Buffalo Bill's Wild West In England (Part 1)

CURIOUS PROCEEDINGS AT THE "WILD WEST."

The Indians at Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, now in Birmingham, having in grand council assembled, come to the conclusion that the thief who purloined the sum of about one hundred pounds from the tent of Mrs. Whittaker, the "mother of the camp," on Friday is in their midst, have adopted some curious means to detect him and obtain the restoration of the money. They have, in fact, resorted to a "powwow," a ceremony known only to the tribes of the Sioux, Chevennes, Shoshones, and Crows, the Indians holding firmly to the belief that by these means the discovery of the miscreant is certain. Three "pow-wows" have already been held, the last taking place last night. After the performance the Indians returned to their quarters in the hall, and made ready for the curious proceedings that followed. The "medicine men" of the tribe assembled in one of the tents, while all the other Indians gathered outside and squatted in a ring around, preserving a most solemn silence. The intiatory proceeding was the broiling of a dog which had been procured for a moderate sum in the town. When thourghly cooked the council inside discussed its merits. The dog having been eaten, they struck up an impressive chant, to the accompaniment of "tom-toms," in which the Indian deity of good, the great "MitcheManitou." was implored to lend his aid in the detection of the theif. The chant over, the chief medicine man, who rejoices in the curious ititle of "Blue Horse," was bound hand and foot with strong leather thongs. He was then rolled up in a buffalo robe, and again in another, until bought was visible of him excepting part of his face. Some strong ropes were then twisted around the robes and tied, ater which he was swung up and suspended to the top of the "teepee" pole, and left hanging there. All the lights wre turned out, the hall being in total darkness. Four chants or invocations to the Great Spirit wre then offered up by the grand council of medicine men, who retired from the inside of the "teepee", leaving it in total darkness. Other songs were rendered, which occupied several minutes, and then, to the surprise of everyone, the "medicine man" who had been left swinging from the top of the tent-pole had by some extraordinary means vacated his position, and was found in the midst of his fellows. How he managed to extricate himself from his bonds and the folds of the buffalo robes is unexplainable, but it was afterwards seen that they were hanging from the pole, and were arranged in such a manner that they did not, to all appearances, appear to have been tampered with. It is said that inside the tent a few handfuls of earth were found, upon which was sketched a small plan of the grounds, with a spot marked out where the money out where the money would be found; and that there was alos discovered a stone with the caricature of an Indian upon it. This was supposed to be a correct representaiton of the culprit; but it would seem to have been but a very poor likeness, for the culprit had not been discovered yesterday. It is true, however, that $70 of the money stolen was discovered hidden in the grounds, but whether the discovery was due to the earth plan or to the dilligent search of the Indians is not known.

BUFFALO BILL BOOMING

A DUOLOGUE OF THE DAY.

A Crr. I notice that you've taken to wearing the Cowboy Collars. Find em' comfortable?

ANOTHER CIT. Fairly so. Speaking of comfort, aren't those Mocassin Boots of yours dreadfully troublesome in wet weather?

A CIT. Of course they are, but I was bound, for harmony's sake, to have a pair, as I'd started a Sioux Suit of blanket cloth. Like it?

ANOTHER CIT. Awfully, In fact, now I've seen you in it, I shall never rest till I've had a Wampum Waistcost built.

A CIT. They're very elegant. By the way, Mrs. Jones tells me that she recently met you in Oxford street.

ANOTHER CIT. Yes, your wife was wheeling a Papoose Perambulator, and it nearly went over my toes.

A Crr. She'd been to Peter Robinson's to buy a Squaw Costume for afternoon wear. You'll admire her in it, when you see her again.

ANOTHER CIT. I've no doubt I shall. My wife's meditating an investment in a gown of the kind; but in the meantime she's satisfied her fashionable longings by mounting a Log-but Hat.

A Crr. Ha! ha! These women must always be in the swim. Mrs. Brown'll be wanting you to take her to see The Deadwood Coach--the successful new piece at the Royal Arena Theatre--before very long, you see if she won't

ANOTHER CIT. Why, ever since she heard that they were turning money away nightly, she's been wild to go; and, to tell you the truth, I was trotting off to the booking-office to buy tickets when you and I stumbled across each other.

A CIT. Were you now? Well, I myself was making for Mudie's, to try if I could get that popular novel, "Buffalo Bill's Bride; or, the Pearl of the Pampas." Mrs. J is just frantic to read it.

[Exount severally upon their errands.

SOME STILL WILDER REMINISCENCES.

(By a Modest Autobiographer.)

YOU have asked me if I cannot add to that history of marvellous, superhuman, and heroic exploit which characterises the whole stretch and sweep of my Transatlantic career, some startling incidents that have accompanied my rapid and decisive rise and progress in public favour since I have set foot in this country. Yes, I certainly could do this, and in a way fairly to astonish you, were it not for that lack of leisure which a continual flow of invitations to the mansions of the nobility and the aristocracy of this Metropolis forces upon me. I do not refer to this in any boastful spirit. That they should pay their homage to my worldfamed courage and accomplishments, and wish to have my intensely picturesque figure, as represented on the advertising coloured posters, prominently adorning, as a central figure, their gilded saloons, is only natural, and I merely state the bare fact without comment. But such is the pressure brought to bear on my spare moments by Dukes. Earls, Marquises, and other members of the Hereditary Peerage of the Three Kingdoms, that I have not, as you may possibly have noted, yet been able to fnd time even to have my hair properly cut! This, however, by the way. But to proceed in some sense to answer your question. To attempt to detail the remarkable adventures, the hair-breadth escapes, and the combats to the death in which I have been engaged even since my arrival in this country with my troupe at Earl's Court, would far exceed both the time at my disposal and the space accorded me in your columns. I will therefore content myself with referring to a few incidents connected with my display of personal prowess and undaunted pluck in the immediate neighbourhood of the "Show" itself. My single-handed encounter with one of the West Kensington omnibuses on the afternoon of the first of April may not be new to your readers, but it will bear repeating.

Seeing the vehicle approaching, and wishing to proceed to my destination on its roof, I straightway hailed it, but was met with the laconic reply of the conductor that it was "full inside and out." I was walking with the Chairman of the Concern, and asked him whether I should make a dash for a place. He gave his consent, and in another instant, like a mighty tornado, I flung myself upon the horses' heads. they reared up in the air, came down on their haunches, and I cut the traces. In another minute the passengers had dismounted and the driver leaving his box faced me in the road.

"I know you, BUFFALO BILL," he said, "if you want to fight,-well, come on!"

I had nothing but an umbrella and he a horsewhip, but without a moment's hesitation, I accepted his challenge, and went for him. For some short time we danced round each other, but at last I hit him over the head and he fell. At the same moment my legs got entangled in the thong of the whip and I stumbled to my knees. Then we closed and rolled over together from pavement to pavement a couple of policemen looking on, but in no way interfering in the contest. We got disengaged for a moment, then I saw my opportunity, and, getting out my ready knife, ran up to him and scientifically scalped him in something under five-and-twenty minutes. The whole episode occupied but two hours and a half. As the Chairman who had been watching the duel from a neighbouring door-step, came up, I swung the Omnibus driver's top-knot in the air and shouted at my loudest, "The first scalp for the Boss of the Big Show[!?] And thus I relieved the General Omnibus Company of the services of an uncivil servant.

But the rash driver was by no means the only individual who owed his passport to the local hospital ward to my hands. In much the same fashion I shortly afterwards disposed of the Chief Contractor of the Refreshment Department inside the Show itself. But to detail these various feats would only weary the reader, and I prefer in conclusion just to glance at some other features in my career.

It would be easier to jot down those callings I have not followed than to relate the various pursuits in which I have been engaged. My heroism and endurance in flood and field are too well known to need repetition here. It may not, however, be in the cognisance of some that I have starred as a tight-rope dancer with fair success, and been, in turns, successively a coalheaver, Queen's Counsel. Archbishop. dustman. greengrocer, Operatic Tenor, and Pirate. What other [?] I may fill before I leave these shores it is impossible at present to foretell ; but thtat I am equal to any and every call that can possibly be made on my courage, philosophy, intelligence, intrepidity, and tact, cannot. I should say, for a moment be doubted by those who have read the modest and retiring manifestoes that have hitherto been submitted to the public under the unassuming title of BUFFALO BILL.

LATEST NEWS FROM THE WILD WEST

Buffalo Bill will have to give out before long. He is expected to be present at every entertainment, public and private. No lady of fashion dreams of giving a ball without having "Buffalo Bill" printed in the corner of the card, and dinner-party invitations are poured upon him by the score.

"Yes, sir," said he the other day to one of our representatives, "it's rather a trial to my nerves, hard as they are. Just you fancy what my feelings were when a waiter came up to me, and said he, 'Scalped oysters, sir?' Of course what he meant 'scalloped'; but I tell you what, I felt inclined to take that oyster--I mean that man--by the beard and--Well, I won't say any more."

"And how many balls have you been to, colonel?"

"Well, sir, I s'pose about ninety-nine have been put up for me since I've been in your country. I could only fire--I mean I could only accept fifty-two, but I him 'em--that is, I went to 'em all."

"And did you indulge in a hop?"

"No, sir. Buck-jumping's more in my line. I fancy," added the gallant colonel, reflectively, "when I get an invite to your Bucking-ham Palace, that I'll have a try. 'Pears to me there's something in the name that seems familiar."

"Quite so," acquiesced our R.

"It's the society, sir, I expect. So mustangy--I beg pardon, so distangy."

"And how do you find this constant round of dissipation set upon your constitution?"

"Well, sir. It's not been good for my liver, sir, and that's a fact. Tell you what, I've a good mind to differentiate my name, and call myself Buffalo Bill-ious!"

After that our R. retired.

GUY FAWKES CELEBRATIONS.

The annual costume procession and bonfire celebration took place at Hampstead last night in connection with the Hampstead Bonfire Club. Notwithstanding the bad weather and the fact that a large number of people visited Hampstead on Saturday night in expectation of the celebration coming off then, many thousands of people from all parts of London made their way to Hampstead by road and waited to see the procession. The start was fixed for half-past seven, but it was an hour later before it took place. The procession consisted of Guards, representatives of Buffalo Bill and the Cowboys of the "Wild West," soldiers, sailors, and nondescripts, with bands of music and a banner, and a triumphal car bearing representatives of her Majesty and some of her distinguished Jubilee visitors, while there was a cart load of personages representing "Some of the Unemployed, retired on 500[?] a year." Many hundreds of people, accompanied by police, followed on foot. The route taken was from the Jack Straw's Castle, Hampstead-heath, through the main roads, down [Haverstock-hill?] to Park-road, thence by way of Fleetroad back to the starting point. In deference to the wishes of the police, torches were not used this year, but coloured fires were freely burnt, and the triumphal car was illuminated with Chinese lanterns. Many of the houses on the route were also illuminated. It was ten o'clock before the procession reached the Jack Straw's Castle on its return journey, and broke up with the performance of "Auld Lang Syne," and "God save the Queen." Soon after the procession commenced its journey an immense bonfire was lit on Hampstead-heath, where there was also a firework display. Heavy rain fell during a great part of the proceedings. The police endeavoured to stop the mischievous practice of bystanders discharging fireworks in the streets, but were only partially successful. Some half-dozen or more persons were taken into custody for this offencc, but liberated after their names and addresses had been taken, with a view to proceedings by summons.

The Guy Fawkes Carnival at Bridgwater took place last night, the streets being thronged with townspeople and visitors. The procession included four bands, Fire Brigade and engines, a full rigged model of her Majesty's ship Rattlesnake, represenations of the old Eddystone Lighthouse, and of the Witches Cauldron scene from Macbeth, a company of Artillery with a mounted gun, mounted historic figures, &c. The subsequent pyrotechnic display was very effective. A huge bonfire was lighted on the Cornhill, and there was a monster balloon ascent.

A Guy Fawkes carnival took place at Dorchester last night, and was witnessed by spectators from all parts of the county. A procession with torchbearers, accompanied by bands of music, paraded the streets. There was no disorder. A huge bonfire was lighted on Poundbury, an old Roman encampment near the town, and around the conflagration, which could be seen for miles, dancing and other sports were indulged in.