132 GAME. 



indicated the slaughter that, from want of skill in shoot- 

 ing, and want of knowledge in preserving the hides of 

 those slain, on the part of these green hunters, one hide 

 sent to market represented three, four, or even five dead 

 buffalo. 



The merchants of the small towns along the railroads 

 were not slow to take advantage of this new opening. 

 They furnished outfits, arms, ammunition, &c., to needy 

 parties, and established great trades, by which many now 

 ride in their carriages. 



The buffalo melted away like snow before a summer's 

 sun. Congress talked of interfering, but only talked. 

 Winter and summer, in season and out of season, the 

 slaughter went on. 



The fall of 1873 saw an immense accession of hunters ; 

 but by this time the local merchants, recognising its im - 

 portance, had got the trade pretty well into their own 

 hands. Most of the hunting parties were sent out by 

 them, and w T ere organised for even a greater destruction 

 of buffalo, and with more care for the proper preservation 

 of the hides and meat. Central depots were established 

 in localities where buffalo were plentiful. Parties were 

 sent out from these which every few days brought back 

 their spoil. Houses were built for smoking and corning 

 the meat, and, though the waste was still incalculable, 

 the results would be incredible but that the figures are 

 taken from official statistics. 



In 1871-2 there was apparently no limit to the num- 

 bers of buffalo. 



In 1872 I was stationed at Fort Dodge, on the 

 Arkansas, and was not on many hunting excursions. 

 Except that one or two would be shot, as occasion re- 

 quired, for beef, no attention whatever was paid to 

 buffalo, though our march led through countless throngs, 

 unless there were strangers with us. In the fall of that 

 year three English gentlemen went out with me for a 

 short hunt, and in their excitement bagged more buffalo 



