Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-01-15
BACK TO The BUFFALO HUNT
Recolleotions Of Big Game Days in
Western Nebraska.
TUMBLED IN THICK OF FIGHT
Slaughter Of Animals Participated In
ny Crack shots Trom Great Brit
ain-A cry Remarkable
EHcaup.

Escape.
Among the experiences on the western
plains in the days OF big game, forty years |
ago, related by Captain W. A. Morton in
the Springfield tMassJ Republican, one |
which has to do with a hunt in western /
Nebraska follows:
In November. 1873 / was a visitor at sid
ney barracks, Nebraska, the guest Of Lieu
tenant Charles Morton of the Third cav
airy. 1t was near the boundary line Of
Wyoming a frontier regimental post on /
Lodge Pole river. Soon after my arrival |
II was reported that the earl OF Dunraven |
and his companion in camp, Lord Parker, |
who had been sporting with elk in the !
vicinity Of Longs peak were on their way !
, to Sidney barracks having heard that a
, drove OF buffalo was grazing on the plateau
; between the Lodge Pole and the South
Platte. The commander Of the department
had issued order to Colonel Woodward,
commanding the post at Sidney barracks.
{ to detail a troop of cavalry to escort the
@ distinguished huntsmen to the buffalo
- grounds Lieutenant Morton was detailed
to command the escort and l was honored
o with an invitation to go with the expedi-
ton.
[ Having been engaged in many a chase
Al
. there was no phase OF the sport that was
novel to me, nor any attraction in the
pastme that appealed to me. but joyfully
=. | accepted the invitation. ! wanted to see
, the rowing herds once more-wss eager to
, know how tho earl and Lord Parker would
Il succeed in their maiden chase. ] expected
n to see them take a tumble. though both
were reputed good horsemen. But the I'M
. expected happened.
Their lordships were attended by re-
o tinue of servants and a noted scout and
Interpreter, named Paliday, known as
# "Buekskin Bill" who was versed in hunt
- ing and all forms Of camp life on the
, plains, who had guided them in the elk
hunt at Longs peak.
O. The weather was strikingly unpleasant
. the morning we started to the hunting
= sround-a leaden sky, with biting cold
\ breeze from the northwest; besides, there
was a rumor to the effect that the buffalo
.. had gone south. Under these depressing
- conditions none OF the party was in high
- spirits except the troop of cavalry. To
- them the expedition was an outing, a
- break in the monotony Of routine life at
-. the barracks and all were in a holiday
~, mood.
The Herd in sight.
g The table land between the lodge Pole
. and South Platte is undulating, with scat
~ tered mounds and ridges, which form an
interesting landscape, though at that time
o. treeless. We had proceeded eight or ten
miles in d southeasterly direction when we
e came in view of the outposts of a buffalo
" herd. A flank movement was made around
. a ridge in order that the wind might blow
from the herd toward us, thus enabling us
", to be much nearer the game when the
chase began.
VI Dunraven was dignified and reserved
(perhaps a little despondenD up to the
moment came in full view of the buff
h faloes, when a change came over him.
The sight which thrilled the entire party
n moved him to display animation, though
the group of strengthening beasts before
he us, grazing on brown tufts of buffalo
n grass, was a small drove compared to the
ne vast numbers which few years before in
n habited the territory between Cow creek
at and the Santa Fe crossing of the Arkansas
ia river.
H. There no delay in preparing for a
~ charge The earls horse was lank and
seemed somewhat faded up to the moment
Tie 1t started toward the buffaloes-it went
as with the speed Of an arrow and the grace
at of deer. 1t was thoroughbred, fleet and
ne surefooted. I kept my eye on them. They
o. soon caught up with the herd and moved
es younger stock were clustered 1t was
en- evident the earl wanted good game and
X knew where to find IT,
- AS as he was in firing distance OF
I'll the buffalo he had singled out a puff OF
smoke rose from his pistol-an instant latel
IN another, and the buffalo fell, killed by tn,
second shot a record rarely equaled BY
he trained buffalo hunters-for a beginner Il
was splendid, though perhaps due to ac
cFa {, 81,
lat others as well myself; but before tn,
an day ended we had reason to Danish al
doubt as to the earls skill He was
tel splendid horseman and expert marksman
Of The fact that sven buffaloes and three an
,rk telopes were killed by him during the day
hit is proof that he was not out to waste am
nd munition. And the fact that ne stayed il
no the saddle in the swift chase through sag
brush and over prairie dog knobs was con
ed vincing evidence Of his superb horseman
ybt ship.
ew On with the Chase.
ing While the earl was winning his frs
m. trophy in the buffalo field the other hunts
ing men of the party were busy Lord Par
ker, Lieutenant Morton Paliday and on
est OF the serEeants were in the chase all o
nd whom succeeded i'm bringing down game
The herd broke into detachments soon nfte
the charge began, and a squad few. hun
dred strong swept round close 10 tn
is- wagon train. My horse had champed upo
I the bit and danced a polka for some time
eager 10 enter the chase. but when tn
90 rushing herd drew near he became furious
He was picked cavalry horse. fleet an
"a spirited, thoroughly trained. ana warranta
TO he manageable. IL IS certain / was no
ma. speed cru2y, as on the occasion Of my frs
~ chase, but partly TO crafty my steed an
partly to satisfy a burning curIousitr {
.ss know the difference between a pony and
the opir,aI -, -. -, i'i"'u IN
Go"
ne lie dashed forward like a racer in a.
speed ring-in ranchmen parlance. IN
split the wind like "a jack rabbit Their