Next morning, just as we were preparing to resume our journey, a gang of
buffalo appeared upon one of the swells, at the distance of a mile or a
mile and a half from our camp. There were about a dozen of them, and,
as our guides asserted, they were all cows. This was just what we
wanted, as the flesh of the cows is much more delicate than that of the
bulls, and were eager to lay in a stock of it.
A hurried consultation was held, in which it was debated as to the best
manner of making an attack upon the herd. Some advised that we should
ride boldly forward, and overtake the cows by sheer swiftness, but this
mode was objected to by others. The cows are at times very shy. They
might break off long before we were near, and give our horses such a
gallop as would render them useless for the rest of the day. Besides,
our animals were in no condition for such exercise. Our stock of corn
had run out, and the grass feeding and hard travelling had reduced most
of them to skeletons. A hard gallop was therefore to be avoided if
possible.
Among those who counselled a different course wore the guides Ike and
Redwood. These men thought it would be much better to try the cows by
"approaching," that is, by endeavouring to creep up, and get a shot when
near enough. The ground was favourable enough for it, as there were
here and there little clumps of cactus plants and bushes of the wild
sage (_artemisia_), behind which a hunter might easily conceal himself.
The trappers farther alleged that the herd would not be likely to make
off at the first shot, unless the hunter discovered himself. On the
contrary, one after another might fall, and not frighten the rest, so
long as these did not get to leeward, and detect the presence of their
enemy by the scent.
The wind was in our favour, and this was a most important consideration.
Had it been otherwise the game would have "winded" us at a mile's
distance, as they can recognise the smell of man, and frequently
comprehend the danger of being near such an enemy. Indeed, it is on
their great power of scent that the buffalo most commonly rely for
warning. The eyes of these creatures, and particularly the bulls, are
so covered with the shaggy hair hanging over them, that individuals are
often seen quite blinded by it, and a hunter, if he keep silent enough,
may walk up and lay his hand upon them, without having been previously
noticed. This, however, can only occur when the hunter travels against
the wind. Otherwise he finds the buffalo as shy and difficult to
approach as most game, and many along spoil of crouching and crawling
has been made to no purpose--a single sniff of the approaching enemy
proving enough to startle the game, and send it off in wild flight.
Ike and his brother trapper urged that if the approach should prove
unsuccessful there would still be time to "run" the herd, as those who
did not attempt the former method might keep in their saddles, and be
ready to gallop forward.
All this was feasible enough; and it was therefore decided that the
"approach" should have a trial. The trappers had already prepared
themselves for this sort of thing. They were evidently desirous of
giving us an exhibition of their hunter-prowess, and we were ready to
witness it. We had noticed them busied with a pair of large wolf-skins,
which they had taken off the animals entire, with the heads, ears,
tails, etcetera, remaining upon the skins. The purpose of these was to
enable the hunters to disguise themselves as wolves, and thus crawl
within shooting distance of the buffalo herd.
Strange to say this is quite possible. Although no creature is a
greater enemy to the buffalo than the wolf, the former, as already
stated, permits the latter to approach quite close to him without making
any attempt to chase him off, or without exhibiting the slightest
symptoms of fear on his own account. The buffalo cannot prevent the
wolf from prowling close about him, as the latter is sufficiently
active, and can easily get out of the way when pursued by the bulls--on
the other hand, the buffaloes, unless when separated from the herd, or
in some way disabled, have no fear of the wolf. Under ordinary
circumstances they seem wholly to disregard his presence. The
consequence is, that a wolf-skin is a favourite disguise of the Indians
for approaching the buffalo, and our trappers, Ike and Redwood, had
often practised this _ruse_. We were likely then to see sport.
Both were soon equipped in their white wolf-skins, their heads being
enveloped with the skins of the wolves' heads, and the remainder tied
with thongs, so as to cover their backs and sides. At best the skins
formed but a scanty covering to the bodies of the trappers; but, as we
have already remarked, the buffalo has not a very keen sense of sight,
and so long as the decoys kept to leeward, they would not be closely
scrutinised.
When fairly in their new dress, the hunters parted from the company,
leaving their horses at the camp. The rest of us sat in our saddles,
ready to gallop forward, in case the _ruse_ did not succeed, and make
that kind of a hunt called "running." Of course the trappers went as
far as was safe, walking in an upright attitude; but long before they
had got within shot, we saw both of them stoop down and scramble along
in a crouching way, and then at length they knelt upon the ground, and
proceeded upon their hands and knees.
It required a good long time to enable them to get near enough; and we
on horseback, although watching every manoeuvre with interest, were
beginning to get impatient. The buffalo, however, quietly browsing
along the sward, seemed to be utterly unconscious of the dangerous foe
that was approaching them, and at intervals one or another would fling
itself to the earth in play, and after kicking and wallowing a few
seconds, start to its feet again. They were all cows, with one
exception--a bull--who seemed to be the guardian and leader. Even at a
mile's distance, we could recognise the shape and size of the latter, as
completely differing from all the rest. The bull seemed to be more
active than any, moving around the flock, and apparently watching over
their safety.
As the decoys approached, we thought that the bull seemed to take notice
of them. He had moved out to that side of the herd, and seemed for a
moment to scrutinise them as they drew near. But for a moment, however,
for he turned apparently satisfied, and was soon close in to the gang.
Ike and Redwood had at length got so close, that we were expecting every
moment to see the flash of their pieces. They were not so close,
however, as we in the distance fancied them to be.
Just at this moment we perceived another buffalo--a large bull--running
up behind them. He had just made his appearance over a ridge, and was
now on his way to join the herd. The decoys were directly in his way,
and these did not appear to see him until he had run almost between
them, so intent were they on watching the others. His intrusion,
however, evidently disconcerted them, spoiling their plans, while in the
very act of being carried into execution. They were, no doubt, a little
startled by the apparition of such a huge shaggy animal coming so
suddenly on them, for both started to their feet as if alarmed. Their
pieces blazed at the same time, and the intruder was seen rolling over
upon the plain.
But the _ruse_ was over. The bull that guarded the herd was witness to
this odd encounter, and bellowing a loud alarm to his companions, set
off at a lumbering gallop. All the rest followed as fast as their legs
would carry them.
Fortunately they ran, not directly from us, but in a line that inclined
to our left. By taking a diagonal course we might yet head them, and
without another word our whole party put to the spur, and sprang off
over the prairie.
It cost us a five-mile gallop before any of us came within shooting
distance; and only four of us did get so near--the naturalist, Besancon,
the Kentuckian, and myself. Our horses were well blown, but after a
good deal of encouragement we got them side by side with the flying
game.
Each one chose his own, and then delivered his shot at his best
convenience. The consequence was, that four of the cows were strewed
out along the path, and rewarded us for our hard gallop. The rest, on
account of saving our horses, were suffered to make their escape.
As we had now plenty of excellent meat, it was resolved to encamp again,
and remain for some time on that spot, until we had rested our horses
after their long journey, when we should make a fresh search for the
buffalo, and have another "run" or two out of them.