IN THE FAR WEST. 197 



in the cloud I would not, in all probability, have seen or heard 

 it, and the consequence might have been disastrous to me. 

 Even as it was, I had to fire at those on the flank towards me 

 to make them give way to the left, as I was afraid they would 

 crowd on me, and entangle me in their midst, and injure, if 

 not kill, me. My efforts proved successful in a short time, and 

 they left a large space of ground between us. 



After I had marked the position of the slain animals, I rode 

 back in search of my companions, and on reaching a piece 

 of rising ground, beheld one of the most spirited hunting 

 scenes imaginable. The prairie, as far as I could see, was 

 dotted with rushing herds, and running after them were 

 several bodies of horsemen, while numerous puffs of blue 

 smoke hung around them in clouds. I could see some fall 

 occasionally, and knew that a havoc was being committed 

 among them. It seemed a pity to destroy them so mercilessly, 

 and on stating my opinion to a farmer at a later hour in the 

 day, he responded to my sentiment by saying that he would 

 be very glad to see the day that the buffaloes disappeared in the 

 Republican Valley, as they ate up grass enough to support thou- 

 sands, and perhaps millions of domestic cattle, and they brought 

 thieving Indians and unprincipled hide-hunters in their train, 

 and between all three the farmers suffered more than their share 

 of annoyance. He had no sentimental love for the shaggy 

 quadruped, for in his estimation it " wasn't nothin' but a 

 good-for-nothin' critter, that wasn't good for nothin' but to 

 feed Injuns and eat up the food of the regular cattle." Others 

 in the same region held his opinion, so it is evident that the 

 presence of the buffalo is not considered an unmixed blessing. 



On my way back I noticed that wolves were making it 

 rather lively for wounded animals, or those that strayed from 

 the herds. I overtook one of the gray species, and as it did 

 not attempt to escape, I dismounted and gave it a kick, but 

 the poor brute was evidently sick, for it yelped with pain, but 

 did not accelerate its pace. Knowing that it would soon 

 be out of its misery, I did not molest it further, and passed 

 on. In a short time afterwards I noticed a pack of prairie 

 wolves chasing a calf that looked thorough! v pumped, and was 



