The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1896-10-31
THE WILD BULL,
THRILLING FIGHT BETWEEN
BUFFALO AND SIOUX.
Two Daring Indians With Bows and
Arrows Bring to the Dust the
King Of the Herd-The
Last Charge.
I WAS on the plains in the Sixties"
said the short nan En 1lil nat

| cult to disbelieve them. Ho was m
ex-member Of the Colorado Legisla-
,, ture, and had come to Washington to
work for the passage of bill to re.
lieve railway employees, and was now
seated with a party of friends at one
OF the small tables in the House res.
taurant. His lifo had been varied and
interesting. He had been cowboy,
an engineman, railway postal clerk
and politician. The Spanish gentle.
man had just finished an interesting
account Of bull fight whichhad taken
place at Barcelona, in which, by some
accident, the bull had the best of it.
81 saw bull fight on the plains
once," said the short man, laying his
tools down, fright out in the open,
with nothing to hide behind, nowhere
to stand but on, and nowhere to fall
but of, as the deceased bard Of st.
10 would say.
1t was while We were locating the
line of the Union Pacifc-simpIy
driving across the country and max.
ing observations. A couple of Sioux
fell in with our party and were riding
along looking for chance to steal
something, when we came suddenly
upon small herd of buffalo. The
rear guard, sturdy old bull, was feed.
ing along in sag between the sand
hills, and, the wind blowing from him
to US, prevented him from seeming
our party until the two Indians dashed
by, cutting him off from the main
herd. Lowering his head the great
brute bounded away up the little hill,
at the top Of which the two Sioux sat
waiting to receive him. Each of the
Indians carried a rifle, but to our sur
prise they were left hanging at the
saddles. The bull made straight for
one of the horses, but just as he
seemed about to collide the bron.
cho sprang to one side and
an arrow from the Indians bow
was driven deep into the back of the
bull. We expected the animal to bolt
now, but he was enraged and scorned
to escape. Turning, he came straight
for the other Sioux, only to pillow the
air Overwhelmingly close-to the
agile horse, which carried his rider
safely to the rear. The first Indian
had by this time fixed another arrow,
and when the charge was made PLANTED
it deep behind the bulls left shoulder.
The fight had by this time become so
exciting that our driver, forgetting
the danger, had driven up to within
hundred yards of the scene of tho
battle. Having bounded by one of
the Indians, carrying another arrow
away with him, the Infatuated animal
caught sight of our wagon and drove
straight for US. It was like standing on
the track id front of a locomotive, and
every man OF us, realizing the great
danger, was seized with fear that al.
most froze his blood. The driver was
so filled with terror that he made no
attempt to avoid the collision, which,
from the moment the bull passed the
Indian, seemed inevitable. On be
came, snorting like anowplow and
looking as formidable, and not one OF
US had presence Of mind enough to
reach for q rifle. We were too badly
scared to move, but not so with the
Sioux. Seeing our danger the brave
fellows turned their horses and came
galloping past the bull, one on either
side, and as they passed him each
drove an arrow into the mad brute.
These new wounds seemed only to in
crease bis rage, and on he came, tear
ing toward US, but before they reached
our wagon, the Indians whirled their
horses, and with arrows drawn stood
between lis and the approaching
buffalo. The horses had barely time
to turn before the bull was upon
them. One of tho broncos sprang
away, his rider emitting wild yell as
he sent another arrow into the bleed
ing buffalo. The other Indian was not
30 fortunate. His horse failed to clear
and one of the bulls horns caught in
its side just behind the cirth and
plowed a great furrow back to the
flank.
"rhe buffalo appeared to appreci-
ate the advantage of this thrust, and
ut once turned AMI charged the I'm.
horsed Sioux. The Indian might
have ended the fight by taking up his
rifle, but he did not. Standing erect
ut the side of his dead horse he faced
the rapidly advancing foe and sent an
arrow deep under the shoulder blade.
As the arrow left the string the Indian
dropped beside the body of his horse
and the buffalo passed over him with
out doing any damage. Now the
mounted Sioux claimed the attention
of the wounded bull, and again the
Sioux on foot. By this time the buf-
falo fairly bristled with arrows and
resembled q huge porcupine. We