The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-03-01
A HARD STRUGGLE.
Saved By an Outlaw From an Infatuated
Bull.
Dodsing Behind Trees TO Escape the Ter
ri1c Charges Of the Mad Bruts-felt Sure
He Was Doomed - Magnificent Exhibition
Of Horsemanship

had ridden out 10 ranch says a
Texas correspondent 81 the Atlanta
constitution and was returning when
met "A Mexican with broken arm hob
bling along the road. who told me that
bull had charged him the day before
and flung him into water hole, break
Ing his arm and brulsing him severely
ali over.
The Mexican warned me that the bull
was doubtless still In the neighbor-
hood and that IL would stand me La
hand TO keep lookout for him. had
ridden n mile or two when | aismount-
ed 10 drink OF little running stream ]
had reached and to eat my lunch. My
horse l left standing without taking
the precaution OF tying him, though
without unsaddling him. He was u
young mustang, as nervous rs "A wo-
man. and without any apparent cause
that | could discover threw up his
head all OF sudden and broke down
the valley In n mad gallop. carrying
OF course. my saddle. with my belt con
tanning my pistols, which ! had rather
foolishly removed from my waist an
hour or two before and hung from the
horn Of my saddle.
There was nothing for IL but 10 fol-
low the horse on foot SO OFF | put in
cs bad humor ns you can imagine, for
i was already fatigued by my long
ride. and tramp Of perhaps miles
was anything but inviting. ! trndged
on for an hour or two. until my feet
were cut and blistered by the sharp
rocks. and had sat down to rest near
n clump OF cottonwood trees. one Of
great size. and tho rest OF them nero
saplings. At that moment / heard
loud roar aud "A crash in bush be-
hind me, and out rushed az terrific
pace large bull. charging straight ut
me- had only just time TO throw my
self 10 one side Hat on the ground rs
he Numbered by me. My next move
was ~ mako for the dump OF cotton
woods, which | succeeded In reaching
! Just Ms tho bull turned again. My
hat had fallen 10 the earth as l ran.
and this the animal now attacked with
ferocity and maddened rage that
showed how little mercy would be
shown tho man when his turn came.
| Having torn the hat 20 pieces with
| horns and hoofs, and having smelled
| me our. he commenced circuit around
the tree. stamping. paving and bell
| lowing frightfully. With his blood
shot eyes and long. sharp horns he
looked ike demon. | was quite un-
armed. having by some unlucky chance
neglected 10 put IN my knife in leav-
! ing home. und my pistols. IA l said
! before, bcing Ia my saddle, and l was
wearied unto death The situation
was desperate one, aud my only
chance consisted in lodging the bull
round the tree until he should be
/ tired out and this was indeed n faint
/ hope, for the animal seemed fresh and
warranted TO outlast the strength OF
ten men The bull charged again and
again, sometimes coming against the
tree with such force that he fell on
his knees. sometimes bending the sap
lings behind which | stood until his
horns almost reached me. There was
not branch OF the one large tree low
enough for me TO seize and climb up,
and had no time in which TO scale 1t
between the bulls charges,
How long this awful game OF 'touch
wood lasted | cannot tell, for after
the first excitement OF self-preserva-
tion passed oif WEAKNESS again took
possession OF me. aud IL required all
the instinct and love OF life in me To
keep me on my feet Several timeG the
bull left me for few seconds pacing
suddenly away. believing his malig-
nant discomfort OF my refusal TO come
forth and be trampled and gored TO
death, but before | could cross TO a
better position he always came back at
full speed. My tongue began TO oleave
20 the roof OF my mouth. my eyes grew
hot and misty. my knees trembled I'M
der mo- while ringing in my oars
warned me that nature was exhausted.
and felt il Impossible TO hold out un-
I'll dark
At length | grew desperate. and de-
termined 20 make run FOR the oppo-
site covert the moment the bull turn
cd from me. felt sure was doomed,
and thought OF II until actually be-
gan 10 welcome the idea OF its ending
In any way. The bull seemed 10 know
/ was worn out aud grew more rapid
and fierce in his charges. but'just when
] was gz ing TO sit down under the
great tree and let him do his worst,
heard the rattle OF "A horse among the
rocks above, and a shout that sounded
like the voice OF an angel. Then cane
the barking Of dog and the loud re
ports OF a stock whip but tho bull.
with his devilish eyes fixed on mo new.
or moved. Up came horseman no foil
speed, and crack fell tho lash on tn,
bulls black hide. while the blood
spurted out In long streak. The an
imal turned savagely and charged the
horseman. believing with astonished
ragc and pain. but the horse wheel ed