hunting the grisly and other sketches-第3章

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slow　lope；　doubtless　intending　to　rejoin　the　herd　they　had　left。　After
a　moment's　consultation　the　men　went　in　pursuit；　excitement　overcoming
their　knowledge　that　they　ought　not；　by　rights；　to　leave　camp。　They
struck　a　steady　trot；　following　the　animals　by　sight　until　they　passed
over　a　knoll；　and　then　trailing　them。　Where　the　grass　was　long；　as　it
was　for　the　first　four　or　five　miles；　this　was　a　work　of　no
difficulty；　and　they　did　not　break　their　gait；　only　glancing　now　and
then　at　the　trial。　As　the　sun　rose　and　the　day　became　warm；　their
breathing　grew　quicker；　and　the　sweat　rolled　off　their　faces　as　they
ran　across　the　rough　prairie　sward；　up　and　down　the　long　inclines；　now
and　then　shifting　their　heavy　rifles　from　one　shoulder　to　the　other。
But　they　were　in　good　training；　and　they　did　not　have　to　halt。　At　last
they　reached　stretches　of　bare　ground；　sun…baked　and　grassless；　where
the　trail　grew　dim；　and　here　they　had　to　go　very　slowly；　carefully
examining　the　faint　dents　and　marks　made　in　the　soil　by　the　heavy
hoofs；　and　unravelling　the　trail　from　the　mass　of　old　footmarks。　It
was　tedious　work；　but　it　enabled　them　to　completely　recover　their
breath　by　the　time　that　they　again　struck　the　grassland；　and　but　a　few
hundred　yards　from　the　edge；　in　a　slight　hollow；　they　saw　the　four
buffaloes　just　entering　a　herd　of　fifty　or　sixty　that　were　scattered
out　grazing。　The　herd　paid　no　attention　to　the　new…comers；　and　these
immediately　began　to　feed　greedily。　After　a　whispered　consultation；
the　two　hunters　crept　back；　and　made　a　long　circle　that　brought　them
well　to　leeward　of　the　herd；　in　line　with　a　slight　rise　in　the　ground。
They　then　crawled　up　to　this　rise　and；　peering　through　the　tufts　of
tall；　rank　grass；　saw　the　unconscious　beasts　a　hundred　and　twenty…five
or　fifty　yards　away。　They　fired　together；　each　mortally　wounding　his
animal；　and　then；　rushing　in　as　the　herd　halted　in　confusion；　and
following　them　as　they　ran；　impeded　by　numbers；　hurry；　and　panic；　they
eventually　got　three　more。

On　another　occasion　the　same　two　hunters　nearly　met　with　a　frightful
death；　being　overtaken　by　a　vast　herd　of　stampeded　buffaloes。　All　the
animals　that　go　in　herds　are　subject　to　these　instantaneous　attacks　of
uncontrollable　terror；　under　the　influence　of　which　they　become
perfectly　mad；　and　rush　headlong　in　dense　masses　on　any　form　of　death。
Horses；　and　more　especially　cattle；　often　suffer　from　stampedes；　it　is
a　danger　against　which　the　cowboys　are　compelled　to　be　perpetually　on
guard。　A　band　of　stampeded　horses；　sweeping　in　mad　terror　up　a　valley；
will　dash　against　a　rock　or　tree　with　such　violence　as　to　leave
several　dead　animals　at　its　base；　while　the　survivors　race　on　without
halting；　they　will　overturn　and　destroy　tents　and　wagons；　and　a　man　on
foot　caught　in　the　rush　has　but　a　small　chance　for　his　life。　A　buffalo
stampede　is　much　worseor　rather　was　much　worse；　in　the　old　days
because　of　the　great　weight　and　immense　numbers　of　the　beasts；　which；
in　a　fury　of　heedless　terror；　plunged　over　cliffs　and　into　rivers；　and
bore　down　whatever　was　in　their　path。　On　the　occasion　in　question；　my
brother　and　cousin　were　on　their　way　homeward。　They　were　just　mounting
one　of　the　long；　low　swells；　into　which　the　prairie　was　broken；　when
they　heard　a　low；　muttering；　rumbling　noise；　like　far…off　thunder。　It
grew　steadily　louder；　and；　not　knowing　what　it　meant；　they　hurried
forward　to　the　top　of　the　rise。　As　they　reached　it；　they　stopped　short
in　terror　and　amazement；　for　before　them　the　whole　prairie　was　black
with　madly　rushing　buffaloes。

Afterward　they　learned　that　another　couple　of　hunters；　four　or　five
miles　off；　had　fired　into　and　stampeded　a　large　herd。　This　herd；　in
its　rush；　gathered　others；　all　thundering　along　together　in
uncontrollable　and　increasing　panic。

The　surprised　hunters　were　far　away　from　any　broken　ground　or　other
place　of　refuge；　while　the　vast　herd　of　huge；　plunging；　maddened
beasts　was　charging　straight　down　on　them　not　a　quarter　of　a　mile
distant。　Down　they　came！thousands　upon　thousands；　their　front
extending　a　mile　in　breadth；　while　the　earth　shook　beneath　their
thunderous　gallop；　and；　as　they　came　closer；　their　shaggy　frontlets
loomed　dimly　through　the　columns　of　dust　thrown　up　from　the　dry　soil。
The　two　hunters　knew　that　their　only　hope　for　life　was　to　split　the
herd；　which；　though　it　had　so　broad　a　front；　was　not　very　deep。　If
they　failed　they　would　inevitably　be　trampled　to　death。

Waiting　until　the　beasts　were　in　close　range；　they　opened　a　rapid　fire
from　their　heavy　breech…loading　rifles；　yelling　at　the　top　of　their
voices。　For　a　moment　the　result　seemed　doubtful。　The　line　thundered
steadily　down　on　them；　then　it　swayed　violently；　as　two　or　three　of
the　brutes　immediately　in　front　fell　beneath　the　bullets；　while　their
neighbors　made　violent　efforts　to　press　off　sideways。　Then　a　narrow
wedge…shaped　rift　appeared　in　the　line；　and　widened　as　it　came　closer；
and　the　buffaloes；　shrinking　from　their　foes　in　front；　strove
desperately　to　edge　away　from　the　dangerous　neighborhood；　the　shouts
and　shots　were　redoubled；　the　hunters　were　almost　choked　by　the　cloud
of　dust；　through　which　they　could　see　the　stream　of　dark　huge　bodies
passing　within　rifle…length　on　either　side；　and　in　a　moment　the　peril
was　over；　and　the　two　men　were　left　alone　on　the　plain；　unharmed；
though　with　their　nerves　terribly　shaken。　The　herd　careered　on　toward
the　horizon；　save　five　individuals　which　had　been　killed　or　disabled
by　the　shots。

On　another　occasion；　when　my　brother　was　out　with　one　of　his　friends；
they　fired　at　a　small　herd　containing　an　old　bull；　the　bull　charged
the　smoke；　and　the　whole　herd　followed　him。　Probably　they　were　simply
stampeded；　and　had　no　hostile　intention；　at　any　rate；　after　the　death
of　their　leader；　they　rushed　by　without　doing　any　damage。

But　buffaloes　sometimes　charged　with　the　utmost　determination；　and
were　then　dangerous　antagonists。　My　cousin；　a　very　hardy　and　resolute
hunter；　had　a　narrow　escape　from　a　wounded　cow　which　he　had　followed
up　a　steep　bluff　or　sand　cliff。　Just　as　he　reached　the　summit；　he　was
charged；　and　was　only　saved　by　the　sudden　appearance　of　his　dog；　which
distracted　the　cow's　attention。　He　thus　escaped　with　only　a　tumble　and
a　few　bruises。

My　brother　also　came　in　for　a　charge；　while　killing　the　biggest　bull
that　was　slain　by　any　of　the　party。　He　was　out　alone；　and　saw　a　small
herd　of　cows　and　calves　at　some　distance；　with　a　huge　bull　among　them；
towering　above　them　like　a　giant。　There　was　no　break　in　the　ground；
nor　any　tree　nor　bush　near　them；　but；　by　making　a　half…circle；　my
brother　managed　to　creep　up　against　the　wind　behind　a　slight　roll　in
the　prairie　surface；　until　he　was　within　seventy…five　yards　of　the
grazing　and　unconscious　beasts。　There　were　some　cows　and　calves
between　him　and　the　bull；　and　he　had　to　wait　some　moments　before　they
shifted　position；　as　the　herd　grazed　onward　and　gave　him　a　fair　shot；
in　the　interval　they　had　moved　so　far　forward　that　he　was　in　plain
view。　His　first　bullet　struck　just　behind　the　shoulders；　the　herd
started　and　looked　around；　but　the　bull　merely　lifted　his　head　and
took　a　step　forward；　his　tail　curled　up　over　his　back。　The　next　bullet
likewise　struck　fair；　nearly　in　the　same　place；　telling　with　a　loud
〃pack！〃　against　the　thick　hide；　and　making　the　dust　fly　up　from　the
matted　hair。　Instantly　the　great　bull　wheeled　and　charged　in　headlong
anger；　while　the　herd　fled　in　the　opposite　direction。　On　the　bare
prairie；　with　no　spot　of　refuge；　it　was　useless　to　try　to　escape；　and
the　hunter；　with　reloaded　rifle；　waited　until　the　bull　was　not　far
off；　then　drew　up　his　weapon　and　fired。　Either　he　was　nervous；　or　the
bull　at　the　moment　bounded　over　some　obstacle；　for　the　bullet　went　a
little　wild；　nevertheless；　by　good　luck；　it　broke　a　fore…leg；　and　the
great　beast　came　crashing　to　the　earth；　and　was　slain　before　it　could
struggle　to　its　feet。

Two　days　after　this　even；　a　war　party　of　Comanches　swept　down　along
the　river。　They　〃jumped〃　a　neighboring　camp；　killing　one　man　and
wounding　two　more；　and　at　the　same　time　ran　off　all　but　three　of　the
horses　belon