hunting the grisly and other sketches-第2章

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by　great　flocks　of　wild　turkeys。　Once　my　brother　made　two　really
remarkable　shots　at　a　pair　of　these　great　birds。　It　was　at　dusk；　and
they　were　flying　directly　overhead　from　one　cliff　to　the　other。　He　had
in　his　hand　a　thirty…eight　calibre　Ballard　rifle；　and；　as　the　gobblers
winged　their　way　heavily　by；　he　brought　both　down　with　two　successive
bullets。　This　was　of　course　mainly　a　piece　of　mere　luck；　but　it　meant
good　shooting；　too。　The　Ballard　was　a　very　accurate；　handy　little
weapon；　it　belonged　to　me；　and　was　the　first　rifle　I　ever　owned　or
used。　With　it　I　had　once　killed　a　deer；　the　only　specimen　of　large
game　I　had　then　shot；　and　I　presented　the　rifle　to　my　brother　when　he
went　to　Texas。　In　our　happy　ignorance　we　deemed　it　quite　good　enough
for　Buffalo　or　anything　else；　but　out　on　the　plains　my　brother　soon
found　himself　forced　to　procure　a　heavier　and　more　deadly　weapon。

When　camp　was　pitched　the　horses　were　turned　loose　to　graze　and
refresh　themselves　after　their　trying　journey；　during　which　they　had
lost　flesh　woefully。　They　were　watched　and　tended　by　the　two　men　who
were　always　left　in　camp；　and；　save　on　rare　occasions；　were　only　used
to　haul　in　the　buffalo　hides。　The　camp…guards　for　the　time　being　acted
as　cooks；　and；　though　coffee　and　flour　both　ran　short　and　finally　gave
out；　fresh　meat　of　every　kind　was　abundant。　The　camp　was　never　without
buffalo…beef；　deer　and　antelope　venison；　wild　turkeys；　prairie…
chickens；　quails；　ducks；　and　rabbits。　The　birds　were　simply　〃potted；〃
as　occasion　required；　when　the　quarry　was　deer　or　antelope；　the
hunters　took　the　dogs　with　them　to　run　down　the　wounded　animals。　But
almost　the　entire　attention　of　the　hunters　was　given　to　the　buffalo。
After　an　evening　spent　in　lounging　round　the　campfire　and　a　sound
night's　sleep；　wrapped　in　robes　and　blankets；　they　would　get　up　before
daybreak；　snatch　a　hurried　breakfast；　and　start　off　in　couples　through
the　chilly　dawn。　The　great　beasts　were　very　plentiful；　in　the　first
day's　hunt　twenty　were　slain；　but　the　herds　were　restless　and　ever　on
the　move。　Sometimes　they　would　be　seen　right　by　the　camp；　and　again　it
would　need　an　all…day's　tramp　to　find　them。　There　was　no　difficulty　in
spying　themthe　chief　trouble　with　forest　game；　for　on　the　prairie　a
buffalo　makes　no　effort　to　hide　and　its　black；　shaggy　bulk　looms　up　as
far　as　the　eye　can　see。　Sometimes　they　were　found　in　small　parties　of
three　or　four　individuals；　sometimes　in　bands　of　about　two　hundred；
and　again　in　great　herds　of　many　thousands；　and　solitary　old　bulls；
expelled　from　the　herds；　were　common。　If　on　broken　land；　among　the
hills　and　ravines；　there　was　not　much　difficulty　in　approaching　from
the　leeward；　for；　though　the　sense　of　smell　in　the　buffalo　is　very
acute；　they　do　not　see　well　at　a　distance　through　their　overhanging
frontlets　of　coarse　and　matted　hair。　If；　as　was　generally　the　case；
they　were　out　in　the　open；　rolling　prairie；　the　stalking　was　far　more
difficult。　Every　hollow；　every　earth　hummock　and　sagebush　had　to　be
used　as　cover。　The　hunter　wriggled　through　the　grass　flat　on　his　face；
pushing　himself　along　for　perhaps　a　quarter　of　a　mile　by　his　toes　and
fingers；　heedless　of　the　spiny　cactus。　When　near　enough　to　the　huge；
unconscious　quarry　the　hunter　began　firing；　still　keeping　himself
carefully　concealed。　If　the　smoke　was　blown　away　by　the　wind；　and　if
the　buffaloes　caught　no　glimpse　of　the　assailant；　they　would　often
stand　motionless　and　stupid　until　many　of　their　number　had　been　slain；
the　hunter　being　careful　not　to　fire　too　high；　aiming　just　behind　the
shoulder；　about　a　third　of　the　way　up　the　body；　that　his　bullet　might
go　through　the　lungs。　Sometimes；　even　after　they　saw　the　man；　they
would　act　as　if　confused　and　panic…struck；　huddling　together　and
staring　at　the　smoke　puffs；　but　generally　they　were　off　at　a　lumbering
gallop　as　soon　as　they　had　an　idea　of　the　point　of　danger。　When　once
started；　they　ran　for　many　miles　before　halting；　and　their　pursuit　on
foot　was　extremely　laborious。

One　morning　my　cousin　and　brother　had　been　left　in　camp　as　guards。
They　were　sitting　idly　warming　themselves　in　the　first　sunbeams；　when
their　attention　was　sharply　drawn　to　four　buffaloes　that　were　coming
to　the　pool　to　drink。　The　beasts　came　down　a　game　trail；　a　deep　rut　in
the　bluff；　fronting　where　they　were　sitting；　and　they　did　not　dare　to
stir　for　fear　of　being　discovered。　The　buffaloes　walked　into　the　pool；
and　after　drinking　their　fill；　stood　for　some　time　with　the　water
running　out　of　their　mouths；　idly　lashing　their　sides　with　their　short
tails；　enjoying　the　bright　warmth　of　the　early　sunshine；　then；　with
much　splashing　and　the　gurgling　of　soft　mud；　they　left　the　pool　and
clambered　up　the　bluff　with　unwieldy　agility。　As　soon　as　they　turned；
my　brother　and　cousin　ran　for　their　rifles；　but　before　they　got　back
the　buffaloes　had　crossed　the　bluff　crest。　Climbing　after　them；　the
two　hunters　found；　when　they　reached　the　summit；　that　their　game；
instead　of　halting；　had　struck　straight　off　across　the　prairie　at　a
slow　lope；　doubtless　intending　to　rejoin　the　herd　they　had　left。　After
a　moment's　consultation　the　men　went　in　pursuit；　excitement　overcoming
their　knowledge　that　they　ought　not；　by　rights；　to　leave　camp。　They
struck　a　steady　trot；　following　the　animals　by　sight　until　they　passed
over　a　knoll；　and　then　trailing　them。　Where　the　grass　was　long；　as　it
was　for　the　first　four　or　five　miles；　this　was　a　work　of　no
difficulty；　and　they　did　not　break　their　gait；　only　glancing　now　and
then　at　the　trial。　As　the　sun　rose　and　the　day　became　warm；　their
breathing　grew　quicker；　and　the　sweat　rolled　off　their　faces　as　they
ran　across　the　rough　prairie　sward；　up　and　down　the　long　inclines；　now
and　then　shifting　their　heavy　rifles　from　one　shoulder　to　the　other。
But　they　were　in　good　training；　and　they　did　not　have　to　halt。　At　last
they　reached　stretches　of　bare　ground；　sun…baked　and　grassless；　where
the　trail　grew　dim；　and　here　they　had　to　go　very　slowly；　carefully
examining　the　faint　dents　and　marks　made　in　the　soil　by　the　heavy
hoofs；　and　unravelling　the　trail　from　the　mass　of　old　footmarks。　It
was　tedious　work；　but　it　enabled　them　to　completely　recover　their
breath　by　the　time　that　they　again　struck　the　grassland；　and　but　a　few
hundred　yards　from　the　edge；　in　a　slight　hollow；　they　saw　the　four
buffaloes　just　entering　a　herd　of　fifty　or　sixty　that　were　scattered
out　grazing。　The　herd　paid　no　attention　to　the　new…comers；　and　these
immediately　began　to　feed　greedily。　After　a　whispered　consultation；
the　two　hunters　crept　back；　and　made　a　long　circle　that　brought　them
well　to　leeward　of　the　herd；　in　line　with　a　slight　rise　in　the　ground。
They　then　crawled　up　to　this　rise　and；　peering　through　the　tufts　of
tall；　rank　grass；　saw　the　unconscious　beasts　a　hundred　and　twenty…five
or　fifty　yards　away。　They　fired　together；　each　mortally　wounding　his
animal；　and　then；　rushing　in　as　the　herd　halted　in　confusion；　and
following　them　as　they　ran；　impeded　by　numbers；　hurry；　and　panic；　they
eventually　got　three　more。

On　another　occasion　the　same　two　hunters　nearly　met　with　a　frightful
death；　being　overtaken　by　a　vast　herd　of　stampeded　buffaloes。　All　the
animals　that　go　in　herds　are　subject　to　these　instantaneous　attacks　of
uncontrollable　terror；　under　the　influence　of　which　they　become
perfectly　mad；　and　rush　headlong　in　dense　masses　on　any　form　of　death。
Horses；　and　more　especially　cattle；　often　suffer　from　stampedes；　it　is
a　danger　against　which　the　cowboys　are　compelled　to　be　perpetually　on
guard。　A　band　of　stampeded　horses；　sweeping　in　mad　terror　up　a　valley；
will　dash　against　a　rock　or　tree　with　such　violence　as　to　leave
several　dead　animals　at　its　base；　while　the　survivors　race　on　without
halting；　they　will　overturn　and　destroy　tents　and　wagons；　and　a　man　on
foot　caught　in　the　rush　has　but　a　small　chance　for　his　life。　A　buffalo
stampede　is　much　worseor　rather　was　much　worse；　in　the　old　days
because　of　the　great　weight　and　immense　numbers　of　the　beasts；　which；
in　a　fury　of　heedless　terror；　plunged　over　cliffs　and　into　rivers；　and
bore　down　whatever　was　in　their　path。　On　the　occasion　in　question；　my
brother　and　cousin　were　on　their　way　homeward。　They　were　just　mounting
one　of　the　long；　low　swells；　into　which　the　prairie　was　broken；　when
they　heard　a　low；　muttering；　rumbling　noise；　like　far…off　thunder。　It
grew　steadily　louder；　and；　not　knowing　what　it　meant；　they　hurried
forward　to　the　top　of　the　rise。　As　they　reached　it；　they　stopped　short
in　terror　and　amazement；　for　before　them　the　whole　prairie　was　black
with　madly　rushing　buffaloes。

Afterward　they　learned　that　another　couple　of　hunters；　four　or　five
miles　off；　had　fired　into　and　stampeded　a　large　herd。　This　herd；　in
its　rush；　gathered　others；　all　thundering　along　together　in
uncontrollable　and　increasing　panic。

The　surprised　hunters　were　far　away　from　any　broken　ground　or　other
place　of　refuge；　while　the　vast　herd　of　huge；　plunging；　maddened
beasts　was　charging　straight　down　on　them　not　a　quarter　of　a　mile
distant。　Down　they　came！thousands　upon　thousands；　their　front
extending　a　mile　in　breadth；　while　the　earth　shook　beneath　their
thunderous　gallop；　and；　as　they　came　closer；　their　shaggy　frontlets
loomed　dimly　through　the　columns　of　dust　thrown　up　from　the　dry　soil。
The　two　hunters　knew　that　their　only　hope　for　life　was　to　split　the
herd；　which；　though　it　had　so　broad　a　front；　was　not　very　deep。　If
they　failed　they　would　inevitably　be　trampled　to　death。

Waiting　until　the　beasts　were　in　close　range；　they　opened　a　rapid　fire
from　their　heavy　breech…loading　rifles；　yelling　at　the　top　of　their
voices。　For　a　moment　the　result　seemed　doubtful。　The　line　thundered
steadily　down　on　them；　then　it　swayed　violently；　as　two　or　three　of
the　brutes　immediately　in　front　fell　beneath　the　bullets；　while　their
neighbors　made　violent　efforts　to　press　off　sideways。　Then　a　narrow
wedge…shaped　rift　appeared　in　the　line；　and　widened　as　it　came　closer；
and　the　buffaloes；　shrinking　from　their　foes　in　front；　strove
desperately　to　edge　away　from　the　dangerous　neighborhood；　the　shouts
and　shots　were　redoubled；　the　hunters　were　almost　choked　by　the　cloud
of　dust；　through　which　they　could　see　the　stream　of　dark　huge　bodies
passing　within　rifle…length　on　either　side；　and　in　a　moment　the　peril
was　over；　and　the　two　men　were　left　alone　on　the　plain；　unharmed；
though　with　their　nerves　terribly　shaken。　The　herd　careered　on　toward
the　horizon；　save　five　individuals　which　had　been　killed　or　disabled
by　the　shots。

On　another　occasion；　when　my　brother　was　out　with　one　of　his　friends；
they　fired　at　a　small　herd　containing　an　old　bull；　the　bull　charged
the　smoke；　and　the　whole　herd　followed　him。　Probably　they　were　simply
stampeded；　and　had　no　hostile　intention；　at　any　rate；　after　the　death
of　their　leader；　they　rushed　by　without　doing　any　damage。

But　buffaloes　sometimes　charged　with　the　utmost　determination；　and
were　then　dangerous　antagonists。　My　cousin；　a　very　hardy　and　resolute
hunter；　had　a　narrow　escape　from　a　wounded　cow　which　he　had　followed
up　a　steep　bluff　or　sand　cliff。　Just　as　he　reached　the　summit；　he　was
charged；　and　was　o