Texas, South Central, 1684-1687, Several of the French adventurers were badly gored by buffalo.
Louisiana -1686- LaSalle when he returned from journeying north and crossing the Colorado River and came back to find his men worn and tattered, he then decided to find one of his traveling companions who headed for the Mississippi, while LaSalle was out exploring the land north. – The proposition was a good one, and La Salle determined to take only the bravest and the strongest; to travel eastward; to reach the Mississippi, and to find, if possible, his brave and noble companion in arms. This was a wonderful trip. The valiant Frenchman and his companions crossed unknown rivers, broad prairies, and flat plateaus. A crocodile seized one of the soldiers by the leg and dragged him to destruction, in one instance; in another, several of the French adventurers were badly gored by buffalo.
Before 1799 ” My grandfather was killed in the chase of the chamois; my father was killed also; and I am so certain that I shall be killed myself, that I call this bag, which I always carry hunting, my winding-sheet. I am sure that I shall have no other; and yet, if you were to offer to make my fortune upon the condition that I should renounce the chase of the chamois, I should refuse your kindness. ” (A chamois-hunter, Chamois is an animal apart of the Bovidae)
O
ne Horn – Catlin 1844
*Several years after I painted the portrait of this extraordinary man, and whilst I was delivering my Lectures in the City of New York, I first received intelligence of his death, in the following singular manner : —I was on the platform in my Lecture- room, in the Stuyvesant Institute, with an audience of twelve or fourteen hundred persons, in the midst of whom were seated a delegation of thirty or forty Sioux Indians under the charge of Major Pilcher, their agent; and I was successfully passing before their eyes the portraits of a number of Sioux chiefs, and making my remarks upon them. The Sioux instantly recognised each one as it was exhibited, which they instantly hailed by a sharp and startling yelp. But when the portrait of this chief was placed before them, instead of the usual recognition, each one placed his hand over his mouth, and gave a “ hush—sh— ” and hung down their heads, their usual expressions of grief in case of a death. From this sudden emotion, I knew instantly, that the chief must be dead, and so expressed my belief to the audience. I stopped my Lecture a few moments to converse with Major Pilcher who was by my side, and who gave me the following extraordinary account of his death, which I immediately related to the audience; and which being translated to the Sioux Indians, their chief arose and addressed himself to the audience, saying that the account was true, and that Ha-wan-je-tah was killed but a few days before they left home. The account which Major Pilcher gave was nearly as follows : —
“ But a few weeks before I left the Sioux country with the delegation, Ha-wan-je-tah (the one horn) had in some way been the accidental cause of the death of his only son, a very fine youth ; and so great was the anguish of his mind at times, that he became frantic and insane. In one of these moods he mounted his favourite war-horse with his bow and his arrows in his hand, and dashed off at full speed upon the prairies, repeating the most solemn oath, ‘ that he would .slay the first living thing that fell in his way, be it man or beast, or friend or foe.’
“No one dared to follow him, and after he had been absent an hour or two, his horse came back to the village with two arrows in its body, and covered with blood ! Fears of the most serious kind were now entertained for the fate of the chief, and a party of warriors immediately mounted their horses, and retraced the animal’s tracks to the place of the tragedy, where they found the body of their chief horribly mangled and gored by a buffalo bull, whose carcass was stretched by the side of him.“
A close examination of the ground was then made by the Indians, who ascertained by the tracks, that their unfortunate chief, under his unlucky resolve, had met a buffalo bull in the season when they are very stubborn, and unwilling to run from any one ; and had incensed the animal by shooting a number of arrows into him, which had brought him into furious combat. The chief had then dismounted, and turned his horse loose, having given it a couple of arrows from his bow, which sent it home at full speed, and then had thrown away his bow and quiver, encountering the infuriated animal with his knife alone, and the desperate battle resulted as I have before-mentioned, in the death of both. Many of the bones of the chief were broken, as he was gored and stamped to death, and his huge antagonist had laid his body by the side of him, weltering in blood from an hundred wounds made by the chief’s long and two-edged knife. ” So died this elegant and high-minded nobleman of the wilderness, whom I confidently had hoped to meet and admire again at some future period of my life. ( Vide Fig. 86.) George Catlin
NATHANIEL J. WYETH, AND THE STRUGGLE FOR OREGON
June 5th 1833: ‘The ‘Three Buttes’ came in sight one by one, and then the Trois Tetons.” On the 7th, ‘“moved fifteen miles, without water the whole route; enough dust to suffocate one.” 10th: An Indian was mortally gored by a buffalo; ‘‘ he very composedly made his will by word of mouth, the Indians responding in concord at the end of each sentence; he appeared not in the least intimidated at the approach of death. I think the Indians die better than the whites. Perhaps they have less superstition in regard to the future, and argue that as the Deity makes them happy here, he will also hereafter, if there is existence for them.”
Nathaniel Wyeth lived to see Oregon a Territory of the United States, and although he died before it was admitted as a State in 1859, his last years must have been happier in the knowledge that he had done much to make the occupation of this territory possible to his fellow-countrymen.
In 1842, one observer, Philip St. George Cooke, wrote: “I know not how long I stood in this position of suspense; for I heeded not the passage of time; but the mass of the gang had already passed, and the less crowded stragglers were closing up in the rear, when a wounded and maddened buffalo bull suddenly leaped from the crowd and made towards the place where I stood. Gallantly he came on, with his tail erect and quivering, his head inclined, his left horn pointed to its mark, with the red blood and white foam gathering upon his lips . I shut my teeth tight together, in anticipation of the shock which I could not prevent, and in a moment it was over. I felt myself thrown violently down by the weight of my horse; I indistinctly saw the dark form of the animal, like a passing cloud, as he cleared me in the leap, then I closed my eyes and awaited till the tumult was over. Upon arising, I found that I had received only a few slight bruises; but my poor horse had been gored to death, and the short carbine I carried had been broken by his fall.
In 1847 Atchamaganis, or “The Trader,” left port Carlton for the Sandy Knolls to procure meat. He came to buffalo, and after our run drove an arrow into a huge bull. In the act of stooping to draw it out of the animal suddenly turned, and the Traders horse swerved, and through him clean upon the bulls head, were probably he would HAVE BEEN GORED TO DEATH ……but for the lucky chance of one of its horns passing under his belt. This prevented tossing, and their “The Trader” hung, whilst the terrified bull made off at full speed. The situation was enough to shatter ordinary nerves, but “The Trader” took things cooly, and gathered himself together in such a way as to get of purchase, severed his connection with the horn either by the breaking or the loosening of the belt, and so fell to the ground, whilst the bull, too frightened to reflect on things, sped on, and left “The Trader” unhurt.
1849 -Finan McDonald had been travelling downstream on the North Saskatchewan River, when he was badly gored by a buffalo bull. Botanist David Douglas bound up his wounds and gave him laudanum to allow sleep. McDonald was carried downstream on a six-day boat journey to Richardson at Cumberland House for more professional care that restored him to full duty.
1856 -Ne -de – goose -ojeb wan, gored to death by a buffalo bull , while in the act of hunting.
Red River -When in the act of rounding one of those woody islands , a herd of buffalo suddenly burst into view, causing two dogs who were drawing a sled, on which a child and some luggage were being conveyed, to set off at full speed in pursuit, leaving the father and mother in a state of despair for the safety of their only child. The dogs soon reached the heels of the buffalo, and all were mixed pell-mell together; the dogs running, the sled swinging to and fro, and the buffalo kicking. At length a bull gored one of the dogs, and his head getting entangled in the harness, went off at the gallop, carrying the dog on his horns, the other suspended by the traces, and the sled and child whirling behind him. The enraged animal ran a good half mile before he shook himself clear of the encumbrance, although pursued by a large party, by whom many were fired at him without effect. The state of the parents’ feelings may be imagined ; yet, to their utter astonishment, although both dogs were killed , the child escaped unhurt.
1856 Buffalo -hunting is called a sport, but the most miraculous and hair- breadth escapes sometimes occur, while at others no escape is possible : the hunter getting alongside an enraged animal, it makes a sudden thrust sideways, gores the horse, and occasionally kills the rider. It is with buffalo as with rabbits, whether from the situation of the eyes, or some other cause, they see better sideways than straight forward. The writer was one of a party once, running buffalo, and while making our way through a herd, looking here and there, as the custom is , for the fattest animal before firing, a bull, hard pressed, turned suddenly round on one of my companions, who happened to be near me at the time; to avoid the thrust in this dilemma, the horse made also a sudden start to one side, when the saddle-girth gave way, and the rider, saddle and all, were left between the bull’s horns, which so surprised
the sturdy brute, that with one toss of his head he threw the man high up in the air. Strange to relate, he fell on another bull passing a few yards off, and yet escaped with the fright alone, having received no other injury.
On this occasion the surface was rocky, and full of badger -holes. Twenty-three horses and riders were at one moment all sprawling on the ground; one horse, gored by a bull, was killed on the spot, two more disabled by the fall. One rider broke his shoulder -blade; another burst his gun, and lost three of his fingers by the accident; and a third was struck on the knee by an exhausted ball.
AUDUBON THE NATURALIST. 1856
At times the wounded bison turns so quickly and makes such a sudden rush upon the hunter, that if the steed is not a good one and the rider perfectly cool, they are Overtaken, the horse gored and knocked down, and the hunter thrown off and either gored or trampled to death. But if the horse is a fleet one, and the hunter expert, the bison is easily outrun and they escape. At best it may be said that this mode of buffalo hunting is dangerous sport, and one requires both skill and nerve to come off successfully.
When these animals are shot at a distance of fifty or sixty yards, they rarely, if ever, charge on the hunters. Mr. Culbertson told us he had killed as many as nine bulls from the same spot, unseen by these terrible animals. There are times, however, when they have been known to gore both horse and rider, after being severely wounded, and have dropped down dead but a few minutes afterwards . There are indeed instances of bulls receiving many balls without being immediately killed, and we saw one which during one of our hunts was shot no less than twenty-four times before it dropped.
A bull that our party had wounded in the shoulder, and which was thought too badly hurt to do much harm to any one, was found rather dangerous when we approached him, as he would dart forward at the nearest of his foes, and but that his wound prevented him from wheeling and turning rapidly, he would certainly have done some mischief. We fired at him from our six-barreled revolving pistol, which, however seemed to have little other effect than to render him more savage and furious. His appearance was well calculated to appall the bravest, had we not felt assured that his strength was fast diminishing. We ourselves were a little too confident, and narrowly escaped being overtaken by him through our imprudence. We placed ourselves directly in his front, and as he advanced, fired at his head and ran back, not supposing that he could overtake us; but he soon got within a few feet of our rear, with head lowered, and every preparation made for giving us a hoist ; the next instant, however, we had jumped aside, and the animal was unable to alter his headlong course quick enough to avenge himself on us. Mr. Bell now put a ball directly through his lungs, and with a gush of blood from the mouth and nostrils, he fell upon his knees and gave up the ghost, falling (as usual) on the side, quite dead.
On another occasion, when the same party were hunting, near the end of the month of July, Mr. Squire wounded a bull twice, but no blood flowing from the mouth, it was concluded the wounds were only in the flesh, and the animal was shot by Mr. Culbertson, Owen McKenzie, and Mr. Squire, again. This renewed fire only seemed to enrage him the more , and he made a dash at the hunters so sudden and unexpected that Mr. Squire, attempting to escape, rode between the beast and a ravine which was near, when the bull turned upon him, his horse became frightened and leaped down the bank, the buffalo following him so closely that he was nearly unhorsed; he lost his presence of mind and dropped his gun; he, however, fortunately hung on by the mane and recovered his seat. The horse was the fleetest, and saved his life. He told us subsequently that he had never been so terrified before. This bull was fired at several times after Squire’s adventure, and was found to have twelve balls lodged in him when he was killed. He was in very bad condition, and being in the rutting season, we found the flesh too rank for our dainty palates and only took the tongue with us.
New America – Carrying The Mail by WH Dixon 1867
Half a mile from the station, we come upon a dying horse, which the driver says had belonged to one of those soldiers who had gone before us. The beast is ripped through the belly; but whether he has been gored by a buffalo horn or slit open with a knife, we cannot decide as we roll swiftly by. Saddle and trapping have been taken away; but there is nothing to tell by whom, or for what end.
The Old Santa Fe Trail The Story Of A Great Highway by
Colonel Henry Inman 1916 Santank – Sitting Bear
(Kiowa Chief) He was born about 1800, and killed June 8, 1871.
One wagon-master, in fact, black-snaked him out of his camp. After these repeated insults he sought another white friend, and told of Ms grievances. u Look here,” said Satank, “ I asked Peacock to write me a good letter, and he gave me this; but I don’t understand it ! Every time I hand it to a wagon-boss, he gives me the devil! Read it to me and tell me just what it does say.”
His friend read it over, and then translated it literally to Satank. The savage assumed a countenance of extreme disgust, and after musing for a few moments, said : u Well, I understand it all now. All right ! “
The next morning at daylight, Satank called for some of his braves and with them rode out to Peacock’s ranch. Arriving there, he called out to Peacock, who had not yet risen : kk Peacock, get up, the soldiers are coming ! ” It was a warning which the illicit trader quickly obeyed, and running out of the “building with his field-glass in his hand, he started for his lookout, but while he was ascending the ladder with his back to Satank the latter shot him full of holes, saying, as he did so: “There, Peacock, I guess you won’t write any more letters.”
His warriors then entered the building and killed every man in it, save one who had been gored by a buffalo bull the day before, and who was lying in a room all by himself. He was saved by the fact that the Indian has a holy dread of small-pox, and will never enter an apartment where sick men lie, fearing they may have the awful disease.
Last of the buffalo
While most of the deaths which occurred in the chase resulted from causes other than the resistance of the
buffalo, these did occasionally kill a man. A curious accident happened in a camp of Red River half-breeds in the early ’70s. The son of an Iroquois half-breed, about twenty years old, went out one day with the rest of the camp to run buffalo. At night he did not return, and the next day all the men went out to search for him. They found the horse and the arms, but could not find the man, and could not imagine what had become of him. About a year later, as the half-breeds were hunting in another part of the country, a cow was seen which had something unusual on its head. They chased and killed her, and found that she had on her head the
pelvis of a man, one of the horns having pierced the thin part of the bone, which was wedged on so tightly that they could hardly get it off. Much of the hair on the head, neck, and shoulders of the cow was worn off short, and on the side on which the bone was, down on the neck and shoulders, the hair was short, black, and looked new, as if it had been worn entirely off the skin, and was just beginning to grow out again. It is supposed that this bone was part of the missing young man, who had been hooked by the cow, and carried about on her head until his body fell to pieces.
My old and valued friend, Charles Reynolds, for years chief of scouts at Fort Lincoln, Dak., and who was
killed by the Sioux in the Custer fight in 1876, told me of the death of a hunting partner of his, which shows how dangerous even a dying buffalo may be. The two men had started from the rail- road to go south and bring in a load of meat. On finding a bunch of buffalo, they killed by stalking what they re- quired, and then on foot went up to the animals to butcher them. One cow, lying on her side, was still moving a little convulsively, but dying. The man approached her as if about to cut her throat, but when he was within a few
feet of her head, she sprang to her feet, rushed at him, struck him in the chest with her horns, and then fell dead. Charley ran up to his partner, and to his horror saw that the cow’s horn had ripped him up from the belly to the throat, so that he could see the heart.
Charley buried his partner there, and returning to the town, told his story. He was at once arrested on the still expanding and contracting. charge that he had murdered his companion, and was obliged to return to the place and to assist in digging up the body to establish the truth of his statements.
Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society – 1872
Soon after crossing the Missouri, on our return to Fort Rice, we began to see buffaloes, at first in small groups, and later in immerse herds of countless numbers. Buffalo rumps, steaks, and tongues, were our regular diet. On one evening, after going into camp, over fifty of these animals were killed. In one of these hunts. Dr. J. H. Murphy, who was surgeon of the Eighth Minnesota, was unhorsed and severely gored by a buffalo bull. Indeed, the buffalo herds were so great that frequently the command was corralled as a precaution, and on one occasion our train was sadly demoralized by a herd going through it.
The Times
Philadelphia, Pa Mar 26,1887
FATAL BUFFALO HUNT
A Gallant Battle by a Bison Bull Against Three Cow-Boys
……The superb bison at the Zoological Gardens known as John L Sullivan broke his neck yesterday. He met his death after a heroic battle for freedom. The battle ground was in the Zoo and a thousand men, women and children paid to see the buffalo chase, while twice that number stood on the elevated roadbed of the Pennsylvania Railroad, which skirts the garden. The army of people were thrilled by the brave and spirited defense Sullivan made against the combined efforts of three stalwart cow-boys, three strong ponies, three lariats and the big thick rope. Sullivan was only conquered by death, after he had gored a pony, broke several lariats and made the cow-boys weary. While wintering on Staten Island the Wild West Show lost almost a dozen buffaloes, and as spring approached in the time for the departure of Buffalo Bill’s aggregation for England grew nearer Col. Cody began to look about the country for bisons. When he heard that Sullivan and Old Pete, the big bulls of the Zoological Garden, in this city, could be bought he closed a bargain at once, the purchase price being several hundred dollars.
THREE FAMOUS COW-BOYS
……The show sails on Thursday next for London, and Buck Taylor, Billy Bullock and Joe, Esquirel, the well-known cow-boys, with three big ponies, came over yesterday morning from New York to lasso the buffaloes. Shortly after 11 o’clock the cow-boys succeeded in conquering “Old” Pete, and he was led with little difficulty between two horses to the stockyard of the Pennsylvania Railroad, in West Philadelphia.
Sullivan, a big, vicious bull, whose pugnacious nature led to his sale by the society, was to be tackled later on. Sullivan, a proud and spirited animal, had made a bad record during the year. He thrice had put his head through a three-ply fence, broken down gates, almost killed “Rocks,” a bull much smaller than Sullivan, and had periodically knocked silly big, robust Dominick McCaffery, an ambitious bison and former champion of the buffalo yard.
THE HUNT BEGINS
……It was just 2 o’clock when the three cow-boys, mounted, jumped into the yard at the northwest corner. They each carried a lariat. Buck Taylor was seated on “Cheiftain,” a pretty bay with white marks. There were scores of dime novel readers there and they saluted the “King of the Cow-boys” in picturesque sentences. Taylor wore maroon colored shirt, embroidered, corduroy trousers, top boots and a white sombrero. A rich red and black silk handkerchief, which his girl had given him, was around his neck and a big diamond glittered on his black silk necktie. Billy Bullock and Joe Esquirel, who were less richly dressed, use the peculiar costume of the cow-boys. Bullock rode “One of a Kind” and “Streaks” was under Esquirel. The herd was gathered under the shed, discussing the abduction of Old Pete, when Buck Taylor through his noose at Sullivan’s head. It did not get there, but it started the battle. Sullivan and his relations dashed out from the shed, followed by the horsemen. Taylor led again, but missed him, and Sullivan dodged the lariats of Bullock and Esquirel. Sullivan was mad and with “McCaffery,” Rock and the other bison on his heels dashed around the yard. Bullock put his noose over the horns of the swift-footed beast, but Sullivan quickly shook it off and turned toward “One of a kind.” Bullock got out of the way and then Taylor again headed for Sullivan.
IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE
……The noose shot through the air, and, with the spontaneous shout from the crowd, Sullivan came to us stand with such abruptness as to almost lift Taylor off his horse. While the people were cheering Sullivan made a dash across the yard and swung around the tree in the northwest corner. The infuriated bull and the combination at the other end of the line played a desperate game of see-saw. The other horsemen were hurrying to the assistance of Taylor when the maddened Sullivan made a fierce pitch.
……The line broke and in an instant he rushed Chieftain and his rider. Taylor made an attempt to turn his horse, when the bull swept down and with a wild toss of his head ripped open the right haunch of Chieftain with his sharp, curved horn. The bull made another plunge, but the crowd saw the blood streaming from Chieftain, and gave a cry of alarm in time for Taylor to pull his horse away from the bull. In a second the gate was opened and Taylor and his horse dashed ahead of Sullivan and escaped from the bull. Billy Bullock and his partner made a dash for Sullivan and he was about to plan his horns into “One of a Kind,” when the Cow-boys were told to come out of the yard and Sullivan was left still champion of the Zoo. Dr. Huidekoper, dean of the veterinary school at the University, was in the crowd and he was soon by the side of Buck Taylor’s horse. The horn had opened an artery and torn muscles and flesh protruded from the wound, which sent out a stream of blood. Dr. Huidekoper immediately stuffed handkerchief into the wound, and then the horse was led to the stable, where the doctor filled the wound with oakum and had it bathed with cold water.
AN ATTACK ON FOOT
……Sullivan had to be captured, and Buck Taylor had mounted “Streaks” to return to the attack, when Agent O’Donnell, of the society to Prevent Cruelty to Animals, stopped him. Agent O’Donnell had agents Cox and Bowes with him. They said courteously, but earnestly that they would not allow the other horses to return to the yard. Sullivan was a mad beast of wonderful power and they believed that he would kill the other horses. “I don’t want to break your ____,” said Buck, “but we must take that buffalo, and I hope you won’t object to us doing it on foot.”
……“We won’t object to that, “replied agent O’Donnell, and then the towering “King of the Cow-boys” and smaller, but equally ____, companions sealed the fence of the buffalo yard. As Taylor’s smiling face was ___seen in the area he was given and enthusiastic welcome, like that which the _____ Mastantini is want to receive in the _____ pits of Spain. “Don’t git skeered, Buck, ____boy,” shouted a freckled face boy on the _____of a nearby tree: “were wid yer.”
……Taylor’s smile broadened, but he lost no time in hurling his lariat at Sullivan. The other Cowboys were on us Swift run at the ____ of Sullivan, when Taylor’s swung his lasso around the big neck of the bull, Sullivan dashed around, almost dragging Taylor ___feet. At last Billy Bullock and Esquirel caught up with Taylor and the ___ cow-boys slackened Sullivans speed gradually stopped him. Esquirel ____ his noose under the forefeet of the bull.. When it was drawn tight the cow-boys thought they had their buffalo, but Sullivan snapped the lariat. While he dashed about one side of the tree, near the shed, ___ cow-boys ran the other way. They looked for a rope, and “Weasel Bill” Loomis suddenly dashed into the arena with a thick rope. Esquirel, after several attempts, put the noose over the horns of Sullivan, and he madly plunged. The crowd sent up ___of victory, but at that moment, by a sublime effort, the bull for the ropes from the hands of the men.
A RUSH FOR COVER
……“Weasel Bill” was convinced that Sullivan was on to him and Loomis shot over the fence like the tail end of a cyclone. One lariat at was still clinging to the neck of Sullivan and the three cow-boys chased the buffalo for five minutes before Billy Bullock fished up the line. Two held him while Taylor hauled the rope again over the horns, and again Sullivan dashed about, finally getting himself tangled around the post of the shed. He was pulling down the shed, when the skinned hands that held the ropes let him plunge free of the post. Sullivan was blind with madness and dashed around the northwest tree. In an instant the cow-boys ran the ropes into the hands of the crowd of men at the bars and the plunging bull was tied fast, while the crowd shouted itself hoarse. The cow-boys had just left the yard and were preparing to lash to horses together to take Sullivan to the train when the bull grew fierce in his endeavors to free himself.
DEATH OF THE BRAVE BEAST
……With the wild plunge his forefeet caught the rope, and Sullivan dropped on his left shoulder blade. Buck Taylor thought the bull was choking, and with Dr. Huidekoper and the other cow-boys jumped into the buffalo yard. The noose around the neck was loose, but Sullivan was gasping his last breath. There was intense excitement, and the men began to blow into the nostrils of the fallen champion. It was of no avail. Sullivan would not go to England -he was dead. The poor beast in his fight for liberty had broken his neck. The tragedy caused great sorrow. Keeper John Ford, who knew Sullivan since his infancy, wept and Head Keeper Byrne stood at the side of the dead bison and spoke of his virtues. John L. Sullivan was born in the garden a dozen years ago. His sire was fresh from the prairies and his mother was one of the most respectable buffaloes that ever lived at the Zoo. When Sullivan’s three wives and other relatives saw that he was dead they gathered around him and licked his head.
BUCK TAYLOR’S SORROW
……“I didn’t expect all this,” said Buck Taylor. “That buffalo was one of the finest bisons I ever saw. As for my horse, I would rather have lost $5,000 then have him gored the way he was. I had no spurs on or I would have got out of the way. I want to take my pony with me to England. We must sale on Thursday next. Dr.Huidekoper says he thinks he can have him in fit condition to be taken to New York by that time, and I leave ‘Chieftain’ in his charge. He will have the best all over at the college and no expense will be spared in giving him comfort and the finest medical skill.” The cow-boys were cast down at their ill luck. Buck Taylor stood in the telegraph office and had wired to Nate Saulsbury, one of the owners of the Wild West show: Sullivan broke his neck. What will I do with his body?
Index-catalogue of the Library of the Surgeon-General’s Office, United States Army. Authors and subjects (Series 1, Volume 7) 1880
Barter (J. F.) Extraordinary recovery of a native gored by a buffalo. Indian M. (.iaz., Calcutta, 1866, i, 4.-
1880’s ” It is the chase itself which attracts these people, more than the value of the prey; it is the attraction of hope and fear-the continual excitement the very dangers themselves, which render the chamois hunter indifferent to all other pleasures. The very few individuals who grow old in this trade, bear on their countenances the traces of the life which they have led. They have a wild and somewhat haggard and desperate air, by which they may be recognized in the middle of a crowd. ” It is so with the buffalo -hunter: he encounters many dangers, so that his physical powers are often put to the severest trials; but it has been said, and with truth, ” that there are few things beyond the reach of human energy.”
1887 -Buffalo Jones
The herd on the Garden City ranch increased to several hundred and were a source of much trouble. Some of the bulls never lost their native fierceness. This was particularly true of a big bull named John L. Sullivan, the master of the herd, who was constantly fighting. He was caught in Texas during the second expedition, in 1887. Many of the herd ranged free on the prairie, but it became necessary to keep Sullivan in a big pasture, surrounded with a high barbed wire fence. He attacked everyone who entered the enclosure and Jones himself was saved several times from being gored to death only by the swiftness of his horse. Sullivan had a trick of tearing corn pens to pieces with his horns. He would toss the planks high in the air and then run from under them to watch them fall. He would come from half a mile away to attack a person who approached the fence. Jones tried to break him of this habit, but failed. He took a croquet ball and filled it with long, sharp spikes, keen as a knife blade. This would be hurled against Sullivan’s tawny side when he came to the fence, and the blood would spurt out in streams. Sullivan soon got on to the curved bulls and never failed to catch them on his massive head, which was usually covered with clay to such a depth that the spiked ball rebounded as if had been thrown against a brick wall.
The Salt Lake Herald
Salt Lake City, Utah Jul 17, 1889
Buffalo Hunting in Wyoming.
CHEYENNE, Wyo., July 16.—(Special telegram to THE HERALD.) — Steve and Wilson Williams, ranch men at Rockdale, Carbon county, are here for recreation after an exciting and profitable buffalo hunt on Red desert, eighty miles north of Rawlins. The presence of a herd of bison at this place has been known for years, but the topography of this country has made the capture of the rare animal extremely difficult. The Williams brothers employed as assistance two cowboys who were fearless riders and skilled in the use of the lariat. As mounts they selected powerful horses of great speed and proven endurance. The chase lasted the greater portion of three days and was a series of adventures. Two full-grown cows were captured the first day, a big bull the next, while another bull and a pair of females rewarded the preserving hunters the third. The wild animals struggled fearfully but each was finally paired with a heavy work ox. One of the captives, a massive male, in bucking fell and broke his neck. On the return to the ranch Steve Williams had a narrow escape. On the second day out a mad bull gored his horse, lifting the rider and saddle and animal high in the air. One of the cowboys sent a rifle ball into the infuriated brute’s shoulder. The hunters say there are between forty and fifty full-grown bison and a few calves in the herd. They have been offered $500 each for their prizes, but demand more.
STAMPEDE OF BISON. January 1889
How Buffalo Jones’ Herd was Shipped from Manitoba to Kansas.
“The younger cattle were raised on the horns of their seniors, thrown high in the air, and otherwise gored. A dog that had been used to the maddened brutes got in among the fighting herd, and in less time than it takes to think about it was reduced to a grease spot and flying particles of hair. The fight lasted upwards of an hour, and the idea of getting the buffalo to march the gangway was almost abandoned and would have been but for the action of an infuriated old bull, who took it into his stubborn head to inaugurate a stampede. This old bull had been making trouble all day and wired in to eclipse his other efforts. Gathering his strength he got behind the herd and began making it exceedingly unpleasant for the remainder, bellowing at them and driving them forward with vigorous prods of his stout horns.
“In this way, buffaloe’s have from time immemorial worked up stampedes. The herd had to forge ahead, and having no other plank to travel, had to march to limbo; but when the old bull reached the car door and saw where his skill at stampeding had brought him, he tossed up his head and, with a look of disgust, wheeled around, cleared several fences from 7 to 14 feet high, and was soon observed a far-away speck on the prairie. Finally, the animals were got into position, but a few miles south of the Manitoba and Minnesota boundary a little fight in the car resulted in the death of three ‘breeds.’
Manitoba Free Press Dec 20 1890
The Bisons Habits
HAVE BEEN GORED TO DEATH
……but for the lucky chance of one of its horns passing under his belt. This prevented tossing, and their “The Trader” hung, whilst the terrified bull made off at full speed. The situation was enough to shatter ordinary nerves, but “The Trader” took things cooly, and gathered himself together in such a way as to get of purchase, severed his connection with the horn either by the breaking or the loosening of the belt, and so fell to the ground, whilst the bull, too frightened to reflect on things, sped on, and left “The Trader” unhurt.
Pruden, another hunter, after a sharp run, got his horse in line with, but slightly to the rear, of a swift buffalo cow, which stumbled whilst he was in the act of drawing the bow, and fell directly across his path. Without an instances hesitation he urged his horse to the leap, and, springing clean over the prostrate cow, turned and transfixed her with an arrow. Owing to the peculiar band of the buffaloes horns it was unable to toss a man who lay flat on the ground, and many hunters have saved their lives by a knowledge of this fact, and by a setting upon their knowledge on the instant.
Massam, in Indian, was thrown in front of a bull by his horse stumbling in a badger hole. In this fall he was caught by the bull and tossed twice, and severely ript in the leg. The third time the bull missed him, whereupon he fell to the ground, and lay still, though suffering dreadful agony. It was not the bisons custom to trample his foe. It would get astride of him, and nose him, and pop-up the earth upon him, with his forefeet; all of which this particular bull did to Massam, and then, having exhausted its rage, left him.
Gardspui, another practiced hunter, some twelve years ago was thrown in the snow, and endured for hours the baffled rage of a bull until some fellow-hunters came up and relieved him.
These occurrences show what men could do in emergencies; but, of course, the buffalo had also it’s triumphs, and frequently made our way with its pursuer.
A bull was once killed which had a human pelvis stuck fast on one of its horns- a strange laurel won in some solitary struggle.
The bison, when disturbed, does not rise with its lumbering slowness of the domestic ox, but has the faculty of springing on all fours at once. These is also, sometimes, something very like shamming in its conduct, when brought to ground by a shot and apparently dead. In this condition it has been known to live perfectly still until the Hunter came close up to it, and then spring upon him, and impale him in an instant.
……Very dangerous at times were certain sulky old bulls, which having been driven off from their herd, nourished, like some human beings, a hatred of everything living. Genereux, and old Hudson’s Bay man, in passing with a dog-train betwixt two thickets of timber, was suddenly pounced upon by one of these morose animals, which tossed dogs, sled and all into the air, and made a wreck of the outfit. Another, maddened by the persecution of some Indian dogs, charged a large train of carts numbering scores which was on its way from Battle River to Fort Carlton loaded with pemmican and dried meat. That infuriated brute rushed among the oxen and ponies, smashed collars and shafts and injured almost every cart before the astonished freighters could collect their senses, and shoot it.
The San Francisco Examiner
San Francisco, California 14 Feb 1891
BEN HARRISON THE BISON
The Buffalo Bull’s Arrival at Golden Gate Park Yesterday
The line of march terminated at the Park stables,
From Garden City, Kansas. He was $350 plus shipping, weighed a thousand pounds. His name was Ben Harrison.
down by the railway track, where the nurseries are that you see on your way to the ocean beach. It was not an easy job to get Ben out of the wagon, especially as he kicked and gored with resentful vigor. But he had no chance to do serious damage. His box was just an inch or two higher than his back, a little wider and longer than his body, and ropes across his head at the base of his horns prevented him from either rushing through the bars or sliding out behind. A four-year-old buffalo bull, weighing over 1,000 pounds and enthusiastically willing to fight was never in a harder fix.
“Smithsonian Institution. Bureau of American Ethnology” 1901
As the groups moved back into the summer village, the summer chieftains assumed command, and the winter camp leader became merely a distinguished member of the council of older men. If the population at large was well cared for, had no suffering or deaths, the winter camp leader was highly acclaimed. If there had been an unusually large number of buffaloes nearby, the people would say that not in years had there been so many buffaloes, and would recount the fine winter they spent. ‘They would show their esteem after returning to the summer camp by preparing feasts from the garden products which had been sparingly used during the winter, and invite the winter camp leader and his family. Other households perhaps, were not so successful: one member of the household had died or had had an accident; their horses had been taken sick and died or had strayed away to be captured by raiding parties; their best buffalo horse may have broken a leg or been gored by a buffalo. All these and other misfortunes went against the winter leader’s record. They would tell their friends of their misfortunes and criticize the leader behind his back even though he had been their best friend before going into the winter camp.
The Anaconda Standard
Anaconda Montana March 30, 1902
“Rocky Mountain Dick,” as Richard Rock was familiarly known to thousands of pioneers, frontiersmen and tourists, was one of the picturesque characters of the West. His death and the manner of it was a surprise to every person who knew “Dick’ and was familiar with his brave and fearless nature. No one had expected for him such an unmerited end as being gored to death by a pet buffalo bull. His wild and adventurous life as Indian fighter, scout and trapper had earned for him the right to a peaceful ending of his career. He was but 55 years of age, and his strong and robust constitution prophesied a long life. Rock was a native of New York state, but he came West when a very young man. His love of adventure and stirring experiences brought him to Wyoming, Idaho and Montana during the Indian campaigns under Custer, Miles and other noted fighters. For years he was engaged in hunting and trapping in the Snake river country, and his reputation as a daring man and as one familiar with the entire Indian country came to the attention of the war department, and his services were sought as scout for the soldiers who were engaged in fighting Indians. He did splendid service for General Custer and is credited with warning that noted but ill-fated fighter against engaging in the battle which cost his life. “Rocky Mountain Dick’ served under General Miles, and in his time was associated with nearly all of the noted men of early western history. He rode the trait with Calamity Jane, Jim Bridger and other noted scouts, and had a personal acquaintance with Captain Bonneville, General Miles, Major Reno. General Custer, Buffalo Bill, Wild Bill, Sitting Bull American Horse and many of the noted Indians and Indian fighters.
1908 Yellowstone Nat’l Park MT Deaths-1 cow and 2 bulls +2cfs after census One cow had to be killed in October due to old age. Two old bulls have been killed. One was vicious and gored a horse, the other was lame having been tangled in wire on hind leg, couldn’t save it.
THE DAILY MISSOULIAN JULY 4 1909
ALL BUT OUTLAWS OF GREAT BUFFALO HERD MOVED
FROM FLATHEAD TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE SETTLER
PATRIARCH OF HERD (CENTER) WHICH DIED.
(By F. L. Baghy.)
The dangers attending the work of handling the buffalo were many and there were numerous narrow escapes from death and injury on the part of, riders and loaders, Fred Decker had his horse gored under him, and his brother. Johnnie Decker, twice had his mount gored and was slightly injured, his life being saved only by the prompt action of Pablo and his brother in firing pistol bullets into the neck of an infuriated beast that was trying to kill man and horse.
LAST WILD BUFFALO KILLED BY HIS HERD
Old Sir Donald, the Patriarch of the American Bison, Trampled and Gored to Death in Corral at Banff _ Was captured in 1872 When a Two-Year-Old by the Late Hon. James McKay, of Deer Lodge – Head of the Band For Many Years April 21 1909
He was found lying dead out in one of the paddocks, having apparently stumbled over some blogs,
probably owing to his being blind in one eye, and while unable to rise he was surrounded by the rest of the herd, and, alas, for _____ respect among the bison some of the younger bulls took the opportunity to help him onto the happy hunting grounds by goring that huge beast with their short and sharp horns. Not content with this, the herd pawded and butted at the prostrate monarch till, except on the head and the legs, there was no hair left. The cowboy in charge of the paddocks saw Sir Donald walking about at five o’clock on Monday afternoon, and on looking for him next morning saw that he was down and apparently dead. He covered the carcass with tarpaulins to keep it safe from the prowling wolves and coyotes; but the buffalo herd returned to the scene and indulged in a further display of indignities to their fallen
The Beaver Press
Beaver, Utah 21 Dec 1928
Then “Bison americanus” sought revenge for the indignities placed upon him by running amuck through the village. He tore down fences; ravished green fields and gardens; gored two or three horses; chased all the town milk cows out on the desert, and for several days kept the residents of the little hamlet in an uproar. Then seeking new fields to conquer he started on the back trail for Lund, which town he finally reached leaving behind him a trail of ruin and desolation in the way of stampeded freight teams he met or passed along the way. Every horse that came in sight or smell of him at once proceeded to throw not one but several fits, stampeding off into the desert adjoining the road regard less of reins or the load behind them. One freighter with a ten-mule team dragging sleepily up a long grade met his Bisonship at a sharp turn of the road. The leaders took one look at the monster, wheeled, and swung back, draggling with them the other teams until the whole outfit was tied up in one struggling mass around the huge freight wagon. BY WILL C. BARNES in Nature Magazine
The Nebraska State Journal
Lincoln, Nebraska Feb 21, 1932
Last Nebraska Buffalo Hunter relates Narrow Escapes of Early Bison Hunts
BY JOHN H. KEARNES. Nebraska, from 1871 to 1875
Old Cows Attack.
“Starry was an expert rider. He had equipped himself with a long pole to which a large iron hoop had been securely fastened. We would cut out from the herd a buffalo cow with a calf and he would ride hell-bent for election, snare the calf in the hoop and we would have to run in and dismount, tied the calf’s legs and let It lie on the ground.
“Of course the old cow would go crazy mad. – She would charge at us and we had many hairbreadth escapes from being trampled and gored. Several of our horses were gored. But her rage was only short-lived and she would return to her calf, nuzzle it, in an effort to get it on its feet. After a while it would seep through her thick skull that the calf was helpless and she would then graze away to the main herd, utterly indifferent to the fate of her progeny. Then the calf could be safely lifted into the calf pen on the wagon.
The Vancouver Sun
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Sep 10 1932
WILD CARGO –GORED TO DEATH
The Sultan was delighted when he found I had brought him an American sladang. He turned it loose in his deer park where he had a small herd of sambar, the biggest of Asiatic deer.
The Sultan’s bison hadn’t stood the long voyage as well as the Rangoon specimen. He was weak when we turned him loose, walking with difficulty and seeming stiff all over after his long stay in the crate.
I suggested to the Sultan that the bison be fenced off until he got his land legs. The sambar deer is a formidable animal and I knew that the newcomer would be at a serious disadvantage if his Asiatic associates decided to be unfriendly.
“No,” said the Sultan, “history tells me that your American sladang is a very strong animal. Sambar deer will not worry him.”
The Sultan, who is right about animals more frequently than many trained zoologists, happened to be wrong in this case. The bison was found the next day in a corner of the park, gored to death. A servant who witnessed the battle If it can be called that told in a few words what had happened. The bison, worn out from his long Journey, was lying down when one of the deer a big stag with great antlers charged at him. Before the sluggish bison could get to his feet the stag’s horns had pierced his belly.
St Louis Post Dispatch
St Louis Missouri Dec 2 1951
Buffalo Round Up and branding
Though Clark has scientifically reduced buffalo ranching to a point of relative safety, he has had close calls. Once, while roping a calf, its uncles and cousins charged the truck and Gene had to leave at 60 m.p.h. with 250 buffaloes dashing through his dust. The animals possess fantastic strength, ripping through car fenders as through paper and able, even after being thoroughly gored in a family fight, to walk off and eat grass, then dropping dead some minutes later.
Social Behavior of the American Buffalo (Bison bison bison) by Tom McHugh Jackson Hole Biological Research Station, Moran, Wyoming
Head Animal Keeper David Pierson recorded one death of a horse in the Lamar Valley in 23 years of observation. This horse was ranging free in the valley at the time. He also noted three other horses and one mule that were gored by buffalo.