Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-01-25
CAMP ALEXIS.
THE GENTLEMEN FORMING THE IMPERIl
HUNTING PARTY.
Red Willow CREEK, NED. Jan IA. {

realized.
THE GENTLEMEN FORMING THE IMPERIAL.
HUNTING PARTY.
The party consists of His Imperial
Highness the Grand Duke Alexis, His
Excellency Vice Admiral Possiet, His
Excellency W F. Machin, High Coun
cilor of State; Count Obzenfeff, Mr..
Bodisco, Consul General of Russia to
! the United States; DIR. Coudrin and
Lieutenants Tudr and Starlegoff, of the
imperial navy. These are the Russians,
and they are accompanied by Mr..
Frank Thompson, who manages
all their railroad transportation
and telegraphic business. The Ameri-
can gentlemen are Lieutenant General
Philip H. Sheridan, General E. Ord.
General Palmer, General G. A. Custar,
General Sweetzer and General For
syth, Colonel Forsyth, Colonel Sheri-
dan, and DR.. Asch, of the Lieutenant
Generals staff, together with the Her.
aid correspondent. The officers of the
cavalry companies present, were Cap
tain Egan, and Lieutenants Fowler and
Allison, of company K, and Lieutenants
Stevens and Thomas of company E.
Lieutenant Hays, of the Fifth cavalry,
attended to all the quartermaster bus
iness in camp and Lieutenant Clark ac-
companied General Palmer.
THE BANQUET ON THE WESTERN w1LDs.
The diningroom of our camp is form
ed out of two large marquese, and is
very handsomely festooned inside with
flags. A sumptous banquet was pre-
sented before the guests, after all had
reached the ground, last evening. The
meal included different varieties of
game to be found on the western
prairies. Choice wines were served
with the different courses. On the run
to the Red Willow, Gustav killed prai-
rie chicken with rifle ball, and the
Grand Duke was so delighted with the
shot-it took off the chickens head
that he wanted slice of it for his din
ner. Accordingly the bird was cooked
after we came into camp, and the Duke
relished it exceedingly.
THE FIRST HERD OF BUFFALO.
Very early in the morning Buffalo
Bill went to see what the prospects
were. Before ten o'clock he returned
with the tldings that about fifteen miles
distant there was a herd of buffalo
browsing on the grass that grows on
the divide between the Red Willow and
the Medicine. This was pleasing news
to the Grand Duke and all the other
sportsmen. Orders were given ut once
to make the necessary preparations to
follow and find them.
TO HORSE! TO HORSE!
Accordingly, soon after breakfast,
the hunters in one party, armed to the
teeth, we're snugly in their saddles.
General Sheridan, being slightly indis-
posed, did not come out with us in the
morning, but we found in Custer, who
was assigned the duty of the initiation
of His Imperial Highness into the mys-
teries of buffalo hunting, the most
dashing cavalry officer in the service.
next to General Sheridan.
THE DUKE IN HUNTING ATTIRE.
The Grand Dukes hunting dress was
very appropriate and simple. It con-
sisted Of jacket and trowsers of heavy
gray cloth, trimmed with green, the
buttons bearing the imperial Russian
coat-of-arms he wore his boots out
side his trowsers his cap was an Aus
tralian turban, with cloth top. He
earned Russian hunting knife and the
Smith & Wesson revolver recently pre-
sented to him and bearing the coat Of
arms of tic United Sssl:cs and of Rus.
sia on the handle.
GEN. CUsTER's APPEARANCE.
General Custer appeared in his we'll.
known frontier buckskin hunting cos.
tune, and if instead of the comical seal
skin hat he wore he had only
had feathers fastened in his flow-
ing hair, he would have passed ut q
distance for great Indian chief. Buf-
falo's Bills dress was something simi.
lar to Custar's.
When the three started off from camp
together, the Duke, Custar and Bill
all large and powerful, and all hardy
hunters they attracted the attention
and admiration of every one. Most OF
the members Of the imperial party went
along, aad all the staff officers in camp
| PRACTICE BY THE WAY.
! Tie tace of the country was yer,
much broken up and the snow il
some places eighteen inches deep. Thu
Grand Duke availed himself of Custer:
experience, asked many questions, anc
practiced running up and shooting Al
imaginary buffaloes as he went. Bill
led us up and down and around ravine.
and over rolling lands-and sometime.
within sight of bowling wolves-a dis
tance of nearly fifteen miles, when
just as we galloped up the rugged slop,
to the divide, we came close upon par
} of the herd we had seen.
THE FIRST CHARgE-ALExIs BRINGS DOW,
HIS BULL.
The Duke and Custer charged to
gether, but what seemed singular t,
the hunters the buffalo did not run
, they stood at bay, as if they had bee1
expecting the imperial party, and as I
, to say "Come on;'' but Custer charges
through an open space and scattere,
them. He kept his eye close on bi
bull that was waiting to Ego for" tn
, Grand Duke. Alexis, however, rod
! close up to the animal and put coupl
= of pistol shots in him, when he starte,
! down the ravinc. the Duke and Custe
after him. Another pop from the pistc
and he fell, when shot from q riff
finished him.
THREE CHEERS FOR THE RUSSIAN HUNTS
MAN.
y A cheer arose from the compan,
/ When the Duke had got his game, OF
came his hunting knife and off wei
the tail of the dead buffalo, which |,
!. brought into camp as q trophy. Near
i while the remainder of the few tn.
! were near enough were "gone for b
! the other members of the party, an
= four were killed in all. One of them le
a General Swcetzer and Mr.. Thompson
= distance of three miles, but they finall
i brought him down. Count Otzonfie
g secured his in gallant style, though til
J. victory over the animal was not eas'l
won. He who killed the other shall |
nameless, but it is one Of the incident
" of the day that he secured his game.
n A REAt1NISCENCE OF RUSSIA.
IS Two years ago to q day the Gran
Q Duke was hunting with his father. nn
:, killed his first Russian bear. It d
- lighted His Imperial Highness in
8 mensely to mention the incident til.
', he killed his first buffalo ON the ann
u versary of that day.
q "Another bond of union betwce
Russia and America" said memb'