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62 -- military-commercial twin cities combined to render our visit to the South of England profitable and enjoyable. Brighton with its beauty in repose and its terror in a cyclone will long be remembered as our last stop before going to Glasgow (Scotland), where the winter was spent in a specially arranged building. Here wer were made acquainted with the many sturdy virtues of the Scot, and here 6,000 orphan children, impromptu, sang "Yankee Doodle" on the appearance of the starry flag. Glasgow will ever be remembered for the many public and social courtesies extended.
A return to the scene of our London triumphs brought a renewal of all that was pleasant and agreeable in our former experience, and brought our visit to the Old World to a close with a bright compliment under the circumstances (the Court in mourning for Prince Albert Victor) of a Royal request to exhibit before her MOst Gracious Majesty the Queen of England and Empress of India, at Windsor Castle; who was thus the first and only potentate on earth to view, as yet, the Wild West in conjunction with the Rough Riders of the World. This episode has been so lately exploited in the press as to preclude more extended comment. ________
RETURN, RETROSPECTION AND REVIEW.
Leaving England with genuine expressions of regreat from thousands who witnessed our departure, we boarded at Tillbury Docks in London the good American liner, Mohawk, traversing the North Sea, the English Channel and the broad Atlantic in a journey with extreme cotufort, and weighted down with pleasant reminiscences of the past and glorious anticipation of the feeling of sentiment that permeates every one as he nears his native land and views the grandest of all panoramas, the vision of New York Harbor with its Liberty beacon and its starry flag flying;--the feeling that inspired Howard Payne, and would cause even the mute to wish to burst forth with the thrill of a bird and the power of a Patti, or a concentrated orchestra, as a relief, in "Home, Sweet Home."
The good ship Mohawk deserves passing mention from the fact that while a nine-day boat from London Dock to Jersey City, through her latter-day construction, she equals seven or eight days from Queenstown or Southampton, and does not roll from side to side. We were in a three days' storm of so severe a nature as to cause intense interest in New York on the arrival of several "ocean greyhounds." Stories of battened-down hatches, passengers prevented from going on deck, and in fact several crazed through excitement; yet the writer must say that with the exception of the "up hill and down dale" motion, the Mohawk during the height of the three days' storm was never sufficiently moved to render unstable the under-pinning of a two-year-old babe.
Entering the harbor just in time of the evening to "anchor" in view of Greater New York, the ocean traveler can imagine the scene of Indians, Cow-boys, Mexicans, Scouts, Frontiersmen and Staff as we rode at anchor in view of the flickering lights, and what rumor said would possibly soon be one of the objective points to present the enlarged aggregation of Rough Riders of the World we had developed into, and probably for the last time present a "page of passing history" of which so cosmopolitan a city is acknowledged to be innocently ignorant.
Landing at Jersey City, the usual scenes attendant occured with nothing to mar the occasion, if I may except on instance in our little circle, which to a certain extent had its tragic side. It was only a white horse, but a well-known horse; a horse whose picture the public will remember in conjunction with Colonel Cody's, placarded on all walls and exhibited in all windows; a horse who possibly, with his rider, appeared in more cities and before more people of distinction, rank, wealth and character, than ever steed before. The fact that he was the companion of Colonel Cody's last war horse, "Charlie," who died and was buried at sea upon our first return voyage--and that, singular to relate, without any premonitory symptioms of sickness and never looking better in hsi life, "Billy" walked off the gang-plank, neighed as his hoofs struck his native shore, and dropped dead--is food for thought that each one may assimilate. However small it may seem, this pathetic incident will always be remembered by the returning voyagers, as "Billy" and "Charley" were favorite members of the "Old Guard."
The writer followed the sun on its westward course with his Red Brother, and it would take a chapter to describe the scenes at the grand reception at the foothills of the Rockies upon the return to the Ogallallas of the various bands--among them many of the Ghost Dance prisoners, now changed by experience--where the camp fires and dances of their friends showed the savage nature to possess the same warm sentiment towards loved ones as that which animates more civilized men.
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After returning from the "Bad Lands" and joining Colonel Cody--who, upon, coming from London, had gone direct to his home in North Platte--in company with Major Mildmay and Colonel McGibbon, of her Majesty's Grenadier Guard, a hasty trip was made to the Grand Canon of the Colorado through upper Arizona and Utah. It was pleasant to return to the rugged camp life, and it gave rest as it gave refreshment to mind and body, as this was a visit to one of the most interestingly picturesque sections on God Almighty's earth. This last taste of Nature from the actual Wild West was greatly appreciated, not only by the visitors, but by the American Scout himself, and his mind brought back memories when his childhood home was on the banks of the Missouri River, and there existed a vacuum as regards its civilization from there to the apex of the Rocky Mountains.
Finishing this slight recreation after a six yeras' trip in Europe and a campaign with General Miles in the West, attention was turned to a reorganization' eclipsing past efforts--to an ethnological, military, racial combination of horsemen from all quarters of the globe--to be in conjuction with the "Wild West" features--and now known as the "Congress of Rough Riders of the World," for presentation at the World's Fair, Chicago. Mr. Nate Salsbury, the able and energetic manager and partner of Colonel Cody, with that forethought and judgment that has characterized his career, had succeeded in securing (at an enormous rental) one of the most valuable squares of gorund in immediate proximity to Jackson Park, so accessible in location and so convenient to the marvelous Exhibition as to become quickly identified as an adjunct to the same. Animated interest was at once enlisted in subjects neglected in the organization of that grandest of international expositions--the American Indian, and primitive and military horsemen; and so great was the instantaneous and phenomenal success that the Wild West becamse publicly and semi-officially recognized as "the World's Fair's most popular annex."
The two fitted each other from the fact that the stupendous collection of $300,000,000 worth of exhibits and architectural frame-work, eclipsing in effect and artistic delicacy the dream of the wildest enthusiast, combining, as it did, the constructive developments and artistic beauties of ages of edificial experiences and education, represented the development of man's progressive possibilities in art, science and mechanism to such an exceeding degree as to leave forever on the pages of civilization's grandest achievement the fame of the "White City" of that West whose aboriginal owners and their primitive confreres--representing the nomadic past--were an educative, thoughtful, sentimental and pathetic key to the Golconda adjoining, as they in primitive garb impressed the multituddes with the starting point of man by their lingering still on the scene of life to such an extent as to leave the little less famous and always to be remembered annex, "Buffalo Bill's Tented City."
Encouraged by this success (notwithstanding the enormous investment necessary to its proper placing), Messrs. Cody and Salsbury determined to find a situation accessible and convenient to the most favorably located of cities, the cosmopolitan centre of the nineteenth century's progress and the no doubt future Metropolis of the Globe.
"GREATER NEW YORK."
The point selected includes what is now called Ambrose Park, adjoining 39th Street Ferry, South Brooklyn, where the present colossal improvements have been erected on a spot of interest--in fact, historic ground. On what is now 35th Street and Third Avenue commenced the decisive game of strategy between the Father of our Country (General George Washington) and the English general, Lord Cornwallis, and known in the annals of that heroic struggle for liberty of the American people as the "Battle of Long Island." The engagement concluded, General Washington took advantage of the recessibility of this point to evade the superior re-enforcements of the enemy
(Picture) OFF ANTWERP.
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by falling back upon its accessibility to Manhattan Island at a point now well known as the Battery, camping his forces during the night of the 29th of August, 1776, at or about what is known as the City Hall (New York).
These points, culled from Bryant's History, contributed not a little to the selection of this, which it is hoped will prove to be the most popular playground of the "Greater New York." The efforts of the management in the Grounds, Grand Stand and conveniences are in evidence to the visitor, and need no encomiums from the writer. As to the entertainment, with one exceptional point, that, too, can be left to the decision of the spectator;--that point is the natural incredulity that marks a casual glance and places all exhibitions as generally an imitation of fact. In this case it is truth and original facts that are presented in the actual persons, characters and races connected with animated tableaux representing phases in their home life and every-day existence. The management desires it impressed upon all that that features are genuine, and the interest lies in the congregating for the first time in history of these people and races, camping, living and exercising on one spot--the Indians from the Rockies; the Cossacks from the Caucasus; the intervening riders of the English, Irish, French and German Cavalry; the Bedouin Arab of the Desert; the Cow-boy of the American plains; the Cavalryman of the Great Republic, and the Gaucho from the foothills of the Andes (Argentine), meeting for the first time and forming an ethnological and equestrian amalgamation in one field never witnessed before in the history of the world. In this lies the instructive qualities of the exhibition as regards horsemanship; different methods of equitation, equipment and style; competing in friendship, and leaving the onlookers to judge by the eye that which description would fail to convey.
(Picture) JOHN M. BURKE.
In commencing this engagement after years of absence from the scenes of our original triumph, the writer would on behalf of his compagnon du voyage i foreign lands, pay a tribute to the Brotherhood of Man, and has but one regret, the absence of ability to fittingly express the deep sense of obligation we feel to every natoin--every city--visited, for the kindness of each and all of every rank, every station, press, public, and officials; for the helping hands, fraternal interest, courteous treatment, and general appreciation shown us and our country's flag--so that, on returning home, we feel bound in duty to record the same; believing that in presenting our rough pictures of a "history almost passed away," we may have done some moiety of good in simplifying the work of the historian, the romancer, the painter, and the student of the future, and exemplifying in ourselves and experiences the fact that travel is the best educator, and that associaiton and acquaintanceship dispel prejudice, create breadth of thought, and enhance appreciation of the truism that "one touch of nature makes the whole would kin." JOHN M. BURKE. ________
TOUR, 1895.--Since the above description of facts, incidents, tours and historical sketches has been compiled there is nothing of moment to add, with the exception of the grandly successful six months' sojourn in New York in the summer of 1894. The engagement ends the world's possible locations for so long a period and has been of so recent exploitation in the American press as to need no comment here. The Wild West is thus enabled to tour country in continuation of its patriotic mission of national education.
LATEST TOUR, 1896.--The season of 1895 included a visit to the principal cities of the East and South, the phenomenal attendance everywhere being a theme of interest to the amusement world--probably excelling anything in history. The season of 1896 will include a visit to the central West and extend to the territory whose past history the exhibition most directly treats of.
COPYRIGHTED BY CODY & SALSBURY, NEW YORK, 1896.
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