
So far the trip had certainly not beer
success, although sufficiently varied
as regards its incidents; we had beer
. confined to moist biscuits for three
days as our food; had been wet ani
; cold at night, and sunburned till oul
} faces peeled in the day; were hungry
and tired, and had met with bad wealth
er, and all kinds Of accidents: In ad
dition to which had shot badly. Blu
a man who is fond of sport, and yet II
} not naturally good hunter. soon learn.
: that IL he wishes any success at all ht
| muSt both keen In memory and mt II