The sun., 1897-01-03
THE LAST BUFF4IO HUNT.
The Defiant Death or the Bison Monarch
of Antelope island In Great Salt Lake.

Ir.B. he SIf, francisco EgaWtEtr.
SAIT LAKE, Dee. 23.-T The last buffalo In
Utah, one OF tie iow remnant Of the millions
which roamtd the vast plains OF the West. was
killed on Antelope Island. in Great Salt Lake,
come day, ago. by party o! hunters organized
for the purpose. lie died a. no had lived. with
though seriously wounded and lEcapacitated
from making an effective resistance, he never
ninched, but with tossing head aUd angry eye,
lc sRurted his defiance ia the face OF the marks
man VITO fred the bullet into his heart.
Antelope Island Is on the southern end of
Great salt Lake. twenty m!Ies from the main
land, Itself about twenty-five miles IN length
amt from eight 70 ten miles in With. IL Is
wild aud weird place There are Enarled peaks
and rugged gorges. grassy upaEds and scenic
canons, sunny slopes aud smiling meadows, 1t
Il nhinhao;trd save Tor the presence oi 20 or
three small ranches, the owners Of which in
Gulgc in cattle raising.
Here uudi,turbed, save when some men In:
vaicl his feeding grounds, tAts buffalo had
lived for q number Of years. How be gained
the island no one Knows. lie was found there
buffalo, and those WHO found hIm let him ~ in
ncacc. some time Rfterward q number OF bui-
ialo cows were taken To the island ia the hope
bison refused To affiliate with any others. and
never was seen with them, although the new
arrivals took 10 tie quiet u the place and
munched bunch grass ia peace.
About a year ago. however. the old buffalo
out into the open aud fouSlt eNcrythiuG living
which crossed his path. The few dogs on the
Island were IN constant terror Not having any
thing IN the open to conquer, thc buffalo took
to Huirg through har0ea wire. Currals were not
respected in ~" least. lie treed every rancher
On the islAud scores ~ times.
some weeks ago. after he lad slain very
valuable thoroughbred colt, II Was decided that
he must die. There were no guns On the ISLAND.
except shotgunS and n man came over to salt
Lake city and reported the condition Of affairs.
Martin lRnUHn, u wcll-knnwR sportsman, pro-
ceedCd to organize u party to Kill the bison.
Under command Of lRnnan. party lett tho
city early one morning Tor Farmineton, where
they embarked IN SaiIbuat for the island.
Brown. one OF the natty, is manager OF the
Western Union I"egruph Cumpany at this
point, and Cos. ShNugI,urssy. another l. an cN-
officer OF the British army. Although the dis
tance Ia only fourteen miles from Pennington,
morning. II was twenty-fOur hours later ere
they succeeded IN landing on the island.
After u rest or one night the whereabouts OF
the buffalo were sought The old fellow had
taken UP position rs far from the HOodes Of
men as he could get, up IA little Canon IN the
norlhcrn end OF the island. All the party wero
but 1t fell to the lot Of Harry Edwards to dis
cover him. WITH a DEFIANT snort the buffalo
raised his shnggel head and started toward
Edwards AT rapid rate. For three miles there
was the prrttiest race man ever looked upon.
Finally the Uuna,u halted. Shaughnes,y Was
singled out by the enrnged ANNUAL lie charged
Colonel had no time for anything but "a snap
shot, which Was not fatal. Then Brown sent a
stopped him. lie matted, stood stll Tor u min.
ute, and with a half below, denant 10 the last,
fell dead.
The buffalo was bulky in stature and weighed
WAS NJ least Il foot IN leng h, while the year
marks on his magnificent horns indicated That
Pc ha speHt seventeen wears on earth, That
h. had taken care OF himself Was evident. iic
had splendid feet and had hi, savage nature
permitled him Ia lat 1e0pIs alone might have
attHip"d n ripe Old nce. The carcass. hide and
day-, The head will DC mounted and preserved
as men.enIv.