OCR Text |
Show IO4 FORTY YEARS AMONG THE INDIANS. we found it would last us till the promised provisions could arrive, which would be about the ist of May. There were twenty of us now. We quit ration-ing and ate all we wanted. As may be imagined, some big eating was done. Now the food soon began to diminish very fast. At this time we could go to the Platte bridge and get provisions, but on calling the com-pany together all hands agreed to make the meat last by again rationing. We could do this quite easily, allowing one and a half pounds per day. We lived a few days on these rations and all seemed content. One day Brother Hampton and I were out and on returning to the fort we learned that a small herd of buf-falo had been seen passing within three miles of the fort. All hands were excited, as they were the first seen for a long time. The boys were all sure that Ben and I could get meat and we could again go to feasting. We started out and soon came in sight of the buffalo feeding. We dismounted and crept close to them, but just as we got in shooting distance it commenced to snow so hard that we could not see to shoot with any certainty. We sat there trying to get sight of a buffalo until our fingers were too much benumbed to hold our guns. I had brought an extra gun in anticipation of having to chase the buffalo on horseback. We concluded to blaze away, hit or miss, and then take to our horses and have a run-ning shot. At the crack of our guns all the herd ran away. We mounted and started in pursuit. The horse I was riding could easily outrun the buf-falo, but for the life of me I could not get him up along side of one. When I would follow straight behind he would get within about twenty- five yards, but when I would try to get him up nearer he would bolt and run off to one side. This game we kept up for some time. |