The Extermination of the American BisonHornaday, William T. (William Temple)
History
The Extermination of the American Bison
Hornaday, William T. (William Temple)
American bison; Wildlife conservation -- United States -- Sources
Although we removed the skin very quickly, and lost no time in again
starting the wagon to our permanent camp, the delay occasioned by the
death of our twentieth buffalo,--which occurred on November 20,
precisely two months from the date of our leaving Washington to collect
twenty buffalo, it possible,--caused us all to be caught in a
snow-storm, which burst upon us from the northwest. The wagon had to be
abandoned about 12 miles from camp in the bad lands. Mr. Brown packed
the bedding on one of the horses and rode the other, he and Boyd
reaching camp about 9 o'clock that night in a blinding snow-storm. Of
coarse the skins in the wagon were treated with preservatives and
covered up. It proved to be over a week that the wagon and its load had
to remain thus abandoned before it was possible to get to it and bring
it to camp, and even then the task was one of great difficulty. In this
connection I can not refrain from recording the fact that the services
rendered by Mr. W. Harvey Brown on all such trying occasions as the
above were invaluable. He displayed the utmost zeal and intelligence,
not only in the more agreeable kinds of work and sport incident to the
hunt, but also in the disagreeable drudgery, such as team-driving and
working on half-frozen specimens in bitter cold weather.
The storm which set in on the 20th soon developed into a regular
blizzard. A fierce and bitter cold wind swept down from the northwest,
driving the snow before it in blinding gusts. Had our camp been poorly
sheltered we would have suffered, but at it was we were fairly
comfortable.
Having thus completed our task (of getting twenty buffaloes), we were
anxious to get out of that fearful country before we should get caught
in serious difficulties with the weather, and it was arranged that
Private C. S. West should ride to Fort Keogh as soon as possible, with a
request for transportation. By the third day, November 23, the storm had
abated sufficiently that Private West declared his willingness to start.
It was a little risky, but as he was to make only 10 miles the first day
and stop at the =N=-bar camp on Sand Creek, it was thought safe to let
him go. He dressed himself warmly, took my revolver, in order not to be
hampered with a rifle, and set out.
The next day was clear and fine, and we remarked it as an assurance of
Mr. West's safety during his ride from Sand Creek to the =LU=-bar ranch,
his second stopping-place. The distance was about 25 miles, through bad
lands all the way, and it was the only portion of the route which caused
me anxiety for our courier's safety. The snow on the levels was less
than 6 inches deep, the most of it having been blown into drifts and
hollows; but although the coulées were all filled level to the top, our
courier was a man of experience and would know how to avoid them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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