The morning very cold indeed. Inasmuch as there is little grass for the
cattle, the camp started out at 5:40 and traveled till a quarter after
eight, six miles before breakfast. Soon after we started this morning
three buffalo were seen grazing on the bluff about six miles distance.
I could see them very plain with my glass. O. P. Rockwell, Thomas
Brown and Luke Johnson started on horseback to try to kill some. Soon
after they went, another herd of buffalo were seen to the northwest at
the foot of the bluffs about eight miles off. I counted with my glass,
72, and Orson Pratt counted 74. Three of the brethren went on their
horses after the latter herd. I watched the movement with the glass
and saw that sometime before the brethren got to them, the buffalo
fled and were soon after out of sight. We stopped for breakfast close
to Grand Island and at 10:15 proceeded again. After traveling four
miles we arrived at a small lake on our right at twelve o'clock which
evidently connects with the river in high water. A little previous to
this time the hunters returned and reported that Luke Johnson shot at
one and dropped him on his knees, but he got up again and ran after the
herd. They did not get any, but saw more farther west and went to give
chase to the latter herd. When they got near them, they turned down
under the bluffs and joined the herd chased by the last hunting party.
Luke lost his cap and could not find it again. Brother Higbee said he
could have shot one, but Woolsey told him to hold on and pick out a
good one. They being pretty near, selected a cow and designed both to
shoot at her, but while they were making their plans the herd started
and they missed their chance. About the time the hunters returned,
another still larger herd was discovered still farther west, also at
the foot of the bluffs. The President stopped near the above mentioned
lake and selected eleven men to go and give chase to the last seen
herd and he gave them their instructions. Although they were at least
eight miles from us, I distinctly counted 101 with my glass and amongst
them many calves. This being the first day buffalo has been seen on
our journey and in fact the first ever seen by any except about five
or six of the brethren, it excited considerable interest and pleasure
in the breasts of the brethren, and as may be guessed, the teams moved
slowly and frequently stopped to watch their movement. When the hunters
were within a mile or two from the herd, two of the dogs gave chase
to an antelope, which made directly towards the buffalo. One of the
dogs chased it till it went into the midst of the herd and when the
buffalo saw the dog, they commenced to canter into a closer huddle.
The dog, however, evidently frightened with their savage appearance,
stopped and retraced his steps. About this time Elder Kimball seemed to
get inspired with the idea of chasing the buffalo and he immediately
called for Egan's fifteen shooter and started with it on full gallop.
After the dog returned the buffalo did not move much from the place
and the hunters moved gently along till they got pretty near them, at
which time Heber joined, just as the herd discovered them and commenced
galloping off. The brethren's feelings who were left with the wagons
were now strung up to the highest pitch, a feeling of exciting interest
appeared to prevail throughout the camp, they having heard and read
so much of the mad ferocity of the buffalo when hotly pursued, and
knowing that all the hunters were inexperienced in regard to hunting
the wild buffalo. While they felt for the safety of the hunters, they
still desired to see as much of the chase as the distance would allow,
and were wishful that the chase might be successful as a number have
no meat and a piece of fresh meat would taste good to all men and save
our bread stuff, and the desire to taste the much famed buffalo meat
created a longing desire to see some of the herd fall. Soon as the herd
commenced galloping off, the hunters followed in pursuit at full gallop
and soon closed in with them. At this time I got my glass and rested
it on Brother Aaron Farr's shoulder, determined to see as much of the
chase as possible. I soon discovered O. P. Rockwell ride into
the midst of the herd which then appeared to number over 200, others
having come in sight when the herd commenced to run. Porter was soon
enveloped in the cloud of dust caused by the heavy tramp of the buffalo
on the dry sandy ground, but in a very short time the herd began to
separate and scatter in every direction, a small party coming down
the bluff again and some running west under the bluffs, others going
over. The hunters closed in on the first party and commenced their
fire, especially at one cow which they finally succeeded in separating
from all the rest, and determined to keep to her until they killed
her, except Porter, who as soon as he had wounded her, left her with
the hunters and pursued some of the rest. The cow was now in close
quarters and after she had been shot through two or three times, Elder
Kimball rode close to her with his fifteen shooter and fired over his
horse's head, she dropped helpless and was soon dispatched. At the
report of the gun which was very heavy loaded, Elder Kimball's horse
sprang and flew down the bluff like lightning and he having let go the
lines to shoot, her sudden motion overbalanced him and his situation
was precarious to the extreme. The other hunters saw his situation and
trembled for his safety but could render him no assistance. However,
being a good horseman, he maintained his position in the saddle and
soon succeeded in gaining the lines and by a vigorous effort succeeded
after some time in reining in his horse and returned to the rest
unharmed and without accident. All this movement passed about as quick
as thought, and as soon as they saw the cow dead and all right they
again followed in pursuit of the remaining buffalo. About this time
three of the herd separated from the rest and came in a direction
towards the camp on a gallop. President Young seeing this, ordered a
halt, and the wagons to get close together lest the buffalo should,
in their fury and excitement, venture to go between the wagons and do
much mischief. However, they were discovered by some of the hunters
nearer the camp and some foot men who gave chase to them changed their
course when within about a mile from the camp. At this time I had a
very good view of their shape, color and appearance when running which
I shall endeavor to describe hereafter. Elder Kimball arrived in time
to aid in the chase of these three which lasted some time. The hunters
made choice of a large and very furious bull, and worked with him
some time, shooting him through several times but all this did not
seem to impede his progress. O. P. Rockwell said he had heard it
said that a buffalo could not be hurt with a ball shot at his head.
Having a fair chance with this one, he determined to satisfy himself,
and (previous to his being wounded) gaining a little in advance came
right in front within about a rod of him and discharged his rifle
pistol which struck the center of his head, but with no other effect
than to make it smoke a little, some dust fly and the raving animal
shake savagely. The brethren, John S. Higbee and John Pack, soon after
succeeded in dropping him and laid him dead at their feet, John Pack
being the one that dropped him. During all this, other scenes were
passing of equal interest. One of the calves was discovered within a
few rods of the wagons, a shot fired at it and it was soon caught by
the dogs, killed and put into a feed box. Porter chased another calf
to within a mile of the camp previous to his chasing the bull. Some
of the footmen surrounded and dispatched it, and soon after brought
and put it in one of the wagons. Other brethren were still away at the
bluffs, but we had no certainty of their success until Elder Kimball,
John Pack, and several others came up to the camp after dispatching
the bull and reported two other cows killed and three calves. This
was a little before 5:00 p.m. When it was ascertained for a certainty
that one was killed, the revenue cutter was unloaded and sent to fetch
it to camp. It was reported that two other cows and three calves were
killed. When Elder Kimball and others came up to the camp, President
Young requested some of the brethren to unload their wagons and go and
fetch the others reported to be killed, while the wagons would strike
towards the river and camp for the night. The chase lasted from soon
after 1:00 until 4:00 p.m. Soon four wagons were unloaded, the brethren
having their loads on the ground in care of a guard, and were ready
to start out. Having a great desire to see a buffalo in his natural
state, my feet being very sore, and the distance to the bluffs being
over three miles, I got into Brother Aaron Farr's wagon, he being one
who unloaded to fetch in the meat, and we started for the one shot down
by Elder Kimball, he and O. P. Rockwell following on horseback.
On our route, we met Luke Johnson and two other hunters returning.
Luke had a calf tied on his horse, himself on foot. When we arrived at
the cow, we found that three of the brethren had come on foot and had
already got the hide off, except the head. She was soon cut in two, put
in the wagon with the rest of the meat, hide and head, and we started
for the next cow which was about three quarters of a mile distant. This
cow would probably weigh on foot, about 700 pounds. She was not very
fat, but the meat looked nice and clean. When we arrived at the next
cow, we found several of the brethren at work with her, they had got
her hide off and soon had her in the wagon. We then proceeded to camp
and got in soon after sundown. The meat was unloaded in the semi-circle
opposite the President's wagon and placed on the hide which was spread
on the ground for the purpose of keeping it clean. The brethren's
faces beamed with joy to see the meat begin to come into camp, and
with some astonishment to view the size and ferocious appearance of
the head, which still had the hide on. Soon after the other wagons
came in and each deposited its load in the same place. Joseph Mathews
came in about the same time and reported that he had killed another
calf after chasing it three miles, making the total number killed in
the first day's buffalo hunt by the Camp of the Latter-day Saints,
already reported as follows: one bull, three cows and six calves, a
circumstance far exceeding our expectations and best hopes, and all
without the slightest accident or loss to man or property, except Luke
Johnson's cap and a ramrod to a rifle. There is, however, one shade
of suspense caused by the intelligence that Joseph Hancock has not
returned to camp. He started out on foot when the three buffalo were
first discovered this morning and has not been seen or heard of for
sometime. Considerable fear is entertained for his safety from the fact
that he is lame, and it is evident, or at least considered so, that
there are Indians near because a large smoke as of prairie burning has
been seen all the afternoon within some six or eight miles to the west
and must have been set on fire by somebody and the probability is, it
is Indians, although none has been seen for several days. The meat was
cut up into quarters and distributed one quarter to each company of
ten, leaving some to be distributed in the morning, and in a short time
every fire was loaded with it, and the camp had a good feast on the
fruits of today's labors.
Soon after the hunters started out at noon we came to a long range
of dog towns and saw many of the little prairie dogs playing around
their holes. The extent of this dog town is yet unknown, for we have
traveled over, and parallel with it about five miles this afternoon,
and they seem to extend still farther west. In some places the town
is nearly two miles broad, in others not so much, and must contain
thousands of the little dogs. I could not get near enough to see their
form distinctly, for they are so quick into their holes when anything
approaches, you can only have a partial view of them. They appear to be
about as long as a common grey squirrel but more chunky, a larger body
and chubbed head. The tail is short, more resembling that of a dog,
their color light brown. Their bark resembles the chirp of an English
throstle, and something like the chirp of a squirrel. They appear to
live on grass as it is all eaten off close to the ground throughout
the extent of their dog town, and the ground looks naked and barren
as a desert. Several of the brethren shot at the dogs but failed in
killing any. We had a north wind this afternoon and cold weather, our
course being nearly west over a level prairie, not far distant from the
island. Since noon we traveled about eight miles, and the encampment
was formed at half past six o'clock near a small lake about a mile
above the head of Grand Island. The grass is not so good here as it
has been back, and but a poor chance for the cattle, etc., to fill
themselves.
The appearance of the wild buffalo at a distance is somewhat singular.
The color of the back and about half way down the sides is a light
brown, the rest is a very dark brown. The shoulder appears slightly
rounding and humped. When running, the large shaggy head hangs low
down, about half way in height between the ground and the top of
the shoulder. They canter like any ox or cow, but appear far more
cumbersome and heavy, especially about the fore parts, which look
larger than they really are on account of the long, thick matty hair.
They run tolerably fast, but a good horse will easily gain on them.
They will run a long time without diminishing their speed. Their meat
is very sweet and tender as veal.