Then came the time when we had our first glimpse of buffaloes, and
never shall I forget the scene. We had been traveling in the bottom
lands where we found multitudes of paths deeply cut into the ground,
which some of our people said had been made by buffaloes; but we girls
never so much as dreamed we might be near the beasts, until one morning
father called me hurriedly to look out of the wagon.
Then I screamed, for we were literally surrounded by thousands upon
thousands of those fierce-looking, yet stupid, beasts, who gave no more
heed to our encampment than if they had been accustomed to such things
all their lives.
They circled around within a quarter of a mile of where our cattle
were feeding, and father said afterward that unless our men had been
exceedingly watchful and active, the oxen and cows would have been
stampeded beyond a doubt.