Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-08-13
GREAT BATTLE OF ELKS.
THEY FIGHT TO THE DEATH IN
A MANS PRESENCE,
With All the Dignity of SIonarchs the
Leaders OF tho Two Herds Ad.
vance to the Battle
Both Are Killed.

II saw curious combat the other
day." said Col. Simpson, a we'll known
hunter. recently to correspondent Of
the St. Louis Globe Democrat.
Curious as we'll as terrible and splen.
did. 1t was battle to the death be-
tween two male elks superb creatures.
with great horns and a desperate
courage vindictlveness which made me
fancy there must have been q feud OF
long standing between them. 1t (tha
fight mean) took place out here in
the Black Rock valley, through which
the stream tributary to the White river
flows. / had been following the trail
of small herd of elks when I reached
sudden turn OF the little valley, where
the sides narrowed down to scarcely
fifty feet apart and where l saw just
ahead OF me the game had been trail
ing. 1t was q band Of about six does
and two bucks, one scarcely grown,
and the other as fine q specimen as
ever had the good fortune to behold.
Unaware OF my approach they had
paused to crop the young grass. and
were quietly feeding when the young
buck, who happened TO be slightly in
advance, raised his head with a sud-
den snort OF alarm. The others were
alert in moment, their heads thrown
back and the delicate, sensitive
nOstrils quivering with the scent.
As yet had heard nothing. seen moth
ing to cause this excitement, but as
the beautiful creatures before me stood
snufflng the air felt the earth shake
with the rush of hoofs. and the next
moment another band of elks swept
around the little herd. They num-
bered nearly twenty and were led by a
big buck. At the sight of the others
they stopped abruptly and the two
males, the one which had the smaller
band and the one which headed the
advancing party, faced each other de-
family. With heads erect and blazing
eyes they advanced slightly with all
the dignity of two rival monarchs,
while the herds mingling drew to one
side. To distinguish the antagonists,
I'll call one Big Horns and the other
Antlers. Big Horns beloved forth a
challenge that made the rocks ring
ever hear an elk below? Well, never
did before, but can tell you he can
do it. and it isn't to be laughed to
scorn either. for it means desperate
fighting. When Big Horns gave the
challenge Antlers took it up with an
other quite as loud and angry, and then
fairly tearing up the ground with their
plunging hoofs, and lowering their
formidable heads. the two close to-
gether Talk of gladiatorial combats!
l don't want to see anything grander
than that fight. For the first second or
two you could not have said which was
which. SO closely had they mingled;
then came lunge after lunge forward
with the terrible horns, which drew
blood every time, wheel and counter
wheel, round and round till they
seemed like whirling demons, and the
eyes grew bewildered. At intervals, by
mutual consent it appeared, both drew
back several PAGES, paused for brief
second to breathe. and then would
come the rush forward and the locking
OF horns
Blood began to flow freely. and I
could see that the wounds OF both
were many and cruel, but still the
maddened, determined beasts fought
on, neither making the slightest move
ment toward light. Once Antlers fell
upon his knees after sudden blow
from his antagonist, but as Big Horns
rushed upon him he dealt him terri
BILE thrust in the right breast, piercing
also the belly with one long prong.
The other reeled with the blood burst
ing in red thick jet from the wound,
but started once more for Antlers, who
was trying to regain his footing. Be-
fore reaching him. however, he stag
gered blindly to one side, and the next
instant fell over dead almost under the
other. Antlers' struggles to get up
proving unavailing. began to suspect
that he was worse wounded than l i'm
agined. but he struck again and again
at his foes PROSTATE body. as if in
wanton Dissertation of it. He was evil
IDENTIFY growing weaker though, and
the blood continuing to pour from his
side. which had been badly ripped
open for nearly foot, he finally lay
perfectly quiet, gasping for breath and
rolling his magnificent eyes in agony
and entreaty at the rest of the herd.
which seemed huddled together in
frozen terror at this death struggle of
the chiefs of the clans.
But some how / could not bear the
sight of this poor creatures sufferings,
and saying to myself that this gallant
fight deserved soldiers death l
raised my gun and fired. The elk
raised his head for one brief moment.
and began to fear had only wounded
him further when he dropped it with
a heavy thud and long SILVER that
shook his entire body told me he was
dead. The rest OF the herd. bewil-
dered by the scene and unexpected
shot. started into life. broke up the
valley toward where even an indica-
ton that they saw me, swept past me.
disappearing in less time almost than
1t takes to tell it. l really believe
Such was their fright that thev would