The Arizona sentinel., 1888-03-24
RIDING A BUFFALO.
How 8 Western Hunter Won Fame and a
 Fifty-DOIlar Bet.

U
 Fifty-DOllar Bet.
 In November, 1882 north of the Yellowstone river between Dry Fork and Red Water strea ans. the buffaloes were very plentiful. and the slaughter of them was prosecuted with unre- lenting vigor. That was the section where Vic Smith, Doc Yahl, Mis- souri Jim," Jim Blake, George Brown and many others followed the buffalo like an averaging Nemesis, and, sad to say, never let up. until this noble game was wiped out At that tune a young man named Chas. W. Rock. better known as Dick Rock, was acknowledged the quickest buffalo skinner on the range; he could easily skin forty five buffaloes in one day, a well. proportioned six-footer, and the best horseman I ever saw. He claimed that he could ride and
 stick any thing that wore hair, un- less it was grizzly bear. It was seldom that he spoke of his prowess unless bantered by some of hls com. panions. At that time he was hunting on tributary of Dry Fork, close to Vic Smiths camp. One evening in camp the subject of breaking horses and wild animals to ride came up. and Dick offered to bet fifty dollars that he could ride buffalo. His money was quickly covered and Sam Bicknell chosen referee and stake holder The conditions were that he should ride buffalo half an hour, barring &C., cidents. such as the buffalo falling down or running under limbs of trees that skirted the small streams. The next morning one of the party rode over to Smiths camp and acquainted him with the facts of the wager. and required his assistance in securing the animal on which Rock was 10 ride. Vic acquiesced, and soon all hands rode out in search of the game. They approached within about two hundred yards of about dozen buffaloes, and all hands stopped, with the ex- ception of Vic, who crawled on hands and knees within one hundred yards and, selecting a fine fat COW, took careful aim and accomplished what was ended-thatis, shot her through the muscles of the neck and knocked her down, feat that is called ''creas- ing At the crack of the rife Rock on his horse sped like the wind to the fallen COW and. quickly dismount- ing sprang upon the brute's back, who had already recovered consciousness, and away they went full tilt after the balance of the herd, which were about a quarter of mile distant. His large spurs, which he had sunk deep in the cows sides. served to enable him in retaining his seat, while it served also to irritate the brute; she- believed and bucked in frightful manner while Rock applied the ''quirt." They soon were among the herd of buffalo, and remarkable as it may appear the other buffaloes did not seem fright ened at coming in contact with man, but on the contrary, endeavored to unseat him by hooking viciously at his legs. The balance of the boys soon separated Rock and his animal from the rest Of the herd and ran them in circle until time was called, when half-breed Baptiste shot the buffalo and Rock laid down on the ground for about twenty minutes to search for his lost wind that had been pumped out of him by the terrible bucking and jolting that he had re- ceived. His legs were badly bruised from the horns of the herd. But there after his ability to ride was never questioned and the palm was ac- corded him as the "boss'' buffalo rider. BiIIin0s (M. T) Gazette.