Sun River sun. [volume] (Sun River, Mont.) 1884-1885, 1884-07-10
. COWBOYS FUN.
Testing The Mettle Of the Strongest
Bulls in Their Hci ds.

eSttOE tNe ViettIc on tVe 0VOUScSt
Bulls in Their Hci ds.
There had been considerable chaff.
verigated with especial lurid illlstra-
tions Of tho possibilities Of profanity |
on the merits Of the two bulls, and for
several nights the smoke hung low
over the camp-ires, rs il listening,
too awe stricken to rise, to tho various
stories Of their powercss on former
occa sions Nlurcheson's mon were to
tho westward Of the trail, but they
came 1ver to Zingman's round up,
two miles to tho east every evening,
to talk over their bull and speculate
on the chances if Zingman's men felt
spirit of ownership in anything they
wanted to pit against him. But
| Iingman's people hcsitated. They
had bull ''rcxas." which had killed
everything he had tackled, and they
Thought it an unfair advantage to turn
him loose against SO manifcstly an in.
fcrior animal us Mnrchcson's "Wild
BILL" thongh they couldn't call to-
mind any other animal they were will
| lllp W FISK money on.
This position broke mp the poker
game, and gave rise to some pro-
nounccd polemics. If wind could
have settled the dispute it would have
been decided in favor Of both parties.
Relying on the anecdotes related Of
each, ono would naturally suppose
that contest between them could
only result in termination of time.
Murcheson's men were Il unit in the
statement that on olie occasion Wild
Bill had rushed his adversary down,
and, unable to stop his hcadway hud
gone home with n BAPTIST church on
his horns. Zingman's people conced
cd the possibility Of this, but main
tained and proved conclusively by the
testimony ofcach other that Texas had
on one occasion picked up an earth
quake on his horns and held it there
until it agreed never to visit that sec
ton again il he would let it go. On
this state of facts it was obvious that
nothing but meeting could definite
} ly determine the superiority, and the
duel was arranged for Sunday morn
! ing. Tho fight was to came off on
neutral grounds, midway between the
two herds. Every cowboy was to
} leave his weopons behind him, II judi
cious prccantlon, since cowboy pistol
. has u supernatural method of dis
, charging itself, without reference to
material causes. Each side was to re-
main behind its own bull, and neither
TO approach the Traces nearer than
800 yards, the winners to takc all the
money to be found on or in tho pos
session of tho losers.
Bright and carly Sunday morning
the grass still shining in the dew and
the sun coming up with every prom
ise OF n glorious prairie day, the bulls
were cut ont of their respective herds
and driven to the battle ground. A
man who has never sccn Il Texas bull
: doesn't know how much fight can be
tied up in one hide. Strong and wiry,
not too heavy in the flank, short oi
| horn and quick in action, hc was
built to fight and contrivcs to dis
charge his mission without involving
himself in the slightest unnecessary
complication.
dashed to madness by the whips OF
the cowboys, laid Oh mcrcilcssly to
I arouse their rage, the two bulls came
, in sight of each other, and their back
!. ors Withdrew. by nature II Texas
steer is all the time as mad as hc car
be secs until he another bull, then the
\ ! thermometer his of wrath goes to
boiling point.
1 AS they spied each other thcil
heads went down and their tails up
, They approached each other slowly
u and with II sinuous motion, paving
the ground ind moaning. Texas ap
II pearcd n little the larger Of the two
!, and was fully Us active rs his foe. A
k hundred PAGES apart they fairl,
@ sprang from the earth, and the bel
t.. low and the crash of meeting mingled
4 together rs tho ground trcmbled be
e meath thcm. Texas had the best Of j
for Wild bill recoilcd TO his launches
:, but the game little bull recovered
" first, and in the next attack gore'
: Texas under the head, nearly reach
: ing bis throat. The onslaught wa
! SO unexpected that Texas, still dazec
y y by the first shock, failed TO col,ntc
', on his adversary. But tho noXt rusl
:. fonnd him prepared, and he received
y . his encmy full on the forehead, driv
" v ing him again to his Launches. BE
y fore Bill could rally, Texas had rails
!, ed the flesh off his hind forc-sLoulde
=" bone.
= The smell of his own blood crazct
> the little bull, and his next dash wa
., not straight. He struck Texas ob
;, liquely, throwing up the head Of tn
- latter, and then, turning before h
/" passed, he ripped up tho big bulls Of
l. fore leg, catching him behind th
= shoulder and tearing out the mus
1. clos, tendonS and cords.
y Though badly lumed, Texas wa
]. not vanquishcd. Once moro he Dor
,t tho little bull down, but Bill was tn
s. least injured of the two, and, strug
II Cling to his feet, he buried Il hor
d into the old wound. 1t is doubtful
s if he knew what damage he had done
0, for he was half blind with his adycl
q sary's blood. Texas awaited the mex
d rush whore he stood, nor was he kep
l. in suspense. Bill was at him in
IL moment, but the big bull. sadly hur
T." winded and tirel, held his head higl
n and Bill caught him between the fore