The Fort Peck press., 1937-05-20
: T is HARD to vision the prairies
abounding in wild game. The plow
has ushered in a new scene. But

long since the great herds of buff
falO rOamed freely over the vast spaces
of the then open range. Travellers were
sometimes held up for several days in
order to allow a herd of buffalo to
pass. Steamboats,, too, were stopped if
the river happened to be in the line
of march of these great shaggy backed
beasts.
w. A. Richards, former governor of
Wyoming, gives an interesting account
of his first experience in meeting with
herd of buffalo. With a party of sur
veyors, he was working on the western
plains. AS the party was driving along
a ridge one afternoon, there suddenly
appeared on the ridge just across the
little intervening valley, a huge black
line possibly half mile in length. The
leader of the party immediately recog-
nized the black line as buffalo. 1t was
evident from the first that it would
be impossible for the little party Of "A
to get beyond the line of the approach
ing animals. Thereupon, the leader of
the party called a halt, directed the
two wagons to be brought up close to-
gether one behind the other and the
mules to be unhitched and fastened
firmly to the back wheels.
Ten men were selected to go forward
and attempt to split the herd. The ap-
pointed men filled their pockets with
Sei u lOSCo dllSl lldoGCIlCQ lOl WdlQ WllClC
they formed into a straight line and
began firing into the oncoming herd
The animals which were coming at
fast walk, broke into gallop when the
firing started. 1t was not a pleasant
sensation to face that mass of backs
moving like some black ocean over
whelmingly toward them. Still over the
ridge they were pouring with no break
in sight.
At that moment Richards happened
to think of Coopers story of "The
Prairie" On that occasion the hero
had been saved from the onrushing
herd by donkey's braying. Thinking
that a little noise would not be annisS,
he began shouting at the top of his
lungs and the rest of the party imme-
diately followed suit. The noise of the
shouts and the continual firing succeed
ed in splitting the herd but this was
by no means the end of the trouble,
for by now the dust was SO thick they
could scarcely see or breathe. The ami
and it looked as if they might be
trampled underfoot. Step by step the
line of men were being forced back to-
ward the wagons and when it seemed
as If they could stand the strain no
longer, daylight appeared ahead and
the end of the herd was in sight.
300 Shots Fired-Two Dead Buffalo
When at last the herd had passed
and the dust had cleared, only two buf-
falo lay dead. There had been more !
than 500 shots fired.
The buffalo were natures provision |
for the redman. Without them he would |
have starved. 1t was not an easy mat |
ter to kill them with the guns of that |
day and how much greater skill it |
must have required to kill them with
primitive bow and arrow Tt was no
wonder that a buffalo hunt was pre-
ceded by consultation with the medi-
cine men and by solemn speeches of
the braves. 1t was an occasion. 1t
meant the winters supply of food for
the encampment.
The Indians used several methods
in attacking herd of buffalo. Dashing
off on their nimble footed ponies, they
out behind hill. Being careful to
keep on the off side of the wind SO
that their scent might not reach the
quietly grazing herd, they would work
as closely as possible toward them.
Then with loud shouting they would
rush at last upon the now stampeding
herd Riding to the side of fat COW,
they would pour their arrows into its
side just behind the shoulder. Some
old hunters claimed that the arrow was
shot just in front of the hip with a
downward stroke which carried it to
the lungs. AS soon as the animal fell,
On the Indian rushed to another victim
The ponies were trained to dodge the ;
horns of the infuriated beasts. The
slaughter was fast and furious for the
orave who killed the greatest number '
would be lionized by the squaws. Not
Until the last of the herd had man {
aged to escape, did the killing cease. S
Then the mighty hunters returned to t
amp to relate the story of the days $
C1yypr1t11rn Sp1f f1attprU nnf \
idered bad taste. +
Following close unnn the heels of the Y