216 CRUISINGS IN THE CASCADES 



place to unload, and were quickly surrounded by a 

 crowd of eager inquirers who sought for news from 

 the front. 



Some inquired as to the nature of the country, 

 some as to the progress of settlements, some as to- 

 friends who were at the front, and many as to the 

 buffalo herd from which the five thousand skins 

 brought in by this train had been taken. 



' ' The main herd, ' ' said the wagon boss, * ' is two- 

 hundred miles west on the headwaters of the Brazos 

 river. " 



' ' How large a herd is it?' ' 



"Nobody knows that, for none of 'em has took 

 time to ride to the west end of it." 



"Are there many hunters there?" inquired a 

 young St. Louis lawyer. 



"WalT, you'd reckon," said the boss. '*Tha's 

 'bout a hundred and fifty white hunters, and more'n 

 a thousand red-skins.' ' 



" When do you start back?" 



"To-morrow mornin', if I can keep my bull 

 punchers from gettin' full of pizen. ' ' 



The crowd gradually scattered, while a little knot 

 of the more respectable element repaired to the hotel 

 to discuss the question of organizing a hunting 

 party to go to the buffalo range. In an hour they 

 agreed to go, the time for the start being fixed for 

 the morning of the second day following. 



And then the busy notes of preparation were 

 heard throughout the town. But few of the men 

 who decided to go were prepared for such a trip, 

 and it was necessary for most of them to buy or hire 

 complete outfits. Horses were the first and most 



