The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-09-20
a BULL FIGHT ON THE PLAINS.
The Description of "A Lively Contest
Between IL Sturdy Old Buffalo
and Two Daring Sioux.
BY CY WARMAN.

BY CY WARMAN.
Copyright, 1896, The S. S. Mcclure
Ccmpany)
81 was on the plains in the SOS, -
said the short man draining his glass
of ordinary. He did not look over 80,
but he must have been more than 40,
for the tales he told carried SO much of
the color of the country that one found
it difficult to disbelieve them. He was
an eX-member of the Colorado legiSla-
ture and had come to Washington to
work for the passage of bill intended
to relieve railway employees, and was
now seated with party Of friends at
one of the small tables in the House
/ restaurant. Like many westerners his
! life had been varied and interesting.
He had been a cowboy, an engineman,
| railway postal clerk and politician.
The Spanish gentleman had just fin
! ished an interesting account of bull
! fight which had taken place at BARGE
! Iona in which, by some accident, the
! bull had the best of it.
II saw a, bull fight on the plains
! once said the short man, laying his
tools down, right out in the open with
! nothing to hide behind, nowhere to
/ stand but on, and nowhere to fall but
/ off, as the deceased bard of st. Joe
would say.
1T was while we were locating the
] line of the Union Pacific-simply driv
+ ing across the country and making OBJ
| servations. A couple of Sioux fell in
with our party and were riding along
! locking for a chance to steal some
( thing, when we came suddenly upon a.
small band of buffalo. The rear guard,
a sturdy old bull, was feeding along in
a sag between the sand hills, and, the
wind blowing from him to US, pre-
vented him from seeming our party
until the two Indians dashed by cut
ting 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 rifle, but to our surprise 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 broncho 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 plow the
air close-alarmingl close-to the agile
horse who 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 bulrs left shoulder. The
fight had by this time become so ex-
citing that our driver, forgetting the
danger, had driven up within a hun
dred yards of the scene of the battle.
Having bounded by one of the Indians,
carrying another arrow away with him,
the infur.ated animal caught sight of
our wagon and drove straight for us.
1t was like standing ON the track In
front of a locomotive. and every man
of US, realizing the great danger, was
seized with a fear that almost froze
our blood. The driver was so filed
with terror that he made no at
from the moment the bull passed
the Indian, seemed inevitable. On
he came, snorting like a snow plow anu
looking as formidable, and not one of
US had presence of mind enough to
reach for 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 increase
his rage, and on he came, tearing to-
ward us, but before they reached our
wagon the Indins whirled their horses
and with arrows drawn stood between
US and the approaching buffalo. The
horses had barely time to turn before
the bull was upon them. One of the
bronchos sprang away, his rider emit
ting a wild yell as he sent another ar
row into the bleeding buffalo. The other
Indian was not so fortunate. His horse
failed to clear and one of the bulls
horns caught in his side just be-
hind the girth and plowed a great, red
furrow clean back to his flank. In the
face of this great danger-at the very
door of DEATH took time to observe
the actions of the wounded horse. For
moment ne stood perfectly still, and
then shudder went over him, and
with a cry that was half moan he
sank trembling to the earth.
The buffalo appeared to appreciate
the advantage of his thrust and at
once turned and charged the endorsed
Sioux. The Indian might have ended
the fight by taking up his rifle, but he
did not. Standing erect at the side of
his dead horse he faced the rapidly ad-
vancing foe and sent an arrow deep I'M
der the shoulder blade. AS the arrow
left the string the Indian dropped be-
side the body of his horse and the buff
falo passed over him without doing any
damage Now the mounted Sioux
claimed the attention of the wounded
bull, and again the Sioux on foot. By
this time the buffalo fairly bristled
with arrows and resembled huge
porcupine We could see that the ami
NAL was getting groggy, as they say
of prize fighters, but his sand seemed
never to leave him. With roar that
would send a chill down your spine
with blood squirting from his nostrils-
he would drive like a hurricane at his
tormentors who, with the exception not
ed. seemed to avoid him by about the
breadth of two hairs. When they had
fought five minutes the earth for the
space of fifty feet about resembled
plowed field. The one living horse was
flecked with the froth of battle and like
the buffalo showed unmistakable signs
of exhaustion AS the action of the
bull grew slower the horseless Sioux
fought farther from cover. At times he
would stand forth in the very face of the
furious adversary and after discharging
his arrow leap to one side, while the
shaggy monster, as the descriptive
writer would say. brushed by.
1--WE were surprised at the beginning
of the fight to see the Indians using