The Springfield herald., 1913-01-24
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early medieval history. For the
event which has probably more to
do than any other with the PRONUNCIATION OF this
was the famous hunt given by Charlemagne
to the ambassadors OF Haroun-ai-Rashid In the
dank Hercyian woods that surrounded his hunt
ing lodge Heristallum. According to the original
account by the monk Eginhard OF St Gall. the
aurochs were of such terrorinstflling appearance
to the from the east that they could not
even bear the sight of them. and fed from the
emperors side. The latter. attacked by the ferc-
est of these monsters, missed the vital spot.
with the result that before brave Isambart could
Stay 1t the emperor slightly wounded In the
thigh and had his neither garment torn into
shreds. Rushing to his side. the assembled cpur.
tiers offered to divert themselves of their own
hose. but the emperor laughingly rejected their
u1Drs. declaring that he intended to show him
&1R in his sorry plight tu the fair Hildegarde,
S3&o was great huntress herself Needless to
r. this adventure proved medieval scoop"
kSthe gaudiest kind but In the course Of I'm.
4 Numbered retellings the aurochs became WI
II mt az was called the European bison and since
MAT time q perplexing confusion has reigned be-
tween these two animals. That the true aurochs
which became extinct three hundred years ago.
was entirely different animal from the bison,
whose name. alas! is also on the list Of animals
about to share the aurochs fate. is a fact
known to all scientific men. To the writer the
poor old bisons pathetic fate appeals more par
ticulary. for when shooting In the Rockies In
the seventies of last century he still saw them in
herds Of ten thousand. But as the men who can
claim to have seen the same marvellous sight
will before long follow these lordly inhabitants
of the wilds to the happy hunting grounds. the
study OF the past history of these two species
has for people unusual attractions And
not the least interesting phase Of 1t is the col
lecting of pictures made at time when both
beasts still roaming the wastes of
the EARTH had but recently disappeared.
OF the earliest OF all pictures of what was prob
ably meant to be the bison interesting arti-
Gle which recently appeared In an illustrated week
ly, In which the roof pictures in the Altamira
Cav W
After gap of untold centuries we reach the
various pictorial records left to by the CHS
els gravers or brushes OF the classic ages.
Among those who have made important discov-.
cries respecting the distribution of the aurochs.
Professor Conrad Keller. the welknown Zurich
xoologst. occupies prominent place. His dis
coveries in the ruins of the ancient palace OF
King Minos in Crete of no fewer than sixteen
horn-cores and skull of what unquestionably
was the original wild of Europe. aurochs.
show that it lived there at one period. and that
the famous legend OF the minotaur has sub
stratum of truth. From his pages we borrow
illustration of important f-esco In Knossos de-
plotting an aurochs in the act OF inpaling help
less-looking victim, while bold bullfghter Is
actually turning a somersault over the back of
the beast third, possibly female. lookeron at
tempting to seize the bulls tail, the being
probably enacted In an arena 1t is possible that
the Theseus story came from the slaughter OF
captives in such exhibitions Several other pic
lures have been recently discovered which be-
long to the Minos period. l. e.. between 1000 and
1900 B. G. Professor keners h1Ghly instructive
writings contain many other illustrations of Bos
primifenius.
Skipping tens of centuries, reach the Bes-
tiaries the most ancient Of which originated In
the period touched at the outset when speak
ing of Charlemagne's aurochs-hunt These ex-
ceedingly primitive pictorial records do not add
much to information; the choice hurts one.
As Germans describe that state of uncertainty in
regard to what the monaEtc artists meant to
represent by their crude attempts. Skipping
few more centuries. we at last reach, in the be-
ginning Of the fifteenth century, fairly intelligent
accounts of the animals habitat and are fur
nished with drawings presenting features sum.
GENTLY distinct to indicate. to eyes
toned to Photographic accuracy. the identity OF
the animal the picture means to represent
Very curious 10 the circumstance. to which.
BY the way. nobody has far drawn attention.
that none Of the French sporting books Of the
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. such Roy
Modus." "Gaston Phoebus" "Gace de Ia Buigne"
and 'Fontanes Guerin." mentions either the