'•a* *&&' 
77 J£ STORY OF THE BUFFALO. 135 
quently, indeed, trains on that line were derailed in attempting to pass through 
herds of buffalo', until the engineers learned it was advisable to bring their 
engines to a standstill when they found the line blocked in this manner. 
When I was on the Arkansas river in 1867 the whole country appeared one 
great mass of buffalo moving slowly to the northward; and it was only when 
actually among them that it could be ascertained that the apparently solid mass 
was an agglomeration of numerous small herds, of from fifty to two hundred 
animals, separated from the surrounding herds by greater or less space, but still 
A FAMILY OF AMERICAN BUFFALO OR BISON. 
separated. The buffalo' on the hills, seeing an unusual object in their rear, 
started at full speed directly towards me, stampeding and bringing with them 
the numberless herds through which they passed, and pouring down upon all 
the herds, no longer separated, but one immense compact mass of plunging 
animals. 
In their periodical journeys across the country in search of water regular 
tracks were formed by the buffalo', and as the water was approached several 
