Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-11-05
New York Mail and Express.

and scout, departed for his ranch
in the West the other day. lie
was attired IN his picturesque cos
tune, his long black hair falling
gracefully over his shoulders, when
"A reporter for the Mail GRd Express
corraled him in the corridor Of the
Hoffman House. The man who
killed in a duel Chief Yellow Hand,
and scalped him under fire from the
Indian braves, led the way to a
quiet reading room and sat down.
lie took off his sOmbrero and
placed it on the table, revealing
clearly the handsome face and
piercing eyes that have been seen
by so many thousands the past
summer at Staten Island, He said
that he wanted to 90 West and
breathe fresh air upon the plains
/ before he began work at Madison
/ Square Garden this winter. He ex-
pressed himself highly satisfied
with his season, and intimated that
/ his show at the Garden would be
odd and thoroughly typical of Wes-
tern life. The conversation drlfted
7 to his experiences in the past and
and how he obtained the sObriquet
of Buffalo Bill. His story was in
teresting.
~ earned the title of Buffalo
Bill by killing bufl'aloes or the
plains. The Kansas Pacific Rail
road was being built through the
heart of the buffalo country in 1867.
Some l 800 hands were employed
at that end of the rOute. The In
dians were constantly on the war
path. and fresh meat was difficult
to obtain. Hunters were engaged
TO kill bufl,aloes for the firm who
had the contract for boarding the
employees of the road. | had some
| little reputation as a good shot, and
especially at live cattle, so | was
engaged at a salary of $500 per
month TO kill buffalo. Twelve of
these huge animals were required
each day. Nothing but the hams
and humps were eaten. | knew the
work would be very dangerous, be-
cause the Indians we're riding all
over the country, indulging in their
iavorite sport of killing a white
man when they caught one alone
on the pralue. But | agreed to
/ furnish the meat, Indians or no In
dians. | knew | would often be
five or ten miles from the ad,and
was liable to attack by the red
skins. My success as a meat-pro-
wider was so great the rOad-hands
began to call me Buffalo Bill, and
the name has remained with me-
Many stirring adventures occurred
to me during the seventeen months
| hunted bufialoes for the Kansas
Pacific Road. | killed 1880 buffa.
loes. besides some Indians. My ia
vOrite hunting horse was Brigham,
who was trained to dashintO a herd
of wild buffaloes and chase them
until had slain almost as many as
| desired for the day. In tbespring
of 1868 1 was riding Brigham in a
gallop trying to reach Smoky Hill
River. ] never shall forget that
day. After twenty miles of fast
riding l reached the top of hill
and gazed down upon the smiling
valley and the beautiful river in
the distance. My attention was at
/ tracted toward some moving OBJ
| jects in the distance. They were
half a mile distant, and as soon as
they began to mount their horses l
saw they were Indians and intend
ed to capture me if possible.
"My horse was somewhat IA
tigued from the rapid pace had
been travelling and ! doubted wheth
er he would be able to keep ahead
of the fresh horses of my pursneIs.
resolved to run and fight. The
horse seemed to know my life de-
pended upon his speed. He sprung
away at a brisk rate. The Indians
followed. After crossing a ravine
] halted a few seconds and 'siZed
mp az it we're, the crowd after me,
They we're Indian braves well
mounted and armed with rifles. II
Brigham had been fresh | wOuld
have bad no fears whatever about
escaping, bat how it would result
after my long morning ride ] had
no idea. After miles of fast riding,
| discovered that nine or ten In
dians were only two hundred yards
behind, strung out for a distance
of two miles. My horse made a
spurt and for twoOr three miles did
the finest running of that kind on
record. The Indians bad good
horses, and one who rode spotted
horse gained on me far ahead OF
the rest. He had a rifle and sent
several bullets around me that gave
warning that my time had come to
make stand or get shot in the
back. / think Brigham knew the
time had arrived to face about and
fight. Suddenly | wheeled my
horse, and quickly raising my rifle
to my shoulder / sent a bullet int
the head of the spotted ANIMAL
AT the crack of my rife, horse an(
, Indian fell in a heap. | suppose
they we're some eighty yards dis