“Queek! Queek!” called Jean. “At once! Immediately!”
Whether or not it was the call of his excited companion that influenced
Reuben, his pony was quickly bridled, and almost at the same time both
men leaped upon the backs of their horses. In spite of the weariness of
both men and beasts, in a brief time all were alike highly excited. The
great rumbling mass was steadily approaching and the horses also were
aware of the peril that threatened.
In Reuben’s heart there was a thought that if he and his companion
should fire at the buffaloes the course of the mighty herd might be
diverted. Perhaps even the direction in which they were moving would be
turned and they would then avoid the camp. The young trapper had heard
many stories of men and horses that had been trampled beneath the feet
of a frantic herd of buffaloes.
As the huge animals came nearer and a mighty bull was seen acting as an
advance guard, Reuben glanced quickly at Jean to see whether or not he
shared in his alarm. Nothing apparently would be able to stand in the
way of the rush of the oncoming horde. It was a sight unlike any that
Reuben ever had seen.
On, and still on, dashed the animals, moving almost as if the swaying
mass was one huge creature. Neither Reuben nor Jean had as yet advanced
from the camp, but both were waiting with loaded rifles, unable to
discover just what the exact course of the fleeing herd was to be.
“How many are there?” inquired Reuben in a low voice.
“About seven hundred.”
Reuben whistled, but made no further response. Two minutes elapsed
without any change in the direction in which the buffaloes were going.
Then Jean said quickly, “I shall go to one side. It ees good for you to
wait. When you shoot you must hit a cow, that ees the only meat that
one can eat. Il trouverait à tondre sur un oeuf.”
Whenever Jean fell into the use of his native language Reuben was aware
that his excitement was almost beyond control. What the words meant he
had no conception, but an instant later he saw Jean dashing directly
toward the approaching herd. His horse now apparently was as excited as
its rider. The weariness of the long journey of the day was forgotten
or ignored.
Without any definite plan, Reuben departed from the camp, moving in
accordance with Jean’s advice toward the rear of the animals. The great
mass was now less than a half-mile distant, and as the two hunters
separated and approached the herd, Reuben saw that they had come within
three hundred yards before the presence of the two riders was
discovered. Then there was a sudden agitation in the huge body. The
band apparently wavered for a moment, and some of the bulls galloped to
and fro along the borders of the herd, betraying the fact that the
presence of enemies had been discovered.
The progress of the trappers, however, was not stayed. Riding steadily
forward, they drew nearer the buffaloes. To Reuben the interest of the
chase had now become so intense that all other things were ignored.
Suddenly the movements of the dense mass were changed. The body swerved
in a semicircle and apparently was in swift flight for the foothills.
Within a few seconds the entire herd had joined in the flight, a guard
of bulls as usual bringing up the rear. Frequently some of them
stopped, and faced about as if they intended to test the strength or
learn the purpose of the men on horseback. In every case, however, the
huge animals speedily turned and once more dashed after the band, only
to stop again and gaze at the horsemen. Indeed, as the minutes passed,
Reuben was persuaded that the animals were minded to stand and fight.
Whatever may have been the impulse, however, as the hunters increased
the pace at which they were riding the confusion in the herd became
more manifest. The buffaloes were moving over the ground now with
increasing swiftness, while the rumbling and roaring became steadily
louder as the speed increased.
Reuben, who had followed directions and was making for the rear of the
herd, now lost sight of his companion. He had a momentary glimpse of
Jean when he was about thirty yards from the border of the herd,
dashing into its midst. He heard the loud shout of the Frenchman, “A
beau jeu beau retour!” but as he did not understand any of the words he
was ignorant of Jean’s purpose. He saw the mass give way, and a
half-dozen or more of the bulls, that were less fleet than the cows,
turned to face the approaching hunter. Several of them, however, were
thrown to the earth by the mass of maddened animals and rolled over and
over upon the ground, hardly to be distinguished from the clouds of
dust that now were settling all about them.
Aware that Jean’s plan was, if possible, to separate one animal and
pursue it until he had approached its side and then aim directly at its
heart, Reuben became so interested that for a brief time he almost
forgot the task which had been assigned him.
Recalled in a few moments, however, and aware that Jean no longer was
to be seen, he shouted to his horse to increase its speed and soon was
swiftly moving toward the rear. He saw one cow slightly separated from
the mass, and in a moment he was pursuing her as swiftly as the wolves
had followed the buffalo calf a little while before.
Steadily the young trapper gained upon his victim until at last his
horse was alongside the animal he was seeking. Partly rising in his
stirrups Reuben, when only a yard separated him from the buffalo,
fired. The animal fell headlong at the discharge of the rifle, and then
Reuben checked his horse and looked about him for his companion. Not
far away he discovered Jean tying his horse to the head of a cow, which
he was preparing to cut up.
Filled with the spirit of the chase, Reuben decided that he would try
to secure another cow. As he swiftly advanced he heard a shout from
Jean, “Le coût en ôte le goût!” Still he did not understand what was
said, and in his determination to secure another victim he did not heed
the call, and soon was engaged in the mad pursuit of the flying herd.
Whether or not it was due to the weariness of the horse he was riding,
or to the increased speed of the buffaloes, Reuben never knew, but at
all events he was compelled to continue the pursuit for a long
distance. Unaware of the passing time and unmindful of the fact that
the sun now was disappearing below the western horizon, intent solely
upon securing another buffalo, Reuben still followed in the chase. A
thick cloud of dust filled his mouth and eyes and at times nearly
smothered him. There were moments, too, when the herd was not to be
seen, so concealed was it by the cloud which the hundreds of feet had
stirred up in the desert.
He was aware also that the buffaloes were crowding more closely
together, and the body was so compact that he was beginning to question
whether or not he would be able to force an entrance and cut off any of
the animals from the others. The dull and confused murmuring at times
was as distinctly heard as was the noise of the many feet. Many times
before Reuben had seen herds of buffaloes in the distance, but this had
been the first time he had joined in a chase.
Jean had told him often of his own experiences in buffalo hunting, and
in his own peculiar way had declared that “Indians and the buffalo
provide the poetry and life of the prairie.”
Whenever a discovery of a herd had been made Jean had insisted upon
hunting alone. Even now Reuben could picture the excited Frenchman
shouting to his horse, “Avance donc!” and cracking his whip to urge the
fleet animal into its best paces. Often Reuben had shared in the feast
that had followed, enjoying the tongues and steaks which his companion
insisted were the only choice bits of meat that the buffalo provided.
While these pieces were being roasted on sticks held over the fire,
Reuben in a measure had been content because of the feast that was
promised. Now, he himself was a buffalo hunter and already had secured
one victim.
Unaware how far he was leaving his companion behind him, and ignorant
of the direction in which he was moving as he followed the herd, Reuben
still maintained the pursuit. He was unaware also of another change in
the course of the animals. He had ridden near to the border of the
terrified mass, but for some reason had been unable to penetrate it, or
to separate one from the others.
As the herd swung to the right, Reuben found that he was being crowded
by the animals, that apparently either were unaware of his presence or
ignored their peril. He was ignorant of the fact that the herd was
passing over dangerous ground. Many times in his long rides across the
plains Reuben had passed through a prairie-dog village. The sight of
the little creatures sitting erect upon their haunches, watching the
approaching stranger on horseback, had become so common that he had
given slight heed to the little animals. Nor had he once thought of
them as a source of danger.
Still the flight and the pursuit were maintained. Several times the
horse which Reuben was riding stumbled and nearly fell, but every time
the pony was able to regain its foothold and dashed forward with
undiminished speed.
Reuben was now aware that the animal he was riding was breathing
heavily and doubtless was feeling the effect of its swift pace after
the long ride of the day. As soon as he had secured the cow he
desired—for now the young trapper had selected the animal which he
intended to shoot—he decided that he would give his horse a long rest
before he returned to the camp.
Suddenly one of the forefeet of his horse sank into a hole which the
prairie-dogs had made. Glancing about him, Reuben saw that he was in
the midst of a village of the little animals. With an effort he
maintained his seat in the saddle, for he was an expert horseman, and
an ordinary fall had little peril for him. This time, however, his
horse was unable to regain its foothold. It stumbled and staggered
several steps, and then with a groan sank to the ground.
As it fell, Reuben slipped from its back and leaped lightly to the
ground. Advancing to the head of his horse, he seized the bridle and
attempted to lift the animal to its feet. It was unable to rise, and a
brief examination convinced the young trapper that the fall had broken
its leg.
The thunder of the flying herd now sounded farther away. In the dim
light Reuben saw that the buffaloes were still running swiftly and were
headed for a valley or defile among the hills not far distant. Once
there, doubtless they would be secure from attack.
His own predicament, however, was too appalling to enable Reuben long
to think of the fleeing herd. He was miles distant from his companion,
his horse had fallen with a broken leg, and night was upon him, while
his perils doubtless would be greatly increased before morning came.
For a moment the heart of the young hunter was heavy. A groan of his
faithful pony recalled him to the necessity of action. There was no
hope of restoring the suffering brute, and, advancing to its head,
without hesitating a moment, Reuben fired at the heart of the panting,
suffering animal. With scarcely a quiver the horse became still.
His own problem, however, was still unsolved, as Reuben now was fully
aware. The cloud of dust in part had disappeared in the dim light. He
looked all about him, but not a trace of Jean or the camp was he able
to discover. He was alone on the trackless plains and by no means
certain of the direction in which he had come or of the way in which he
should go.