The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-05-23
A GENUINE BULL FIGHT.
COWBOYS TESTING THE METTLE OF
THEIR HERDS.
Cory Encounter between wild
BilIs and TeXas-A Prairie Com
bat wildly Described.


several nights the smoke hung low over
the camp fires, as if listening too awe
stricken to rise, to the various stories of
their proves in former struggles
Murchesons men were to the westward
of the trail, but they came over to ling
mans roundup, two miles to the east,
every evening to talk over their bull and
speculate on the chances if Zingman's
men felt the spirit of ownership IN any
thing they want to pit against him. But
Zingman's people hesitated. They had
bull, Texas, which had killed every
thing he had tackled, and they thought
it an unfair advantage to turn him loose
against SO manfcstedly an inferior ami
NAL as "Wild Bill, " though they couldn't
call to mind any other animal they were
willing to risk money on.
This position gave rise to some pro
nounced polemics. If wind could have
settled the dispute it would have been
decided in favor of both Sides Relying
on the anecdotes related of each, one
would suppose that contest between
them could only result in the termination
of time. Murcheson men were a unit in
the statement that on one occasion "Wild
Billn had rushed his adversary down,
and, unable to stop his Roadway, had
gone home with a school-ho on his
horns. Zingman's people conceded the
possibility of this, but maintained and
proved conclusively by the testimony of
each other that Texas" had on one oc-
casion picked up an earthquake on his
horns and held it there until it agreed
never to visit that section again if he
would let it 60 On this state of facts
it was obvious that nothing but meet
periority and the duel was arranged for
Saturday morning. The fight was to
come off on neutral ground, midway be-
tween the two herds. Every cowboy was
to leave his weapons behind him, a judi
Cious precaution, since the cowboy pistol
has supernatural method of discharging
itself without reference to material
causes. Each side was to remain behind
is own b ull, and neither to approach the
fracas closer than three hundred yards,
the winners to take all the money found
on the persons or in the possession of the
losers.
Bright and early Saturday morning,
the grass still shining in the dew, and the
sun coming up with every promise of
glorious prairie day, the bulls were cut
out of their respective herds and driven
to the battle-ground. A man who has
never seen Texas bull doesn't know
how much fight can be tied up in one
hide. Strong and wiry, not too heavy in
the flank, sharp OF horn and quick in
action, he was built to fight, and con-
trives to discharge his mission without
involving himself in the slightest I'M
necessary complication. Lashed to mad
ness by the whips of the cowboys, laid
on mercilessly to arouse their rage, the
two bulls came in sight of each other,
and their hackers withdrew BY nature
a Texas bull is all the time as mad as he
can get, until he sees another bull, then
the thermometer of his wrath goes to
boiling point.
AS they spied each other their heads
went down and their tails up. They APP
| preached slowly, and with sinuous mo-
ton, paving the ground and moaning
"Texas" appeared little the larger of the
! two, and he was fully as active as his foe
A hundred PAGES apart they fairly sprang
| from the earth, and the below and the
crash of meeting mingled together as the
! ground trembled beneath them. Texas
had the best of it, for "Wild Billn re-
coiled to his launches, but the game lit
tie bull recovered first, and in the next
attack gOred Texas under the head,
nearly reaching his throat. The on
slaught was 50 unexpected that "TeXas, -
still dazed by the first shock, failed to
counter on his adversary. But the next
rush found him prepared, and he re
ceived his enemy full on the forehead
driving him again to his launches. Be
fore Bill could rally Texas" had
raised the flesh off his nigh fore shoulder
bone.
The smell of his own blood crazed tibet
little bull, and his next dash was no,
straight. He struck Texas obliquely
throwing up the head of the latter, and
then turning, before he had passed, he
ripped up the big bulls off foreleg, catch
ing him behind the shoulder and tearing
out the muscles, cords and tendons.
Though badly famed, "Texas" was not
vanquished. Once more he bore the lit
tie bull down, but "Bill" was the least
injured of the two, and struggling to his
feet, he buried horn in the old wound
1t is doubtful if he knew what damage
he had done, for he was half blind with
his adversary's blood. "Texas" awaited
the next rush where he stood, nor was he
kept in suspense. "Bill' was at him in
a moment, but the bio bull sadly hurt,
winded and tired held his head high, and
''Bill' caught him between the fore legs
ripping him to the neck before he tore
away.
Then "Texas" turned, and shout
from his hackers announced his defeat.
With yell of victory and derision,
Murcheson's men dashed down and drove
their bull back to the herd Three hours
later the two herds were in motion again,
but Murcheson's people were enriched to
the extent of all the cash whereof ling
mans men had been seized at the time
the duel began.
Staggering slowly and painfully down
the trail, "Texas" limped while ON his
way back to the ranch from which he
came. He couldn't go back to his herd,