Oxford eagle., 1888-03-15
RIDING A BUFFALO.


Ffny-Detl.r B~G
In Move Der. lSs3 north OF ihe
Yellowsone river between Dc Frk
and Red Water siresms the bufisloes
were very plen,ifuL and the slaughter
az them was prosecuted with unrs-
lenting vigor Tnat was the sec'ian
where VIC Smith. De YahL Mis-
souri, Jim" Jim Rake. George n own
and many Others followed tho buffalo
like an svenging Nemesis snl. sad %
say. never let up until this noble
game vss wiped ont A; that TINE =
young man named Gas W Z ck.
better known a. Dck Rock as
acknowledged the quiekss; buf 10
skinner on the range; be could easily
SKI FORTY I've buffsioes In one dav. .
wall prePortioned sx-footer. and tho
best horsrmNn ever saw. Hs
claimed that he could ride aud
stick" any thing that wnre hair. IN
less IL was griz<ly bear ], WAS
seldom that he spike Of his prOWess
unless bantercd By some Of hts con.
psnions- At that time he Wa hunting
on . tributary of Drv Fark. close 10
Vic Smiths camp One evening in
camp the suhject Of breaking horses
and Wild animals to ride cst,s up aud
Dick offered to he; fftv dollars that he
could ride buffalo. His monev was
quickly covered ard Sam d ckReli
chosen referee and siake-holder. The
conditions were that he should ride .
buffalo half an hour. barring Ae-
cidenis such as the buffalo falling
down or running unier limits Of trees
that skirted the small streams The
next morning one Il the party rodo
over TO Smiths camp ard acquainted
him wish~she facts of the wager. ard
required his assistance IN securing ths
animal on which Rock was 20 ride
Vic sequieseed. and som al hands
rode oui in search % II. game. Th-v
approached within Ahou' two hnndr i
yards q about = doxsn buTaiocs.
and all hands stopped. with the ex-
eepiion of Vic. Who erawied on hand
and knees within one hundred yaris
and. selecting n fne fat COW. took
careful aim ami accomplished what
was intended-thati e. shot her through
the muscles of the neck snd Knocked
her down. a fe=t tha; 1. called 'er-as-
ing. At the crack of the riff, L cS
on his horse sped ike the wind 10
the fallen COW and. quickly dismounl-
ing. sTrang upon the bru,e's back who
had ady reeovsrsI con~ciO lsness.
and away they went full tilt after tho
balance of the herd. which were about
= quarter of a mile distant His large
spurs. which he had sunk deep in tho
csw's 81 les served to enable him IL
retaining hs seat. while II served also
Z 10 irgiiafe III. brute; she t-.llnw.-i AMI
a~r-&-vs isaa frixhtf 1 lsrn.asA~=- ENlssA.s
z ck srp'ied the .'quirt TAey sosa
were among the herd Of buffalo. aud
remarks be as it msy appear the
other bufalnes did no, seem fright
ened At coming in contact with man.
hBt. on the contrary. enJe1vored Ia
unseai him bv hooking viciOusly ~
his legs The balance Of the bows
soon separated Rock and his animal
from the rest # the herd ami ran
them in q circle until time vss called.
when a half-breed Baptiste shot the
buffalo and Rsck laid down on the
ground for about twenty minutes TO
search for his lost wind that had been
pumped out Of him b 'he terrible
bucking p nj jolting that be had re-
ceiyed His l.gs wsre bSdlv bruised
from the horns of the herL Brt there
after his ability TO ride was never
questioned and the palm Was ae-
corded him as the 70 -" buffalo
rider Billings (M II Gazef's