The Buffalo Hunt
Soon after the arrival of the Selkirk settlers at Pembina, the people
of the place set about preparing for the great fall buffalo hunt, and
they cordially invited the Scots to join them.
The latter accepted the kind invitation eagerly, and all the men who
had a little money to spare purchased guns and ammunition from the
store-keepers.
For days the settlement and the Scotch camp were full of bustle.
Ponies had to be provided for all the hunters, provisions prepared, as
they would be away probably for ten days or so, and a number of other
things attended to.
Mr. Macrae, having decided to go himself, at first wanted Hector to
remain behind with his mother, but the boy pleaded so earnestly to be
taken, and the loving, self-sacrificing mother, though she dreaded some
mishap, so warmly supported his plea, that, to his abounding joy, his
father consented.
It was an odd-looking cavalcade that set forth from Pembina on a
bright, bracing October morning. The Scotsmen looked very awkward as,
mounted upon Indian ponies, some of which were so small that the long
legs of the riders almost touched the ground, they strove to carry
their guns and keep their seats with some sort of dignity.
The Pembina folk, whether white or half-breed, were all good riders,
and, having taken the pick of the ponies, as was only natural, looked
remarkably well, while half-a-score Indians who were to act as guides
galloped hither and thither, whooping and brandishing their guns by way
of showing off.
Hector was delighted with the pony that fell to him, a sturdy, piebald
creature, in quite good condition and full of life, but not at all
vicious. No knight of old sallying forth in full armour could have
felt prouder than did the Scotch laddie, as, with Dour and Dandy
barking and pretending to bite the pony's nose, he took his place in
the motley procession.
'Eh, father, but isn't this just grand!' he cried, enthusiastically, as
he cantered beside his father, whose stalwart frame looked bigger than
ever as he rode solemnly upon a steed that, assuredly, had never
carried so weighty a rider before. 'See what a fine horse I have, and
he's that good, too! Oh, but I hope we'll be sure to find the buffalo!'
'Ye need na fash yersel', laddie,' responded Mr. Macrae, with one of
his wise, kind smiles. 'Ye'll have plenty of riding upon your little
horse, and we're likely enough to find the buffalo, for these folk ken
just where to look for them. So be patient an' ye'll have your desire.'
They travelled for two days due west, and then made camp on a lovely
spot beside a clear flowing stream, where a clump of trees afforded
them both shade and firewood. Farther west stretched the prairie where
roamed the noble animal of whom they were in quest.
Soon after dawn the next morning the whole camp was astir, and after a
hurried meal everybody got ready for the day's business. The weather
was all that could be wished, and spirits ran high.
'Ye'll keep as near to me as ye can, eh, laddie?' said Mr. Macrae to
Hector. 'There'll be mony ways o' getting hurt, e'en though ye may be
careful.'
'Yes, father, I'll try,' answered Hector promptly, but in his heart he
felt that once the chase really began his speedy pony, with only his
light weight to carry, must soon run away from the scarcely larger
animal that had his father's two hundred pounds upon his back.
A veteran hunter, nick-named Buffalo Carter, took entire charge of the
hunt, and under his short, sharp commands the party was divided up, and
sent off in different directions.
There were six in the party to which Mr. Macrae and Hector were
assigned, and their captain--so to speak--was a shrewd, good-humoured
half-breed, Narcisse by name, who had killed many score of buffalo in
the course of his career. He had taken a liking to Hector, and he
greatly admired Dour and Dandy, who, having vented their superfluous
spirits, were now trotting quietly along beside Hector's pony, and he
said to him in a sort of aside: 'You keep close to me, eh! _mon petit
ami_. Kill big buffalo for sure, eh!'
Hector responded with a grateful smile. 'I will that if I can, but
your fine horse will likely run away from my pony.'
'Non-non--that's all right,' laughed Narcisse, pleased at the
compliment to his steed. 'You keep so near me as possible.'
The different groups of riders being about a quarter of a mile apart,
the whole party covered a pretty wide stretch of prairie, as they
steered due west at a leisurely lope.
The leader's plan of campaign was that, on a herd of buffalo being
sighted, every effort should be made to surround it without stampeding
it, and to this end instructions had been given to the captains of each
band that not a shot should be fired until the signal was given by
Carter himself.
On they loped over the billowy prairie, the tensity of eagerness
growing with each mile covered. Suddenly, Carter, who was a little in
advance of all the others, pulled up on the hither side of a swale, and
gave the signal agreed upon for a general halt. It passed from band to
band almost instantaneously and the hunters became as motionless as
statues.
Carter, slipping from his horse, went forward cautiously on foot some
little distance, and then, dropping on all fours, peered over the top
of a big swale beyond which, perhaps, was the big game they sought.
'He see 'em! Buffalo near now!' exclaimed Narcisse to Hector, as he
tightened rein and grasped his gun more firmly. 'You be ready, eh?'
Hector was too excited to do more than nod assent, as he kept his eyes
following every movement of Carter.
The latter, evidently satisfied with his scrutiny, made haste back to
his horse, and, having remounted, by making a sort of semaphore of
himself, waving his arms in rapid fashion, signalled to the captains of
each band.
They caught his meaning, and the next instant, all were in motion
closing in toward their leader. When they were near enough he
signalled for them to spread out in a single line, then, waving his gun
above his head as a final signal for them to do likewise, he dashed
forward at the full speed of his swift steed.
As they swept over the swale, the buffalo came in sight--a fine herd,
numbering several hundred, grazing on the rich grass in utter
unconsciousness of the human cyclone rushing upon them.
The wind blew from them towards the hunters, thus giving the latter,
whose ponies' hoofs made scarcely any sound upon the thick turf, the
opportunity to get quite close ere an old bull threw up his head,
caught sight of the charging cavalcade, and instantly gave vent to a
thundering bellow of warning, that caused the whole herd to cease
grazing and huddle together nervously.
Only for a moment did they thus hesitate. Then, moving as one huge
black mass, they were off in full flight, with the hunters not a
hundred yards behind.
Hector was amazed that such heavy, clumsy-looking creatures could get
up such speed, and his excitement rose to its highest pitch as, urging
his pony on by voice and heel, he strove to reach the rear of the
panic-stricken herd.
Dour and Dandy, in no less a state of excitement, were already snapping
at the heels of the buffalo, and enjoying themselves immensely.
Little by little Hector's clever pony, to which, by the way, he had
given the appropriate name of Joseph, because his coat was of many
colours, caught up to the herd, until, at last, with an extra spurt, he
charged right into it, and Hector, not altogether to his comfort, found
himself wedged in between two great shaggy animals, whose bloodshot
eyes made them look very fierce, even if they were fleeing for their
lives.
He did his best to check the speed of his pony, pulling upon the reins
with all his might. But Joseph had got the bit in his teeth, and being
in a regular frenzy of excitement, all Hector's efforts were fruitless.
Not only so, but as the tremendous pace began to tell upon the buffalo,
and their speed slackened, Joseph, who showed no signs of tiring, made
his way deeper into the herd, until presently Hector was completely
surrounded by the huge animals.
His situation was one of great peril, for, although the buffalo were
too intent upon flight to pay him any attention, yet if by chance his
pony were to stumble or put his foot in a gopher hole, bringing down
himself and his rider, they would both infallibly be trampled out of
all semblance of life under the hoofs of the mighty creatures.
But not for a moment did the boy lose his wits. Holding hard to the
saddle he watched keenly for his chance of deliverance.