THE BUFFALO. 283 



A most singular accident occurred, many years since, 

 during the march of a party of these half-breeds in search 

 of Buffaloes, While the long line of slow-moving carts was 

 crawling over the plain, a large bull Buffalo was seen on 

 the left, running rapidly toward the caravan, at right- 

 angles with its line of march. His course was down the 

 wind, which blew strongly, and consequently he neither 

 heard nor smelled the carts until close upon them. The 

 men scattered along the left side of the train, supposing 

 that when the Buffalo should see the caravan he would 

 swerve to the right or left. They were amazed, however, 

 to see that the huge bull, detecting at last the immediate 

 presence of his foes, and seeing at the same instant a 

 gap in the close line of carts, charged straight for it, 

 to go through the line. At this a loud cry was raised, 

 which attracted the attention of a man on the other side 

 of the carts, and seeing the gap, he also attempted to run 

 through it, to learn the cause of the unexpected uproar. 

 Just as the Buffalo entered the gap, the man, sliglitly in 

 advance of the opening, ran around the tail of the cart, 

 and caught sight of his dreaded foe at the very instant of 

 the impending collision. Instantly lowering his massive 

 head, the great bull, with a vicious upward stroke of the 

 terrible black horn, caught the poor fellow under the chin, 

 and, with instantly broken neck, he was hurled high in the 

 air, to fall limp and dead upon the ground, while the great 

 brute galloped away over tlie plain, leaving the companions 

 of the fated man too stupefied with horror to avenge his 

 death. 



Three principal causes of the extermination of the Buf- 

 falo followed in regular order. First, the introduction 

 of the licpior traffic among the Indians of the plains, 

 thereby stimulating the slaughter of the Buffaloes, and the 

 dressing of robes with which to purcluise this fiery curse 

 of the Indian race. The unscrupulous liquor-trader sought 

 the gathering-places of the western tribes, and, at the fre- 

 quent risk of his own life, conducted his infamous traffic, 



