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Show Buffalo Herds a Half Century Ago. I think I can tryly say that I saw in that region in one day more buffaloes than I have seen of cattle in all my life. I have seen the plain black with them for several days journey as far as the eye could reach. They seemed to be coming northward continually from the distant plains to the Platte to get water, and would plunge in and swim across by thousands -- so numerous were they that they changed not only the color of the watre, but its taste until it was unfit to dring, but we had to use it. One night when were encamped on the South Forke of the Platte, they came in such droves that we had to sit up and fire guns and make what fies we could to keep them from running over us and trampling us into the dust. We could hear them thundering all night long, the ground fairly trembled with vast approaching bands, and if they had not been diverted, wagons, animals and emigrants would have been trodden usder thier feet. -- Gen. John Bidwell, in Century. |