Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-19

Lieutenant b was close upon him
then, his horse looking very small and
slender by the side of the grand ami
| nal that was taking easy, swinging
! strides, apparently without effort and
without speed, his tongue lolling at
| one side. But we could see that the
pace was really territic-that Lieuten-
| AIT b was freely using the spur,
| and that his swift thoroughbred was
stretched out like greyhound, strain
| ing every muscle in his effort to keep
up. Lieutenant b was riding close
to the buffalo on his left, with a revolt
yer In his right hand. and l wondered
why he did not shoot. but F. said
it would be useless to fire then-that
Lieutenant B must get up nearer
the shoulder as a buffalo is vulner-
able only in certain parts of his body,
and that a hunter of experience like
Lieutenant B would never think of
shooting unless he could aim at heart
or lungs.
Lieutenant b and the buffalo
were soon far away. and when our
horses had quoted down we recalled
that shots had been fired in another
direction, and looking about, we saw
a comical sight. Lieutenant A was
on his horse. and facing him was an
immense buffalo, standing perfectly
still with chin drawn in and horns
to the front, ready for battle 1t was
plain to be seen that the poor horse.
was not enjoying the meeting for
every now and then he would try to
back away, or give a jump sideways.
The buffalo was wounded and unable
to run, but he could still turn around
fast enough to keep his head toward
the horse, and this he did every time
Lieutenant A tried to get an aim
at his side.
There was nc possibility of his kill
ing him without assistance, and of
course the poor beast could not be alb
andoned in such helpless condition,
SO F decided to go over and worry
him. while Lieutenant A. got in the
fatal shot. AS soon as F. got there
| nut my fingers over my ears so I
would not hear the report of the pistol
After while looked across, and there
was the buffalo still standing, and
both F and Lieutenant A. were
be ckOning for. me to come to them.
AT first 1 could not understand what
they wanted, and l started to go over.
but it finally dawned upon me that
they We're actually waiting for me to
come and kill that buffalo! 1t was
Lieutenant As game. and besides,
saw no glory in shooting a wounded
animal, so I turned my horse back
again, but had not gone far before
heard the pistol shot.
Then ] rode over to see the huge
animal. and found F. and Lieuten-
ant A in a state of great excite
meht They said he was a magnif-
cient specimen-unusually large, and
very black-what they call a blue
skim" with a splendid head and beard.
had been exposed to a bitterly cold
wind without the warming exercise of
riding, for over an hour, and my hands
We're so cold and stiff / could scarcely
hold the reins. so they jumped me up
on the shoulders of the warm body.
and | buried my hands in the long
fur on his neck.
Very soon after that F. and I
came on home, reaching the Post about,
seven o'clock. We had been in our
saddles most of the time for twelve
hours, on a cold day, and were tired
and stiff. and when F. tried to as
sist me from my horse 1 fell to the
ground in a heap. But 1 got through
the day very we'll, considering the very
short time l have been ridng-that is.
really riding. The hunt was a grand
sight, and something that probably l
will never have a chance of seeing
again-and to be honest, 1 do not want
to see another, for the sight of one of
those splendid animals running for his
life is not a pleasant one.