hunting the grisly and other sketches-第2章

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night；　so　that　the　horses　had　plenty　of　wet　grass；　and　I　caught　the
rain　in　my　slicker；　and　so　had　enough　water　for　myself。　Personally；　I
have　but　once　been　as　long　as　twenty…six　hours　without　water。

The　party　pitched　their　permanent　camp　in　a　canyon　of　the　Brazos　known
as　Canyon　Blanco。　The　last　few　days　of　their　journey　they　travelled
beside　the　river　through　a　veritable　hunter's　paradise。　The　drought
had　forced　all　the　animals　to　come　to　the　larger　water…courses；　and
the　country　was　literally　swarming　with　game。　Every　day；　and　all　day
long；　the　wagons　travelled　through　the　herds　of　antelopes　that　grazed
on　every　side；　while；　whenever　they　approached　the　canyon　brink；　bands
of　deer　started　from　the　timber　that　fringed　the　river's　course；
often；　even　the　deer　wandered　out　on　the　prairie　with　the　antelope。
Nor　was　the　game　shy；　for　the　hunters；　both　red　and　white；　followed
only　the　buffaloes；　until　the　huge；　shaggy　herds　were　destroyed；　and
the　smaller　beasts　were　in　consequence　but　little　molested。

Once　my　brother　shot　five　antelopes　from　a　single　stand；　when　the
party　were　short　of　fresh　venison；　he　was　out　of　sight　and　to　leeward；
and　the　antelopes　seemed　confused　rather　than　alarmed　at　the　rifle…
reports　and　the　fall　of　their　companions。　As　was　to　be　expected　where
game　was　so　plenty；　wolves　and　coyotes　also　abounded。　At　night　they
surrounded　the　camp；　wailing　and　howling　in　a　kind　of　shrieking　chorus
throughout　the　hours　of　darkness；　one　night　they　came　up　so　close　that
the　frightened　horses　had　to　be　hobbled　and　guarded。　On　another
occasion　a　large　wolf　actually　crept　into　camp；　where　he　was　seized　by
the　dogs；　and　the　yelling；　writhing　knot　of　combatants　rolled　over　one
of　the　sleepers；　finally；　the　long…toothed　prowler　managed　to　shake
himself　loose；　and　vanished　in　the　gloom。　One　evening　they　were　almost
as　much　startled　by　a　visit　of　a　different　kind。　They　were　just
finishing　supper　when　an　Indian　stalked　suddenly　and　silently　out　of
the　surrounding　darkness；　squatted　down　in　the　circle　of　firelight；
remarked　gravely；　〃Me　Tonk；〃　and　began　helping　himself　from　the　stew。
He　belonged　to　the　friendly　tribe　of　Tonkaways；　so　his　hosts　speedily
recovered　their　equanimity；　as　for　him；　he　had　never　lost　his；　and　he
sat　eating　by　the　fire　until　there　was　literally　nothing　left　to　eat。
The　panic　caused　by　his　appearance　was　natural；　for　at　that　time　the
Comanches　were　a　scourge　to　the　Buffalo…hunters；　ambushing　them　and
raiding　their　camps；　and　several　bloody　fights　had　taken　place。

Their　camp　had　been　pitched　near　a　deep　pool　or　water…hole。　On　both
sides　the　bluffs　rose　like　walls；　and　where　they　had　crumbled　and　lost
their　sheerness；　the　vast　buffalo　herds；　passing　and　repassing　for
countless　generations；　had　worn　furrowed　trails　so　deep　that　the　backs
of　the　beasts　were　but　little　above　the　surrounding　soil。　In　the
bottom；　and　in　places　along　the　crests　of　the　cliffs　that　hemmed　in
the　canyon…like　valley；　there　were　groves　of　tangled　trees；　tenanted
by　great　flocks　of　wild　turkeys。　Once　my　brother　made　two　really
remarkable　shots　at　a　pair　of　these　great　birds。　It　was　at　dusk；　and
they　were　flying　directly　overhead　from　one　cliff　to　the　other。　He　had
in　his　hand　a　thirty…eight　calibre　Ballard　rifle；　and；　as　the　gobblers
winged　their　way　heavily　by；　he　brought　both　down　with　two　successive
bullets。　This　was　of　course　mainly　a　piece　of　mere　luck；　but　it　meant
good　shooting；　too。　The　Ballard　was　a　very　accurate；　handy　little
weapon；　it　belonged　to　me；　and　was　the　first　rifle　I　ever　owned　or
used。　With　it　I　had　once　killed　a　deer；　the　only　specimen　of　large
game　I　had　then　shot；　and　I　presented　the　rifle　to　my　brother　when　he
went　to　Texas。　In　our　happy　ignorance　we　deemed　it　quite　good　enough
for　Buffalo　or　anything　else；　but　out　on　the　plains　my　brother　soon
found　himself　forced　to　procure　a　heavier　and　more　deadly　weapon。

When　camp　was　pitched　the　horses　were　turned　loose　to　graze　and
refresh　themselves　after　their　trying　journey；　during　which　they　had
lost　flesh　woefully。　They　were　watched　and　tended　by　the　two　men　who
were　always　left　in　camp；　and；　save　on　rare　occasions；　were　only　used
to　haul　in　the　buffalo　hides。　The　camp…guards　for　the　time　being　acted
as　cooks；　and；　though　coffee　and　flour　both　ran　short　and　finally　gave
out；　fresh　meat　of　every　kind　was　abundant。　The　camp　was　never　without
buffalo…beef；　deer　and　antelope　venison；　wild　turkeys；　prairie…
chickens；　quails；　ducks；　and　rabbits。　The　birds　were　simply　〃potted；〃
as　occasion　required；　when　the　quarry　was　deer　or　antelope；　the
hunters　took　the　dogs　with　them　to　run　down　the　wounded　animals。　But
almost　the　entire　attention　of　the　hunters　was　given　to　the　buffalo。
After　an　evening　spent　in　lounging　round　the　campfire　and　a　sound
night's　sleep；　wrapped　in　robes　and　blankets；　they　would　get　up　before
daybreak；　snatch　a　hurried　breakfast；　and　start　off　in　couples　through
the　chilly　dawn。　The　great　beasts　were　very　plentiful；　in　the　first
day's　hunt　twenty　were　slain；　but　the　herds　were　restless　and　ever　on
the　move。　Sometimes　they　would　be　seen　right　by　the　camp；　and　again　it
would　need　an　all…day's　tramp　to　find　them。　There　was　no　difficulty　in
spying　themthe　chief　trouble　with　forest　game；　for　on　the　prairie　a
buffalo　makes　no　effort　to　hide　and　its　black；　shaggy　bulk　looms　up　as
far　as　the　eye　can　see。　Sometimes　they　were　found　in　small　parties　of
three　or　four　individuals；　sometimes　in　bands　of　about　two　hundred；
and　again　in　great　herds　of　many　thousands；　and　solitary　old　bulls；
expelled　from　the　herds；　were　common。　If　on　broken　land；　among　the
hills　and　ravines；　there　was　not　much　difficulty　in　approaching　from
the　leeward；　for；　though　the　sense　of　smell　in　the　buffalo　is　very
acute；　they　do　not　see　well　at　a　distance　through　their　overhanging
frontlets　of　coarse　and　matted　hair。　If；　as　was　generally　the　case；
they　were　out　in　the　open；　rolling　prairie；　the　stalking　was　far　more
difficult。　Every　hollow；　every　earth　hummock　and　sagebush　had　to　be
used　as　cover。　The　hunter　wriggled　through　the　grass　flat　on　his　face；
pushing　himself　along　for　perhaps　a　quarter　of　a　mile　by　his　toes　and
fingers；　heedless　of　the　spiny　cactus。　When　near　enough　to　the　huge；
unconscious　quarry　the　hunter　began　firing；　still　keeping　himself
carefully　concealed。　If　the　smoke　was　blown　away　by　the　wind；　and　if
the　buffaloes　caught　no　glimpse　of　the　assailant；　they　would　often
stand　motionless　and　stupid　until　many　of　their　number　had　been　slain；
the　hunter　being　careful　not　to　fire　too　high；　aiming　just　behind　the
shoulder；　about　a　third　of　the　way　up　the　body；　that　his　bullet　might
go　through　the　lungs。　Sometimes；　even　after　they　saw　the　man；　they
would　act　as　if　confused　and　panic…struck；　huddling　together　and
staring　at　the　smoke　puffs；　but　generally　they　were　off　at　a　lumbering
gallop　as　soon　as　they　had　an　idea　of　the　point　of　danger。　When　once
started；　they　ran　for　many　miles　before　halting；　and　their　pursuit　on
foot　was　extremely　laborious。

One　morning　my　cousin　and　brother　had　been　left　in　camp　as　guards。
They　were　sitting　idly　warming　themselves　in　the　first　sunbeams；　when
their　attention　was　sharply　drawn　to　four　buffaloes　that　were　coming
to　the　pool　to　drink。　The　beasts　came　down　a　game　trail；　a　deep　rut　in
the　bluff；　fronting　where　they　were　sitting；　and　they　did　not　dare　to
stir　for　fear　of　being　discovered。　The　buffaloes　walked　into　the　pool；
and　after　drinking　their　fill；　stood　for　some　time　with　the　water
running　out　of　their　mouths；　idly　lashing　their　sides　with　their　short
tails；　enjoying　the　bright　warmth　of　the　early　sunshine；　then；　with
much　splashing　and　the　gurgling　of　soft　mud；　they　left　the　pool　and
clambered　up　the　bluff　with　unwieldy　agility。　As　soon　as　they　turned；
my　brother　and　cousin　ran　for　their　rifles；　but　before　they　got　back
the　buffaloes　had　crossed　the　bluff　crest。　Climbing　after　them；　the
two　hunters　found；　when　they　reached　the　summit；　that　their　game；
instead　of　halting；　had　struck　straight　off　across　the　prairie　at　a
slow　lope；　doubtless　intending　to　rejoin　the　herd　they　had　left。　After
a　moment's　consultation　the　men　went　in