146 The Bison 



feeding ground, and there we left it, and there it 

 remained until spring, and would, no doubt, have 

 remained longer, but, unluckily, the Seventh Cav- 

 alry, under General Custer, rode in upon it, as 

 they came down the creek to the post for sup- 

 plies, after their unsuccessful chase after the 

 Cheyennes, who had run away from General 

 Hancock. General Custer detailed two troops 

 with orders to secure meat for the command. 

 After chasing it, and killing forty-four head, the 

 herd was scattered, and never returned. The 

 herd supplied the post (consisting of about three 

 hundred officers and men) with fresh beef from 

 October 16, 1866, until about April 20, 1867." 



The buffalo calf, when captured very young, 

 was easily tamed. Indeed, nothing more was 

 needed at times than to permit the calf to suck 

 the fingers for a moment or two, when it would 

 follow the rider into camp, and seemed to be 

 wholly without fear of man. As already stated, 

 when very young it is hidden by its mother, and, 

 like the young of deer, elk, antelope, and other 

 ruminants, it can then be captured, and makes 

 no effort to escape. This, by many writers, has 

 been denounced as stupidity and dulness. As 

 a matter of fact, it is merely following out the 



