We rustled through the leaves like wind,
Left shrubs and trees and wolves behind.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"On went the buffalo, tearing and crushing all before and around him.
How long this lasted I know not; but, although I was very weak, stunned,
and nearly blinded, I still madly clung to him! to fall would be certain
death. At length he darted up a narrow gully upon the side of the
valley from which we had entered it, and dashed off across the open
plain. The cold breeze revived me a little, and I began to cherish a
hope of life. I gradually drew myself into a sitting position, and
began to feel the want of a saddle badly; it required all my nerve,
strength, and skill to retain my seat. I could not turn to look back,
and dared not slip from the beast for fear of meeting with the fate of
my poor horse--not knowing but the whole herd was close in my wake. For
miles we held our course, until the silence convinced me that we were
alone. I began to reflect on the best means of ending the fearful race.
I had bought a revolver and a large bowie-knife in New York, and these
I had stuck in my belt, but to wound and not kill the monster would he
to expose myself to certain death, as nothing is more terrible than a
wounded buffalo. I decided upon the knife as the surest. My bowie was
as keen as a razor, with a blade near twelve inches long. I drew it,
and, twisting my left hand into the brute's mane, I gradually leaned
down over his shoulders, pressed the point of my knife against the side
of his neck, and, with all my strength, thrust it in and down. Thank
goodness, the monster began to tremble, the blood gushed forth, he
reeled, and with a terrific plunge on his knees, sent me flying over his
head on to the springing turf. I remained still to see if he was able
to rise. He once or twice attempted it, but when half upon his legs he
dropped from exhaustion and loss of blood, and the mountain of flesh lay
quivering in the agonies of death.
"I knew not how far I had ridden: my mind was in confusion, and every
joint in my frame seemed as if about to snap asunder. I stood upon the
body of the dead buffalo and gazed about me. Night was fast closing in,
and there was nothing in sight but sky and plain. I felt then for the
first time as if alone in the wide world; not a vestige of man or his
handiwork was visible. Alone with nature, the stillness to me was
painful; even the carcase of the slain brute seemed company, and I
determined to remain by it until morning, I felt that with the darkness
gathering round, and in my exhausted state, to attempt to reach my
comrades that night, even if I knew the direction, would be useless.
This point decided, I gathered a quantity of fuel, and soon a blazing
fire sent its cheerful glow around me, making the gloom beyond the
circle of its rays still more impenetrable. I cut some slices of the
buffalo's tongue and broiled them upon the fire, and of these, seasoned
with salt from my pouch, and eaten with some parched corn from the same
receptacle, I made a hearty meal.
"My lodgings gave me no uneasiness; so, after gathering a further supply
of fuel to make up a good fire for the purpose of intimidating the
wolves, that I judged would be drawn by the scent of fresh meat, I
placed myself upon the ground, my feet to the fire, and my head and
shoulders resting upon the body of the still warm animal. My mind was
easy as to the future, though my conscience pricked me when I reflected
upon the past. I knew that old Ben had his own reasons for liking me,
as I had more money than all the rest of the hunting party together; and
I felt sure that he would never leave the vicinity until satisfied of my
fate. With this reflection I fell asleep.
"During the night, I was once awoke by the snarling of a pack of wolves.
My fire had burned low, and they were gathered in great numbers about
me. I had no fear of them; for Ben had told me that the prairie wolf is
a cowardly animal, and will seldom molest a man, unless driven to it by
famine. For revenge, however, at being disturbed, I fired my revolver
among them. A howl of pain followed; then yells and a gnashing of
teeth, tearing of flesh, and crunching of bones, enough to convince me
that I had hit one or more of them. It is a singular fact, that when
blood is once drawn from one of these animals, the others instantly set
upon and devour it.
"After replenishing my fire and reloading my revolver, I again lay down,
watching the smoke which rose in the stillness of the atmosphere like a
column, then spreading out, it formed the only cloud visible. I slept
undisturbed until daylight.
"On my awaking, I found myself very stiff and sore, and came to the
conclusion, over my breakfast of broiled buffalo-steak, to remain where
I was until my friends sought me. I was aware that a smoke would be
visible many miles in the clear air of the plains; and I covered my fire
with grass and soil wet with the morning dew. Soon a dense white steam
ascended, which I felt sure must attract attention. And so it did, but
not exactly in the quarter I would have chosen; for, scarce had I
finished my repast, when I saw in the distance a horseman rapidly
approaching. I felt sure it was Ben, and was inwardly congratulating
myself on a pleasant meeting with my comrades, when the strange
movements of the fast approaching person attracted my attention not a
little. Instead of coming in a direct line, he took a circular course,
gradually drawing nearer, and lessening the circle around me; and I soon
saw that it was an Indian, mounted on a splendid horse. The way I saw
him handling his rifle convinced me that his morning call would not be a
very agreeable one to me. I had lost my rifle with my horse: true, I
had a Colt's revolver--the best weapon ever invented for close quarters;
but against his long range the odds were sadly against me.
"Tearing a piece of white linen from my shirt sleeve, I waved it above
my head as a flag of truce. While in the very act, the tawny rascal
raised his rifle and fired. I heard the bullet whistle past my head.
Finding that he had missed his mark, he galloped back some distance to
reload. This gave me a moment for reflection. As the scoundrel had
fired upon my flag of truce, I felt justified in killing him if I could.
Throwing myself down behind my barricade of beef, I examined my
revolver and drew my knife, determined to sell my life as dearly as
possible. Cautiously looking over the body of the buffalo, I saw him
drawing near; he saw the motion, and was about to fire, when I withdrew
my head. After a few moments' silence I could plainly hear the panting
breath of his horse, and detected the click of his gun-lock. The rascal
knew very well that to fire on him I must expose myself, and now stood
waiting his prey. Placing my fur-cap upon the point of my knife, I
gradually raised it above the carcase of the buffalo. The _ruse_
succeeded: when he fired, I dropped the cap and gave a loud groan. With
a yell he sprung from his horse, with the evident intention of
transferring my scalp to his belt--a proceeding I had a decided
objection to, and, moreover, I felt that this was the proper time to
urge it. As I heard his footsteps approaching, I rose, to his very
great astonishment, and pulled the trigger of my revolver; he staggered;
another shot eased him of his pain, and I was again alone. No, boys,
not alone, for a few yards off stood his horse, tethered to the arm of
his defunct master, by a few yards of buffalo hide. I had no trouble in
securing him, and a beauty he was. Gathering up some trifles which the
dead Indian could have no further use for, such as a rifle, tomahawk,
etc, I knocked off a horn from the buffalo as a trophy. I mounted, and,
turning towards the rising sun, set the horse off at a brisk canter.
Knowing that the instinct of the animal would take him to the water, I
gave him his head, and I was right: an hour's ride brought me to the
ravine. I soon found a path to descend, but I examined the horizon well
for buffaloes before I trusted myself in the gulf.
"Finding all clear, I rode down to the water, and, after refreshing
myself and my horse, I took my course up stream. A trot of a few miles
and a turn of the water-course brought me in sight of my friends,
encamped near the mangled remains of my horse, and holding a
consultation as to my probable fate. I received a warm greeting from
all, and tears ran down old Ben's cheeks as he pressed me to his heart.
Over our evening meal I related my story. Ben listened to the finish.
`So you shot a Camanche--eh?' `Yes, Ben,' said I. `Well,' replied he,
`you that are on duty to-night had better keep your eyes open, for we
shall hear more of this day's work.' `How could I help doing it, Ben?'
said I. `Wal, I s'pose you couldn't.' With this complimentary remark,
he knocked the ashes from his pipe, wrapped himself in his blanket, and
fell asleep. When the fire was made, and two of the party had been
placed as sentries, and enjoined to keep a sharp look-out for
`Camanches,' I followed his example.
"Nothing occurred to disturb us during the night except the howling of
the wolves, to which we were now getting pretty well accustomed. And,
after making a hearty breakfast, we considered it advisable to join the
main body of our party as soon as possible; as, on the discovery of the
dead body of one of their tribe, the Camanches would be sure to attack
any detached parties like ours, found in small numbers, in which case we
might probably lose our scalps. After riding all day, we at length
found the main track, and soon discerned the smoke from their encampment
for the night. The story was related again after supper, the whole
party anxiously listening to every word. When I had finished, a tall,
masculine-looking woman, who usually had charge of one of the wagons and
oxen, struck up with a story for our amusement.
"`When I was a gal,' she commenced, and went on in the pure American
dialect, `and even arter I married my man--poor fellow! he's gone long
ago--I used to go out in the woods arter the deer that our hunters had
killed and hung up, so that they could go on killin' without losin'
time; and I used to bring 'em in, skin 'em, and jerk 'em, too. And that
warn't all: I allers attended the wolf-traps, and all sitch like.
There's but few mortal men livin' now what's seen as much fun a killin'
wolves as I have. Whenever we got one fast in a trap, me and the dogs,
we was allers good for him in double-quick time; but occasionally we got
a little more than we bargained for. I recollect one time, little Josey
(that's my oldest boy) and me, we went to a trap, and found the
surliest-lookin' old "bar" (bear) in all creation fast in it by one
hind-leg. "Turk" and "Rome" (them was our dogs), they mounted him, and
began to do their best to kill him, and Josey and me sick't 'em on, and
slapped our hands, but they weren't no more than fleas in his ear. He
boxed 'em about hither and thither jest as he liked, till at last he got
'em both in his hug, and I seed he was a squeezin' the life out en 'em;
so I told Josey to stop by a big tree, and then I took the axe (for I
hadn't nothin' else with me), and run up to help the dogs. By the time
I got up to him he'd laid one of 'em cold, and had t'other in a purty
fair way. I let drive at his head; but he up with one paw and knocked
the axe out of my hand about ten steps. This kinder staggered me, so I
felt down like; and the next thing I know'd, the "bar" was a top o' me.
I tusselled with him as hard as I could, you may be sure; but it warn't
of much use. He squeezed me tighter and tighter, and I begun to think
it was all over with me, and my little Josey screeching like mad, when
up came my ole man, and cut the bar's wozzen from ear to ear. He'd
hearn the noise the dogs and little Josey made, and knowin' there must
be somethin' more than common, he'd run out. As soon as the "bar" was
dead, he bust out into a loud laugh, and, said he, "You're a purty woman
to be caught out here in the woods huggin' a bar, ain't you?" But poor
old Rome! we couldn't fetch him to life any more. The bar had crushed
all the bones in his body. I recollect another shindy I had when
attending the traps. It was some time arter the "bar" scrape. Just
afore I got in sight of a trap, I hearn Turk, what had trotted ahead of
me, a makin' a dreadful queer kind of a whinin' noise. I ses, ses I, to
myself, there must be something wrong with Turk; so I hurried up as fast
as I could. And, shure enough there was too. The biggest eagle I ever
hearn tell on was a standin' with one claw fast in the trap and t'other
clamp up around Turk's nose so fast that he couldn't no more open his
mouth than he could a whistled if it had been open. There he stood,
with all his legs poked for'ard, a yankin' back, and a makin' all the
noise he possibly could. I hunted up a stick, and, after a heap of
trouble, I got the life manted out of it; but even then it wouldn't let
go its hold on Turk's nose, nor could I get him loose till I'd took my
knife and cut its claw off. Turk was always shy of eagles from that
time.
"`I never was frightened much by any of the backwoods varmint but once,
and then I was but a young gal. Tom Ennis had gone up to Louisville
with a load of skins, and it was so far he couldn't make it back the
same day; so Sally (that was Tom's wife) she got me to go over to their
cabin and stay with her all night for company. Sally had a young baby
that weren't very well, so it kept up such a crying that we couldn't
sleep for it. I recollect we had the bed made up on the floor. In the
middle of the night we hearn somethin' about on the boards of the roof,
a scrapin' and scratchin' as if a tryin' to get in. The moon was
shinin' atween the boards, and by the light of it we soon seed, whatever
the thing might be, that it had got the board slipt aside enough so it
could poke a great heavy paw down. Well, it worked on like a trooper,
and directly we saw a big whiskery-lookin' head, poked through, and two
fiery eyes a glarin' down at us. A little longer, and the hole was big
enough to admit its body, and in he bounced on to the floor of the
cabin, the biggest kind of an old he-panther. You'd better believe
there was a couple of folks scart enough then, for we knowed the cries
of the baby had attracted its attention, and it had come on purpose to
make a meal out'n some of us. We covered up our heads, and laid there
with our hearts a thumping. The panther sat down by the side of our
bed, and wriggled his tail a bit, and then he begun to pat us gently
with his paws, as if he wanted to play afore eatin' us, like a cat does
with a mouse when she ain't very hungry. Just then, Sally, who was so
scart that she didn't know what she was at, gave a loud scream, and
flirted the blanket right off'n us on to the panther. The movement,
being so sudden and so unlooked for, gave the varmint a dreadful scare,
and up through the hole he went, like a kite. That was the last we saw
or heerd of him, and you may be sartain we were satisfied.'"
The ex-sergeant promised to relate more of his adventures on his way to
and from the gold diggings on a future occasion. But the corporal with
whom he deserted having frequently written to him since he was taken, at
last purchased his discharge, and started him in business at Sheffield;
so we saw no more of him after he left the regiment.