30 A CALIFORNIA TRAMP. 



while the rem^tinder, now scrawny skeletons, were wandering 

 around or browsing on the willows bordering the river, the 

 snow-bound men witnessed a strange sight. A band of buf- 

 faloes came floundering through the snow on the road to water, 

 after getting which they went among the oxen. The buffaloes, 

 as if commiserating their bovine neighbors, licked their faces 

 and in other ways showed their good feeling. Suddenly a low 

 bellow was heard, and in a moment the mingled band of buf- 

 faloes and oxen were moving from the river and over the sand 

 hill. The whole party disappeared from view, leaving the 

 teamsters in a sad plight: a dreary winter before them, and no 

 fuel but the willows along the river. After much suffering 

 they were relieved in the spring. 



Of course we could not divert the course of the buffaloes, 

 the best we could do was to keep our cattle away from them. 

 The continued muttering of the former kept the latter restless, 

 and we were kept busy until morning in preventing the oxen 

 from wandering awa}^ We could hear through the darkness 

 the buffaloes as they jumped down the bank into the river, or 

 their bellowing as they scrambled back. We were glad when 

 the sun rose, when driving our cattle to the corral, we were 

 ready for another weary drive. 



Wherever there are buffaloes there are Indians. Hitherto we 

 had only seen the tame variety hanging around the trading 

 posts, some naked from their shaved heads to their bare feet, 

 with the exception of a tribute to modesty in the shape of an 

 apron, a world too scant. In the forenoon we were favored 

 with a sight of the unadulterated article, untainted with 

 civilization, mounted on horses and brave with paint, feathers 

 and silver ornaments. They seemed friendly and shouted the 

 customary salutation of " How ! How ! " at us. Not to be be- 

 hind in courtesy we also said " How !" Their chief wants here 

 below were whisky and tobacco, in which they showed a great 

 resemblance to the noble white man. They traveled with us 

 awhile and then galloped away. 



