128 HUNTING TRIPS 



they have to upset the wagon to get down 

 to it, nor how deep the mud is. When 

 tamed they do not seem to be as ferocious 

 as ordinary cattle that are allowed to go 

 free; but they are such strong, blundering 

 brutes that very few fences will hold them. 

 My men, in hunting buffalo, which was 

 with them an occasional occupation and not 

 a regular pursuit, used light Winchesters; 

 but the professional buffalo hunters carried 

 either 40-90 or 45-120 Sharps, than which 

 there are in the world no rifles more ac- 

 curate or powerful; with the larger-cali- 

 bred ones (45 or 50) a man could easily 

 kill an elephant. These weapons are ex- 

 cellent for very long range work, being 

 good for half a mile and over ; and some- 

 times the hunters were able to kill very many 

 buffalo at a time, owing to their curious 

 liability to fits of stupid, panic terror. 

 Sometimes when these panics seize them 

 they stampede and run off in headlong, 

 heedless flight, going over any thing in their 

 way. Once, in mid-winter, one of my men 



