The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-07-17
HUNTING THE
e BUFFALO

like snakes; and while doing this
blundered into q bed Of cactus, and
filled my hands with the spines. After
taking advantage OF every hollow,
hillock, or sage-brush. we got within
about 4 hundred and twenty-five or
fifty yards OF where the three bulls
were unconsciously feeding, and AZ al
between was bare ground l drew up
and fred. It was the first time ever
shot at buffalo. and, confused by the
bulk and shaggy hair Of the beast, l
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 OF; and away went
all three. with their tails up. disap-
pearing over q slight rise in the
ground.
Much disguised, we trotted back to
where the horses were picketed.
jumped on them, good deal out Of
uIcdtAs Anu IOOC 0AVGA k0S ~ AA6 00AASs
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 our
jaded horses along at 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 WORKOUT ponies.
As we cantered toward them they
faced us for q second and then turned
round and made OF, while with spurs
and quirts we made the ponies put on
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 I was on could barely hold its
own, after getting up within sixty or
seventy yards Of the wounded bull:
my companion, better mounted. forged
ahead, q little to one side. The bull
saw him coming and swerved from his
course. and by cutting across l was
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; in
the dull light. and at the speed we
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 up
within twenty feet fred my rifle. but
the darkness, and especially the vio-
lent, labored motion Of my pony. made
me miss; I tried to get In closer. when
suddenly up went the bulls tail, and
wheeling, he charged me with lowered
horns. My pony, frightened into mo-
mentary activity, spun round and
tossed up his head: was holding the
rife In both hands, and the pony's
head, striking 1t, knocked it violently
against my forehead, cutting quite a
cash, from which. heated as was.
the blood poured into my eyes. Mean
while the buffalo. passing me. charged
my companion, and followed him as
he made OF. and, as the ground was
very bad, for some little distance his
lowered head was unpleasantly near
the tired pony's tail. tried to run in
on him again, but my pony stopped
short, dead beat: and by no squirting
could 1 force him out Of a slow trot.
Ny companion jumped OF and took a
couple of shots at the buffalo. which
missed in the dim moonlight: and to
our unutterable chagrin the wounded
bull labored OF and vanished in the
darkness. I made after him on foot,
in hopeless and helpless wrath, until
he got out Of sight.
So far the trip had certainly not been
q success, although sufficiently varied
as regards tn Incidents; we had been
confined to moist biscuits for three
days as our food: had been wet and
cold ut night, and sunburned till our
faces peeled IN the day; were hungry
and tired. and had met with bad wealth
er, and all kinds Of accidents: In adj
dition to which had shot badly. But
q man who II fond Of sport, and yet Is
not naturally good hunter. soon learns
that II he wishes any success at all he
must both keep In memory and put IN
practice Anthony Trollope's famous
precept: ITS logged as does It." And
II he keeps doggedly On In his course
the odds are heavy that IN the end the
longest lane VIII prove to have turn
ing. Such was the case on this occa-
sion.
Shortly after midday We left the
creek bottom, and skirted Z ridge Of
broken buttes, cut up by gullies and
winding ravines, In whose bottoms
grew bunch grass. While passing near
the mouth, and to leeward Of one Of
these ravines, both ponies threw up
their heads, and snuned the air. turn.
Ing their muEzles towards the head Of
the gully. Feeling sure that they had
smelt some wild beast, either bear OF
q buffalo. l slipped on my pony, and
ran quickly but cautiously up alons
the valley. Before I had gone q hun.
dred yards, noticed IN the soft soil ii
the bottom the round prints Of bison's
hoofs; and Immediately afterwards got
. glimpse Of the animal himself, Is he
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