The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1884-12-06
Pictures Of the Wild West.
Remarkable Exhibition at Oriole Park
Some Daring Exploits.

Remarkable Exhibition at Oriole Park
Some. Daring Exploits.
Baltimore American.
The Buffalo Bill combination gave their
initial performances ia the city at Oriole
Park yesterday afternoon and night. These
performances are as near as may be an
epitome of real life in the far West, and af-
ford to Eastern people an opportunity of
forming proper notion of bold, free and
reckless operations and daily life in that
wild section of our country which certainly
no one ought to allow to slip by. That
which gives these entertainments their chief
importance, and in which their instructive
ness consists, is their genuineness. The
participants in the performances are the
very men who have made wild Western life
famous as we know it. These representa-
tons are not limitations, but reproductions
of actual experiences. They are not men
dressed up as scouts, cowboys and Indians,
but actual scouts, cowboys and Indians; of
this fact one becomes at once impressed.
Some OF Them have become historical char
acters and have played an important part in
American frontier life. Among these But
falo Bill himself ranks first, whose name
has become familiar household word.
Then, there is Jim Nelson, the plains man
who guided Brigham Young and the Nor
mons across the desert to their present Utah
home. Nelson married Chief Lone VOLTS
daughter, and his interesting Indian fam
lily forms part of the attractions. Then
there is Major Frank North, the white chief
of The Pawnees, who was the first man to
enlist Indians in the United States service.
Buck" Taylor, the king of the cowboys,
and his companions, who have earned
national reputation for daring, take con-
spicuous part in the entertainment. The
Indians are all finely built specimens of
humanity, and their powerful and hand
some frames, and graceful and alert move
ments, win admiration. Throughout the
entertainment exhibitions of brave and
daring bareback riding are given, which
are of an entirely different character from
those usually given in circus. After
procession and an equestrian entree intro
duclng the performers to the audience
there was quarter-miIe race between two
Mexlcans, two cowboys and two Indians.
The little horses made the dust fly and gave
a pretty exhibition. "Seth" Hathaway,
the rider of the pony express which has now
become famous, gave an exhibition of fast
riding and rapid changing of horses. A
race between an Indian on
horse and an Indian on foot was won by
the former. Captain A. FL. Bogardus the
champion marksman, and his four sons,
who are all expert shots, gave most re-
markable exhibition of shooting. The
Captain shot clay pigeons sprung from
traps in a variety of Styles generally
springing the trap himself. He wound up
by shooting twenty in one minute and
seven seconds. His eldest son, Eugene.
also displayed remarkable skill, hitting the
target from variety of unusual positions
and mutilating silver haIf-dolIars and
quarters while they were thrown in the air.
Three younger brothers, Peter, Henry and
also showed that they had inner
tied their fathers talent. The men who
rode the bucking ponies gave an exhibition
Of most remarkable horsemanship in main
tanning their position upon the rearing and
pIunging mustangs. Buffalo Bill then dis
played his peculiar notwithstanding COM
position balls thrown in the air while he
was sitting on horse, and Gaping the
climax by shooting them as he was
dashing along at break-neck speed. His
graceful horsemanship was much admired.
The attack on and the relief of the old stage
coach, of which so many have written, was
represented in most realistic manner.
The Buros-Mexican tboroughbreds-
showed how they could run the slowest race
on record and afforded considerable
amusement The lassoing and riding of
the wild Texas steers and the savage buff
faloes was most exciting and made an i'm
preston upon the spectators which they
will not soon forget. The performance
concluded with realistic representation
Of an attack by Indians upon settlers
cabin and the subsequent relief by the cow
boys. A tour was then made of the grounds,
and the Indian wigwams, with all the pecu-
liar appurtenances, were inspected with in
terest. A visit was also paid to the newly
born elk, which, with its mother, is doing
finely, and also to the Rocky Mountain
sheep, which are looked upon as most re-
markable curiosity. Two performances
will be given daily during the rest of the
week.