hunting the grisly and other sketches-第1章

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Hunting　the　Grisly　and　Other　Sketches

by　Theodore　Roosevelt






　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　An　Account　of　the　Big　Game　of　the　United
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　States　and　its　Chase　with　Horse
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Hound；　and　Rifle





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　I。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　BISON　OR　AMERICAN　BUFFALO。

When　we　became　a　nation　in　1776；　the　buffaloes；　the　first　animals　to
vanish　when　the　wilderness　is　settled；　roved　to　the　crests　of　the
mountains　which　mark　the　western　boundaries　of　Pennsylvania；　Virginia；
and　the　Carolinas。　They　were　plentiful　in　what　are　now　the　States　of
Ohio；　Kentucky；　and　Tennessee。　But　by　the　beginning　of　the　present
century　they　had　been　driven　beyond　the　Mississippi；　and　for　the　next
eighty　years　they　formed　one　of　the　most　distinctive　and
characteristic　features　of　existence　on　the　great　plains。　Their
numbers　were　countlessincredible。　In　vast　herds　of　hundreds　of
thousands　of　individuals；　they　roamed　from　the　Saskatchewan　to　the　Rio
Grande　and　westward　to　the　Rocky　Mountains。　They　furnished　all　the
means　of　livelihood　to　the　tribes　of　Horse　Indians；　and　to　the　curious
population　of　French　Metis；　or　Half…breeds；　on　the　Red　River；　as　well
as　to　those　dauntless　and　archtypical　wanderers；　the　white　hunters　and
trappers。　Their　numbers　slowly　diminished；　but　the　decrease　was　very
gradual　until　after　the　Civil　War。　They　were　not　destroyed　by　the
settlers；　but　by　the　railways　and　the　skin　hunters。

After　the　ending　of　the　Civil　War；　the　work　of　constructing　trans…
continental　railway　lines　was　pushed　forward　with　the　utmost　vigor。
These　supplied　cheap　and　indispensable；　but　hitherto　wholly　lacking；
means　of　transportation　to　the　hunters；　and　at　the　same　time　the
demand　for　buffalo　robes　and　hides　became　very　great；　while　the
enormous　numbers　of　the　beasts；　and　the　comparative　ease　with　which
they　were　slaughtered；　attracted　throngs　of　adventurers。　The　result
was　such　a　slaughter　of　big　game　as　the　world　had　never　before　seen；
never　before　were　so　many　large　animals　of　one　species　destroyed　in　so
short　a　time。　Several　million　buffaloes　were　slain。　In　fifteen　years
from　the　time　the　destruction　fairly　began　the　great　herds　were
exterminated。　In　all　probability　there　are　not　now；　all　told；　five
hundred　head　of　wild　buffaloes　on　the　American　continent；　and　no　herd
of　a　hundred　individuals　has　been　in　existence　since　1884。

The　first　great　break　followed　the　building　of　the　Union　Pacific
Railway。　All　the　buffaloes　of　the　middle　region　were　then　destroyed；
and　the　others　were　split　into　two　vast　sets　of　herds；　the　northern
and　the　southern。　The　latter　were　destroyed　first；　about　1878；　the
former　not　until　1883。　My　own　chief　experience　with　buffaloes　was
obtained　in　the　latter　year；　among　small　bands　and　scattered
individuals；　near　my　ranch　on　the　Little　Missouri；　I　have　related　it
elsewhere。　But　two　of　my　kinsmen　were　more　fortunate；　and　took　part　in
the　chase　of　these　lordly　beasts　when　the　herds　still　darkened　the
prairie　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see。

During　the　first　two　months　of　1877；　my　brother　Elliott；　then　a　lad
not　seventeen　years　old；　made　a　buffalo…hunt　toward　the　edge　of　the
Staked　Plains　in　Northern　Texas。　He　was　thus　in　at　the　death　of　the
southern　herds；　for　all；　save　a　few　scattering　bands；　were　destroyed
within　two　years　of　this　time。　He　was　with　my　cousin；　John　Roosevelt；
and　they　went　out　on　the　range　with　six　other　adventurers。　It　was　a
party　of　just　such　young　men　as　frequently　drift　to　the　frontier。　All
were　short　of　cash；　and　all　were　hardy；　vigorous　fellows；　eager　for
excitement　and　adventure。　My　brother　was　much　the　youngest　of　the
party；　and　the　least　experienced；　but　he　was　well…grown；　strong　and
healthy；　and　very　fond　of　boxing；　wrestling；　running；　riding；　and
shooting；　moreover；　he　had　served　an　apprenticeship　in　hunting　deer
and　turkeys。　Their　mess…kit；　ammunition；　bedding；　and　provisions　were
carried　in　two　prairie…wagons；　each　drawn　by　four　horse。　In　addition
to　the　teams　they　had　six　saddle…animalsall　of　them　shaggy；　unkempt
mustangs。　Three　or　four　dogs；　setters　and　half…bred　greyhounds；
trotted　along　behind　the　wagons。　Each　man　took　his　turn　for　two　days
as　teamster　and　cook；　and　there　were　always　two　with　the　wagons；　or
camp；　as　the　case　might　be；　while　the　other　six　were　off　hunting；
usually　in　couples。　The　expedition　was　undertaken　partly　for　sport　and
partly　with　the　hope　of　profit；　for；　after　purchasing　the　horses　and
wagons；　none　of　the　party　had　any　money　left；　and　they　were　forced　to
rely　upon　selling　skins　and　hides；　and；　when　near　the　forts；　meat。

They　started　on　January　2nd；　and　shaped　their　course　for　the　head…
waters　of　the　Salt　Fork　of　the　Brazos；　the　centre　of　abundance　for　the
great　buffalo　herds。　During　the　first　few　days　they　were　in　the
outskirts　of　the　settled　country；　and　shot　only　small　gamequail　and
prairie　fowl；　then　they　began　to　kill　turkey；　deer；　and　antelope。
These　they　swapped　for　flour　and　feed　at　the　ranches　or　squalid；
straggling　frontier　towns。　On　several　occasions　the　hunters　were　lost；
spending　the　night　out　in　the　open；　or　sleeping　at　a　ranch；　if　one　was
found。　Both　towns　and　ranches　were　filled　with　rough　customers；　all　of
my　brother's　companions　were　muscular；　hot…headed　fellows；　and　as　a
consequence　they　were　involved　in　several　savage　free　fights；　in
which；　fortunately；　nobody　was　seriously　hurt。　My　brother　kept　a　very
brief　diary；　the　entries　being　fairly　startling　from　their
conciseness。　A　number　of　times；　the　mention　of　their　arrival；　either
at　a　halting…place；　a　little　village；　or　a　rival　buffalo…camp　is
followed　by　the　laconic　remark；　〃big　fight；〃　or　〃big　row〃；　but　once
they　evidently　concluded　discretion　to　be　the　better　part　of　valor；
the　entry　for　January　20th　being；　〃On　the　roadpassed　through　Belknap
too　lively；　so　kept　on　to　the　Brazosvery　late。〃　The　buffalo…camps
in　particular　were　very　jealous　of　one　another；　each　party　regarding
itself　as　having　exclusive　right　to　the　range　it　was　the　first　to
find；　and　on　several　occasions　this　feeling　came　near　involving　my
brother　and　his　companions　in　serious　trouble。

While　slowly　driving　the　heavy　wagons　to　the　hunting　grounds　they
suffered　the　usual　hardships　of　plains　travel。　The　weather；　as　in　most
Texas　winters；　alternated　between　the　extremes　of　heat　and　cold。　There
had　been　little　rain；　in　consequence　water　was　scarce。　Twice　they　were
forced　to　cross　wild；　barren　wastes；　where　the　pools　had　dried　up；　and
they　suffered　terribly　from　thirst。　On　the　first　occasion　the　horses
were　in　good　condition；　and　they　travelled　steadily；　with　only
occasional　short　halts；　for　over　thirty…six　hours；　by　which　time　they
were　across　the　waterless　country。　The　journal　reads：　〃January　27th
Big　huntno　water；　and　we　left　Quinn's　blockhouse　this　morning　3　A。M。
on　the　go　all　nighthot。　January　28No　waterhotat　seven　we
struck　water；　and　by　eight　Stinking　Creekgrand　'hurrah。'　〃　On　the
second　occasion；　the　horses　were　weak　and　travelled　slowly；　so　the
party　went　forty…eight　hours　without　drinking。　〃February　19thPulled
on　twenty…one　milestrail　badfreezing　night；　no　water；　and　wolves
after　our　fresh　meat。　20Made　nineteen　miles　over　prairie；　again　only
mud；　no　water；　freezing　hardfrightful　thirst。　21stThirty　miles　to
Clear　Fork；　fresh　water。〃　These　entries　were　hurriedly　jotted　down　at
the　time；　by　a　boy　who　deemed　it　unmanly　to　make　any　especial　note　of
hardship　or　suffering；　but　every　plainsman　will　understand　the　real
agony　implied　in　working　hard　for　two　nights；　one　day；　and　portions　of
two　others；　without　water；　even　in　cool　weather。　During　the　last　few
miles　the　staggering　horses　were　only　just　able　to　drag　the　lightly
loaded　wagon；for　they　had　but　one　with　them　at　the　time；while　the
men　plodded　along　in　sullen　silence；　their　mouths　so　parched　that　they
could　hardly　utter　a　word。　My　own　hunting　and　ranching　were　done　in
the　north　where　there　is　more　water；　so　I　have　never　had　a　similar
experience。　Once　I　took　a　team　in　thirty…six　hours　across　a　country
where　there　was　no　water；　but　by　good　luck　it　rained　heavily　in　the
night；　so　that　the　horses　had　plenty　of