Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1917-06-28

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"Dorion," said Lewis to the inter-
prefer, '.go back to the village and tsll
their chief to send two bows w.lh
| plenty Of arrows. Tell them that we
scorn to waste any powder on s. small
a game as the buffalo. On ahead are
animals each one Of which is as big as
twenty buffalo-we keep our great
gun for those. AS for buffalo. we kill
them as the Indians do-with the bow
and with the spear"
Swift and wide spread the word
among the Sioux that the white chiefs
would run the buffalo with their own
warriors. Exclamations of amuse-
ment, surprise, satisfaction. were
heard. The white men should see how
the Sioux could ride. But Weucha, the
head man, sent a messenger with two
bows and plenty Of arrows-short,
keen pointed arrows. suitable for the
buffalo hunt when driven by the stiff
bows of the Sioux.
Strip, Will" said Meriwether Lew
is. IF W. ride as savages it must be
in full keeping"
They did strip to the waist, as the
savages always did when running the
buffalo-sternest Of all savage sport or
labor and one of the boldest games
ever played by man. red Or white.
Clad only in leggings and moccasins.
their long hair tied in firm cues, when
Weucha met them he exclaimed in adj
miration. The village turned out in
wonder to see these two men whose
skins were white, whose hair was not
black, but some strange new color.
81 see that you are chiefs!" exclaim-
ed Weucha. You have many colors.
and your medicine is strong. Take.
then, these two horses of mine. They
are good n for buffalo. Per
haps yours are not so fast" Thus
Dorion interpreted.
That the young men were riders they
now proved, for they mounted alone.
barebacked. and managed to control
, their mounts with nothing but the
twisted hide rope about the lower jaw.
the only bride known among the tribes
Of the great plains.
The criers now passed down the vii
Iage street. marshaling all the riders
for the chase. Weucha gave the signal
t. advance, himself riding at the head
Of the cavalcade. with the two white
captains at his side-a picture such as
any painter might have envied.
Others Of the expedition followed on
as might be. They all rode quietly al
first, with no cutlery, no sound save the
steady tramp Of the horses.
Their curse was laid back into the
prairie for a mile or two before a halt
was called. Then the chief disposed
his forces. The herd was supposed tt
be not far away, beyond a low rim OF
hills. On this side the men were rang
ed in line. A blanket waved from
point visible to all was to be the sig
nal for the charge.
A shout came from the far edge OF
the restless ranks. A half naked ridel
waved a blanket. With shrill shouts
the entire line broke at top speed fol
the ridge.
Neither Of the two young Americans
had ever engaged in the sport Of run
ming the buffalo, yet now the excite
ment of the scene caused both to forge
all else. They urged on their horses
mingling with the savage riders.
The buffalo had been feeding less
than a quarter Of a mile away. Tht
wind was favorable, and they had no
yet got scent Of the approach, but now
as the line of horsemen broke across
the crest, the herd streamed out an(
away from them-crude, huge, form
less creatures, with shaggy heads helt
low, their vast bulk making them seer
almost like prehistoric things. The
dust Of their going arose in a binding
cloud, the thunder Of their hoofs lief
inaudible eve the shrill cries of thu
riding warriors as they closed in.
The chase passed outward into al
open plain, which lay white in alkali
In q few moments the swift horses
had carried the best Of the riders deer
into the dust cloud which arose. Eact
man followed some chosen animal. do
ing his best to keep it in sight as thu
herd plowed onward in the biting dust
Here and there the vast, solid sur
face Of a sea of rolling backs could bt
glimpsed. Again an opening into il
might be seer close at hand. It wal
bold work, and any who engaged in il
took his chances.
Lewis found his horse, the black
runner that Weucha had given him
as swift as the best, and able to lay
him promptly alongside his quarry. Al
u distance of a few feet he drew bach
the sinewy string of the tough Sioux
bow, gripping his horse with his knees
swaying his body out to the bow, as he
we'll knew how. The shaft. discharged
at a distance Of but half a dozen feet
sank home with a soft zut. The strick
en- animal sweryed quickly toward him
but his wary horse leaped aside nnd
went on. Such as tho work had been
II was done for that buffalo at least
and Lewis knew that he Ind caugh,
800