The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1855-09-26

Desperate Fight.
On Monday evening last. John Steiner,
herdsman 10 VI. L. Sullivant. had desperate
encounter with buck elk. After tho cows
were MIXED in the evening, the herdsmun
attempted 70 drive them away, which dis
pleased the elk, and he manifested his op-
position by shaking his head and stamping
his feet: his appearance becoming more
threatening, Steiner picked up q stick when
the elk with his hair all bristled up and fury
in his eyes. instantly plunged AT him. He
received the attack firmly and with n stout
blow. which broke his stick and deprived him
Of his only means Of defence. Selling the
infatuated ANIMAL liz hiA antlers with one
hand. and graspiug him bv the nose with the
other. M was thus enabled for some time To
protect himself BY turning aside the tremen-
dous and sharp pointed horns. For more
than an hour did this terrible struggle for
mastery continue between The man anu the
enraged brute; the elk making all the while
the most desperate plungos, and the man
straining every muscle in TINS battle of life.
More than once he was on the point Of
giving up, but the love Of life and tile
thought Of dying in such manner, with no
one to witness. neryed him with new strength
and inspired the hope OF wearing out the
stubborn beast. Several times the horns Of
the elk tore their way through the quivering
flesh Of the unfortunate man. Exhausted.
at length. hy the violence Of his eyertions
aud the loss If blood, lie sank to the ground
where the savage beast had il all his own
WAY. When he recovered consciousness, il
was with extreme difficulty that he dragged
MI. aceratcd t0av to his cabin. where he laid
himself upon his solitary BED. Relief seem
ed hopeless, for the night had come on with
clouds and darkness. and the nearest human
being was luiia AWAY. His respiration
soon became Difficult. anu painful from inter-
nal hermorrhage. and finding that he was
growing worse and worse. he reused himself
for one more struggle for life.
lie arose, he hardly know, how, saddlcd
his horse and rode down 10 Franklinton, a
distance Of two mile-, whore he arrived III an
exhausted and faintlng condition. about ~
clock. OF some three hours after the conflict.
Or. Loving having been sent for. skiifully
dressed Steiner's wounds; but he still hes in
a most critical and dangerous condition.
One prong Of the aute- entered his chest. a
little below the heart decorating the left lung,
the other piercing heright. Adreadfu cash
some FIVE inches long, on the right thigh.
barely missed the femoral artery, and the
back and body are very much bruised. Ste-
his presence Of mind during this heroic strug-
gle.
The affair il the more singular, because
the animal had never before exhibited any
malicious disposition. and this hcrdsman who
had charge Of il from y very early period,
been IN the daily habit Of feaiing il from his
hand. The attack i, probably t. be aecoun.-
90 for from the fact that the elk lost hi~ dam
when hut two DAYS old and would never con
sort with his own species, but preferred to
run with Mr. Sulliyant's herd Of Durhams.
h had complacently constituted himself lead
or Of the herd, and must have objected to
Steiner's Interference with the COWS, which
he exercised singular control, forcing them
Al viii to any part Of the pasture, and to and
from the water,
This animal is noble specimen Of his
race proud and erect in his carriage, and
ernMned with pair q enormous spreading
anters.
Being the last of III. herd Of these animals.
Mr.. Sullivant, after exhibiting him at the
State Fair, proposes to present him to the
Anatomical Museum of Startling Medical Col
iege, where his skeleton, if skillfullv prepar-
cd, will become an attractive object to the
comparative anatomist and student Of nature.
- o. s. Journal