| 11BUFFALO BILL IN CAMP.
(BR OUR SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE.)
Of all pleasant cicerones commend us to Mr Frank Richmond, the genial lecturer of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, who welcomed us on our visit to the camp in the American Exhibition Grounds last Tuesday afternoon. After we had passed through a portal in the hoarding that separates the enclosure from the main thoroughfare near Addison-road station, even before we had walked up the long path leading to the "camp," we had recognised the Western drawl and noted the tanned complexions and characteristic garb of several of the "cow-boys" who passed us. These cowboys, we may explain, are simply the mounted drivers who manage and control the vast herds of semi-wild cattle which graze upon the prairies of Western America. The typical cow-boy possesses several strongly-marked characteristics. He is a perfect hero with respect to bearing pain and meeting danger. He has a code of honour which, half-savage as it is, he adheres to with far more rigidity than is the case in similar circumstances with the denizens of civilised districts. Absolute indifference to peril, perfect fealty to a friend, extreme amiability and openness, coupled with a readiness to "shoot" as soon as a certain code of civility has been transgressed and a habit of indulging in periodical "sprees," which are dangerous alike to his pocket and his life, are, roughly speaking, the peculiarities of the cow-boy's character. Doubtless the latter custom has been abandoned by the members of Buffalo Bill's company, without any deteriment to their admirable qualities. The camp at Earl's court is composed of two double rows of tents, at the juncture of which are Buffalo Bill's headquarters. This roomy and comfortable domicile is neatly carpeted, and adorned with various fur-rugs, and with a pretty clock, the case of which is made of pieces of Colorado quartz, near which lies a most curious Indian "pipe of peace," cut out of hard red clay. In a chair near the entrance sits Mr W. F. Cody, "Buffalo Bill." Our readers have been already made familiar by lithographs with the long hair, handsome features, and broad hat of the manager of the Wild West Show. Mr. Cody was at one time an actor well-known in the States, and Mr. Nate Salsbury, of "Salsbury's Troubadours," who now acts as his right-hand man, was Mr. Cody's agent when that gentleman was on tour. Being in the town of North Platte, Nebraska, on a Fourth of July, and having to arrange an exhibition of some sort in honour of the glorious celebration, they hit upon the idea of assembling the best riders and shots in the district, and getting them to display their skill and prowess. This was the germ of the intensely interesting show which is to form a powerful factor of attraction in the forth coming American Exhibition. It need scarcely be said that as the Wild Westerns only reached their camp on the Friday before our visit, everything was in a transition state on our arrival. Passing along the line of tents, we found their tenants busy at work with characteristic American handiness contriving to make themselves as comfortable as possible. In spite of the extremely unprepared state in which we found the ladies of the troupe, they received us with remarkable affability and perfect "repose." Miss Oakley, "Little Sure Shot," whose wing-shooting is something extra ordinary, and whose feats with glass balls and clay pigeons are phenomenal, bade us welcome to her canvas dwelling with as perfect an absence of bauteur as if she could not have hit a ten cent. piece held between our thumb and fore-finger at a distance of 30ft., and without betraying the least sense that
her collection of medals and prizes won in matches in considered the finest in America. None the less agreeable was our
| 11BUFFALO BILL IN CAMP.
(BR OUR SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE.)
Of all pleasant cicerones commend us to Mr Frank Richmond, the genial lecturer of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, who welcomed us on our visit to the camp in the American Exhibition Grounds last Tuesday afternoon. After we had passed through a portal in the hoarding that separates the enclosure from the main thoroughfare near Addison-road station, even before we had walked up the long path leading to the "camp," we had recognised the Western drawl and noted the tanned complexions and characteristic garb of several of the "cow-boys" who passed us. These cowboys, we may explain, are simply the mounted drivers who manage and control the vast herds of semi-wild cattle which graze upon the prairies of Western America. The typical cow-boy possesses several strongly-marked characteristics. He is a perfect hero with respect to bearing pain and meeting danger. He has a code of honour which, half-savage as it is, he adheres to with far more rigidity than is the case in similar circumstances with the denizens of civilised districts. Absolute indifference to peril, perfect fealty to a friend, extreme amiability and openness, coupled with a readiness to "shoot" as soon as a certain code of civility has been transgressed and a habit of indulging in periodical "sprees," which are dangerous alike to his pocket and his life, are, roughly speaking, the peculiarities of the cow-boy's character. Doubtless the latter custom has been abandoned by the members of Buffalo Bill's company, without any deteriment to their admirable qualities. The camp at Earl's court is composed of two double rows of tents, at the juncture of which are Buffalo Bill's headquarters. This roomy and comfortable domicile is neatly carpeted, and adorned with various fur-rugs, and with a pretty clock, the case of which is made of pieces of Colorado quartz, near which lies a most curious Indian "pipe of peace," cut out of hard red clay. In a chair near the entrance sits Mr W. F. Cody, "Buffalo Bill." Our readers have been already made familiar by lithographs with the long hair, handsome features, and broad hat of the manager of the Wild West Show. Mr. Cody was at one time an actor well-known in the States, and Mr. Nate Salsbury, of "Salsbury's Troubadours," who now acts as his right-hand man, was Mr. Cody's agent when that gentleman was on tour. Being in the town of North Platte, Nebraska, on a Fourth of July, and having to arrange an exhibition of some sort in honour of the glorious celebration, they hit upon the idea of assembling the best riders and shots in the district, and getting them to display their skill and prowess. This was the germ of the intensely interesting show which is to form a powerful factor of attraction in the forth coming American Exhibition. It need scarcely be said that as the Wild Westerns only reached their camp on the Friday before our visit, everything was in a transition state on our arrival. Passing along the line of tents, we found their tenants busy at work with characteristic American handiness contriving to make themselves as comfortable as possible. In spite of the extremely unprepared state in which we found the ladies of the troupe, they received us with remarkable affability and perfect "repose." Miss Oakley, "Little Sure Shot," whose wing-shooting is something extra ordinary, and whose feats with glass balls and clay pigeons are phenomenal, bade us welcome to her canvas dwelling with as perfect an absence of bauteur as if she could not have hit a ten cent. piece held between our thumb and fore-finger at a distance of 30ft., and without betraying the least sense that her collection of medals and prizes won in matches in considered the finest in America. |
