which I could conceal myself, and by walking upon my hands and 

 feet closely imitate the appearance and movements of the bison. 



Noticing a large herd moving toward the river, one fine morn- 

 ing, I cai^ef ully approached, having previously pi^epared a half dozen 

 revolvers within the framework of my dummy buffalo, the muzzle 

 of each revolver just penetrating through the skin, and firmly 

 fastened inside, with strings attached to the triggers. The herd 

 was moving quite rapidl}'^, and I stationed myself directl}^ in their 

 course, intending to fire a broadside and stampede the animals. At 

 the first round, however, the herd instead of scattering pressed on 

 more swiftly toward the river, and in a moment I found myself in 

 the center of a vast throng of maddened animals, parched with thirst 

 and eager to reach the water. 



Escape ^vas impossible for me, but fortunately the ranks 

 pressed so closely together that I was carried along by the force of 

 the moving body, as by an avalanche. I fired several f usilades from 

 the revolvers as the herd shifted, changing my position toward the 

 rear, as the infuriated animals crowded past me. Apparently the shots 

 were without effect. To my horror, I soon observed that the course of 

 the herd diverted from their original course, was directl}'^ toward an 

 immense cliff overlooking the river, but I was unable to extricate myself. 

 The strong framework about me prevented instant death from the crush- 

 ing force on either side. Within a moment, as it seemed to me, I found 

 myself upon the verge of the precipice, and was forced headlong into the 

 stream amid the falling bodies of thousands of buffalo. The structure 

 which I had prepared was airtight, except the apertures I had made 

 through which I could breathe ; therefore, while the animals floundered 

 and many of them were drowned in the stampede, I floated down the 

 stream and over the falls a short distance below the cliff. Drifting near 

 shore, upon a sandbar, I was enabled to drag myself upon the bank where 

 I lay for a short time exhausted. 



Upon glancing toward the river I saw that it was full of the dead 

 bodies of buffalo, and what was more surprising, all of my shots must have 

 taken deadly effect, as the current was red with blood. From that day to 

 this, the stream has been knfown as the Red River of the North, and the 

 last herd of buffalo was exterminated, greatly to my regret, in this singular 

 hunt which I had originated. 



89 



