But He Would
Not Go Back One Step, Assuring Me That My Horse Was A Trained Hunter
And Accustomed To Such Sights.
Lieutenant Baldwin gained steadily on the buffalo, and in a
wonderfully short time both passed directly in front of us - within a
hundred feet, Faye said.
Lieutenant Baldwin was close upon him then,
his horse looking very small and slender by the side of the grand
animal that was taking easy, swinging strides, apparently without
effort and without speed, his tongue lolling at one side. But we could
see that the pace was really terrific - that Lieutenant Baldwin was
freely using the spur, and that his swift thoroughbred was stretched
out like a greyhound, straining every muscle in his effort to keep up.
He was riding close to the buffalo on his left, with revolver in his
right hand, and I wondered why he did not not shoot, but Faye said it
would be useless to fire then - that Lieutenant Baldwin must get up
nearer the shoulder, as a buffalo is vulnerable only in certain parts
of his body, and that a hunter of experience like Lieutenant Baldwin
would never think of shooting unless he could aim at heart or lungs.
My horse behaved very well - just whirling around a few times - but Faye
was kept busy a minute or two by his, for the poor horse was awfully
frightened, and lunged and reared and snorted; but I knew that he
could not unseat Faye, so I rather enjoyed it, for you know I had
wanted to go back a little!
Lieutenant Baldwin and the buffalo were soon far away, and when our
horses had quieted down we recalled that shots had been fired in
another direction, and looking about, we saw a pathetic sight.
Lieutenant Alden was on his horse, and facing him was an immense
buffalo, standing perfectly still with chin drawn in and horns to the
front, ready for battle. It was plain to be seen that the poor horse
was not enjoying the meeting, for every now and then he would try to
back away, or give a jump sideways. The buffalo was wounded and unable
to run, but he could still turn around fast enough to keep his head
toward the horse, and this he did every time Lieutenant Alden tried to
get an aim at his side.
There was no possibility of his killing him without assistance, and of
course the poor beast could not be abandoned in such a helpless
condition, so Faye decided to go over and worry him, while Lieutenant
Alden got in the fatal shot. As soon as Faye got there I put my
fingers over my ears so that I would not hear the report of the
pistol. After a while I looked across, and there was the buffalo still
standing, and both Faye and Lieutenant Alden were beckoning for me to
come to them. At first I could not understand what they wanted, and I
started to go over, but it finally dawned upon me that they were
actually waiting for me to come and kill that buffalo! I saw no glory
in shooting a wounded animal, so I turned my horse back again, but had
not gone far before I heard the pistol shot.
Then I rode over to see the huge animal, and found Faye and Lieutenant
Alden in a state of great excitement. They said he was a magnificent
specimen - unusually large, and very black - what they call a blue
skin - with a splendid head and beard. I had been exposed to a bitterly
cold wind, without the warming exercise of riding, for over an hour,
and my hands were so cold and stiff that I could scarcely hold the
reins, so they jumped me up on the shoulders of the warm body, and I
buried my hands in the long fur on his neck. He fell on his wounded
side, and looked precisely as though he was asleep - -so much so that I
half expected him to spring up and resent the indignity he was being
subjected to.
Very soon after that Faye and I came on home, reaching the post about
seven o'clock. We had been in our saddles most of the time for twelve
hours, on a cold day, and were tired and stiff, and when Faye tried to
assist me from my horse I fell to the ground in a heap. But I got
through the day very well, considering the very short time I have been
riding - that is, really riding. The hunt was a grand sight, and
something that probably I will never have a chance of seeing
again - and, to be honest, I do not want to see another, for the sight
of one of those splendid animals running for his life is not a
pleasant one.
The rest of the party did not come in until several hours later; but
they brought the meat and skins of four buffalo, and the head of
Lieutenant Alden's, which he will send East to be mounted. The skin he
intends to take to an Indian camp, to be tanned by the squaws.
Lieutenant Baldwin followed his buffalo until he got in the position
he wanted, and then killed him with one shot. Faye says that only a
cool head and experience could have done that. Much depends upon the
horse, too, for so many horses are afraid of a buffalo, and lunge
sideways just at the critical moment.
Several experienced hunters tell marvelous tales of how they have
stood within a few yards of a buffalo and fired shot after shot from a
Springfield rifle, straight at his head, the balls producing no effect
whatever, except, perhaps, a toss of the head and the flying out of a
tuft of hair. Every time the ball would glance off from the thick
skull. The wonderful mat of curly hair must break the force some, too.
This mat, or cushion, in between the horns of the buffalo Lieutenant
Alden killed, was so thick and tangled that I could not begin to get
my fingers in it.
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