Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-01-07
A Battle Between Bulls.

Thomas S. Moore, a well-known
and respected citizen of Garrard
County, tells graphic story of a
desperate encounter that occurred on
the crest of a knob in his neighbor-
hood several days ago between
couple of enraged bulls, in which both
were killed. The animals had wan
dered to these heights, and upon
sighting each other at once engaged
in a duel to the death. Those unac-
auainted with the instincts of such
creatures cannot easily imagine what
extreme ferocity they sometimes dis
play. In speaking of the incident
Mr.. Moore said
''Being interested in the study of
geology, happened to be on the
knob at the time and was startled
about o'clock in the afternoon by
fearful believing. Looking some
distance ahead / saw the animals adj
vancing toward each other with their
noses on the ground, turning this
| way and that and casting dust into
the air with their fore feet. When
only few yards apart they suddenly
leaped to the attact with a frightful
noise and began to gore each other
with hostile energy. Above the fierce
and noisy trampling could be heard
the grinding of their interlocked
horns and the violent snorting of
brutal rage. The breeze blew aside
the dust and revealed the tigerish
| character of the onset, as, with wide
set limbs and tails curling in the air,
they charged again and again, stab
bling with their pointed horns. Tiny
streams of blood shot down their
necks and sides, while their distend-
ed nostrils emitted reddish foam.
ssThe prodigious strength of these
magnificent animals thus brought into
violent activity afforded a spectacle
both tumultuous and thrilling. The
exertion of the encounter, added to
the pain of each newly inflicted
wound, inflame their combative spirit
to the pitch of tempestuous fury.
One of the bulls, following up a tenn
porary advantage, plunged his horns
into the chest of his antagonist, and
with quick upward jerk of the head
ripped open the flesh to a depth of
several inches, while from this gap
ing wound jets of arterial blood be-
gan to squirt. In towering passion,
and with cleaning eyeballs, charging
furiously upon his adversary, the
. wounded bull drove his horns into Its
abdomen, making horrible opening.
''The impetuous and stormy nature
of the contest had carried the COM
: batants to the verge of the cliff, but
blind with deadly fury they saw nc
l danger. Each, mortally wounded
and weakening momenterily from
! profuse loss of blood, waged the bat
; tie with that fiendish desperation
shown only in wounded animals. II
was evident, however, that crisis
= was near at hand. The situation had
: resolved itself into the grim condition
= of the death struggle. With lowered
e heads they backed away a few yards
: defiant, implacable, and again col
e lided with force that seemed to spill
f their very skulls.
Y ssThis terrific shock staggered thu
q, bull with the chest wound and forced
e his eyeballs from their sockets. H'
suddenly plunged forward to his
knees on the brink of the precipice
Is and remained in quivering stupo
with his open mouth burrowing in tn
IL dust. The other, tottering ant
e, covered with blood, but still terrible
in his weakness, charged heavil.
upon his kneeling and senseless foe
struck him in the flank with the fore
> of a ponderous projectile, and hurle'
= him headlong over the preclplce
The body executed summersault i
mid-air, fell with noisy cras
> through the tree-tops upon the rock
below, where it was subsequent
= preyed upon by vultures.
"The remaining bull seemed to re
- alize in a stupid way the danger
which he himself was exposed. ID
= drew back from the brink over whic
- his hideous muzzle had been momer
i, tarilv thrust, staggered a little dl
70 lance off, fell prone to the eartI
- rolled over on his side, shivered
- moment, and then lay still in the en-
brace of death. The battle Taste
y nearly an hour.