The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-08-17
By EDWIN c. TORREY.

H.
Less than 40 years ago all the coun-
try west of the upper Missouri was
good hunting ground. The divide be-
tween the Missouri and Yellowstone
rivers ws the home of the buffalo and
antelope. AS late as 1851, when the
Northern Pacific railway was built
mot the region, with the, Pacific as
it's objective, buffalo and deer In
countless numbers rOamed the prai-
ries and were stalked By the Indians
and occasional white hunters.
+ The late F. r.. Zahl of Williston,
prosperous rancher and county Off
cial in his last years, was then a
professional buffalo hunter, and D. r.
Taylor, present day business man OF
Mandan, then superintendent fthe
Northern Pacific. Had fitted out his
private car with&aA porch platform
long one side, from which he and his
guests. were accustomed to shoot up
herds of antelope as the train moved
slowly along the rough track.
w. F. Gushing, q pioneer editor. who
is still active in business and with the
pen, and ]. l.. Grandin,s founder OF
the Grandin bonanza wheat farm in
Trail county, were members of but
falo hunting party in He fall OF 1881,
which made Use d Mr. aylor's spe-
cially constructed car. They were
chaperoned in the new country around
Glendive, which was the jumping off >
point of the road, by Zahl, known to
everybody in the region ast"Doc."
AT Glendive," says Mr.. Gushing,
which many then called Hells Half
Acre." owing to the character OF its
places of amusement-which c0nsti-
tuted most of the town-we took a
work train to the end Of the track,
which was then at O'Fallon's creek,
about 30 miles east OF Fort keOgh,
now Miles City. There was a military
cantonment at O'Fallon ..f0rs the pro-
lection OF the railway builders, and
at Powder river, a few miles further
west, was roadhOuse, where Few
concomitants to refresh the weary
traveller might be obtained. 1t was
there Doc Zahl held forth when off
the range.
I'VE arranged with, Zahl for the
transportation OF our outfit to the
hunting grounds, and were soon on
our way. We travelled In a democrat
wagon seating four, with lumber
wagon for the camp plumber and two
riding ponies. . The expedition was
composed of our party OF five, Zahl
cowboy cook and the wagon driver
the latter being an interesting figure
to me by reason Of the scars from
knife and bullet wounds all over his
head and body, reminders Of mixups
with fellow roisterers.
I'VE forded the Yellowstone and In
two days arrived at the buffalo
grounds, to find that the day before
some Of Zahl's men had been in a
fight with the eros Yentre Indians.
Two of the Indians had been killed
and one of the whites seriously
wounded and hunters shack burn
ed This was rather disheartening
news to our bunch of tenderfeet, and
speculation as to the value Of our
scalps was rife, but Mr.. Grandin was
a great sport. and did not relish the
idea of going so far for a buffalo with
out getting one. After dinner there
fore, we sighted and gave chase to a
band of about IS animals and man
aged to kill Is. My bag consisted OF
two calves, the, hides from which l
wore for years after in the shape OF
an overcoat. 3
away to the north of US could be
seen what appeared to be bit Of tim
Der, but Zahl said it was a herd OF
about 10000 buffalo. We did not get
Ia closer acquaintance with them, as
one of Zahl's men reported the 1ndi-
ans on guard there, it being an In
dian reservation. The same day we
saw several buffalo stands that be-
in gthe name given a spot I where a
hunter had made q great Individual
killing of the animals. These stands
showed the wonderful skill OF zahl
with his singleshot Sharpe rife.
AT one place about the size OF 9
city block I counted no less than lo7
buffalo carcasses lying IN circle, all
killed within half an hour by Zah for
their hides Alone. In these exploits
the hunter seldom moved far from
where he fired his first shot. TIhe
buffalo, stupid and curious, would cir
lcle about the man and the smoking