Year: 1859

misunderstanding the Monarch of the Praires-Exciting


Sport-The Game Bagged.


Editorial Core pondence of the Pioneer T. Democrdt.


CAMP AT ELM RIVER, Joly IL, 1859.


We had rot gone over twenty-five miles
from the mouth of the Sheyenne, where the
half dozen occupants of the few shanties
thereabout, were half starving for something
good to catfish as a regular article of
diet not coming in that categOry-when, as
l live! viands for regiment of hungry
gods! brought to US in the pockets of
Jupiter's old coat-a bulls hide, you will
remember, with bill inside of it.


Off to the right of us, some three miles
away, as we neared the valley OF the Elm,
some one caught sight Of solitary buffalo,
careering at full speed towards the North
west. There was some incredulity at first,
till field glasses and telescopes had proved
his genus and species, and settled him into
a veritabe bison bull; and then when every
body had contributed his individual testi-
mony to the geological fact in question, and
claimed it as his particular discovery, there
was some press of preparation to go after
him and kill him, which came to nothing, as
it was scarcely worth it.


Ascending ridge which overlooked the
valley of the Elm, few horsemen of us, a
couple of hours afterwards, saw what we
took for two bufaloes browsing in the plains
before us, some five miles to the Northwest,
two apparently motionless, black specks,
that looked like nothing else in all the stereo-
typed forms of the prairie, and logically
must be buffaloes. Must be buffaloes p
thirty miles from the city of Shayenne-
where steamboat had been built few,
weeks before, and men were living on crumbs
of rusty pork ?-real, live monsters OF the
desert, grazing at home, within days
tourney of those townsites, that had posi-
lively been the subject Of stock speculation,
to the detriment m inly of the spectators :?
Were these the bulls of change, come from
the Strand of Miniwakan, to toss Sheyenne
shares into the market again?


These were buffaloes indeed, but the sight
of their shaggy shoulders, and sleek fanks,
kindled less a thirst for the glory of conquer
ing them in battle, than for the juicy meat
that Law stored for US under their royal hides.
A slow trot of half an hour brought US
within full view of the noble animals, still
browsing gently, unconscious OF our ap-
proach. Then BILL CALDWELL and Judge
LYNCH, who were ahead, began to catch the
enthusiasm of the chase, and let Oft at rate
of speed, that l did not care to extort just
then from my precious Lady Mary, }"
mare of mine, and which blush to say, was
not within the resources of Dan Rice"
friend MARBLES stolid Indian pony.


CALDWELL and LYNCH, whose approach
was muffled by the wind, had advanced
within quarter of mile, when the buffaloes
took the alarm-and, then, the chase! No
thought now Of the juicy meat under his
shaggy name; nothing but the bounding
exultation of the swift pursuit-nothing
now but to Overmatch him in his majestic
leap; and the grand triumph of confronting
and conquering the wild strength OF the
monarch of the prairies. Full rein to Lady
Mary spurs to Dan Rice! Flash-crash
there-CALDwELL and LYNCH are tugging,
closing to their terrific sides, and pouring
alternate brOadsides into their fanks.
MARBLE joins the chase, Dan Rice all wild
with the hunters fire. On they go, brave
boys! rushing and firing in frantic gee
while the stately old bulls kept steadily
plunging forward, with lead enough in their
sides to sink ship, and as needless of the
new sensation as sixty gun frigate under
fire of musketry.


The two animals separated MARBLE fol-
lowing one alone, which he brought down
with his maiden shot, breaking the animals
leg the first time. AS he had no more car
tridges, he could not follow up this exploit
but the disabled animal was killed in the
course of the day. In the meantime, CALD-
WELL and LYNCH were Joined by MOBILES
and HAMILTON in the pursuit of the other
buffalo; and it was not till they had run
him two or three miles, and he had been
pounded all over with bullets of every weight
and form, that the august monster finally
yielded to the unequal attack Of four full
blooded white individuals, and the combined
fatality of forty dead shots. He fell like
Caesar, scarcely turning in his track, while
the shots were pouring into his bowels; he
turned his large wild eye upon his pursuers,
and sinking, with a splendid shiver, upon his
fore knees, seemed lying down to rest, till
the quick, tremulous wrench of his limbs,
as he fell fiat on the ground, told us that the
noble brute was dead. The hunters stood
around him, as he lay upon his side, at
respectful distance-whether from feeling
of reverence for the dead, or from a linger-
ing fear that be might not be dead about
the horns, cannot say. .,.


Then the smell of prospective viands re-
turned. The sleek hide was torn from bis
bleeding side; Jove's pockets were searched
to their innermost seam; and the treasures
of fat meat carried home in two carts, to