HUNTING WITH A GRAND DUKE.
About the first of January, 1872, General Forsyth and Dr. Asch, of
Sheridan's staff came out to Fort McPherson to make preparations for a
big buffalo hunt for the Grand Duke Alexis, of Russia; and as this was to
be no ordinary affair, these officers had been sent by General Sheridan
to have all the necessary arrangements perfected by the time the Grand
Duke should arrive. They learned from me that there were plenty of
buffaloes in the vicinity and especially on the Red Willow, sixty miles
distant. They said they would like to go over on the Red Willow and pick
out a suitable place for the camp; they also inquired the location of
the Spotted Tail, Sioux Indians. Spotted Tail had permission from the
Government to hunt the buffalo, with his people during the winter, in the
Republican river country. It was my opinion that they were located
somewhere on the Frenchman's Fork about one hundred and fifty miles from
Fort McPherson.
General Sheridan's commissioners informed me, that he wished me to visit
Spotted Tail's camp, and induce about one hundred of the leading warriors
and chiefs, to come to the point where it should be decided to locate the
Alexis hunting camp, and to be there by the time the Grand Duke should
arrive, so that he could see a body of American Indians and observe the
manner in which they killed buffaloes. The Indians would also be called
upon to give a grand war dance in honor of the distinguished visitor.
Next morning General Forsyth and Dr. Asch, accompanied by Captain Hays,
who had been left at Fort McPherson in charge of the Fifth Cavalry
horses, taking an ambulance and a light wagon, to carry their tents, and
provisions sufficient to last them two or three days; started, under my
guidance, with a small escort, for Red Willow Creek, arriving there at
night. The next day we selected a pleasant camping place on a little
knoll in the valley of the Red Willow. General Forsyth and his party
returned to the post the next day while I left for Spotted Tail's camp.
The weather was very cold and I found my journey by no means a pleasant
one as I was obliged to camp out with only my saddle blankets; and
besides, there was more or less danger from the Indians themselves; for,
although Spotted Tail himself was friendly, I was afraid I might have
difficulty in getting into his camp. I was liable at any moment to run
into a party of his young men who might be out hunting, and as I had
many enemies among the Sioux, I would be running considerable risk in
meeting them.
At the end of the first day I camped on Stinking Water, a tributary of
the Frenchman's Fork, where I built a little fire in the timber; but it
was so very cold I was not able to sleep much. Getting an early start in
the morning I followed up the Frenchman's Fork and late in the afternoon
I could see, from the fresh horse tracks and from the dead buffaloes
lying here and there, recently killed, that I was nearing Spotted Tail's
camp. I rode on for a few miles further, and then hiding my horse in a
low ravine, I crawled up a high hill, where I obtained a good view of the
country. I could see for four or five miles up the creek, and got sight
of a village and of two or three hundred ponies in its vicinity. I waited
until night came and then I succeeded in riding into the Indian camp
unobserved.
[Illustration: SPOTTED TAIL.]
I had seen Spotted Tail's camp when he came from the north and I knew the
kind of lodge he was living in. As I entered the village I wrapped a
blanket around my head so that the Indians could not tell whether I was a
white or a red man. In this way I rode around until I found Spotted
Tail's lodge. Dismounting from my horse I opened his tent door and looked
in and saw the old chief lying on some robes. I spoke to him and he
recognized me at once and invited me to enter. Inside the lodge I found a
white man, an old frontiersman, Todd Randall, who was Spotted Tail's
agent and who had lived a great many years with the Indians. He
understood their language perfectly and did all the interpreting for
Spotted Tail. Through him I readily communicated with the chief and
informed him of my errand. I told him that the warriors and chiefs would
greatly please General Sheridan if they would meet him in about ten
sleeps at the old Government crossing of the Red Willow. I further
informed him that there was a great chief from across the water who was
coming there to visit him. Spotted Tail replied that he would be very
glad to go; that the next morning he would call his people together and
select those who would accompany him. I told Spotted Tail how I had
entered his camp. He replied that I had acted wisely; that although his
people were friendly, yet some of his young men had a grudge against me,
and I might have had difficulty with them had I met them away from the
village. He directed his squaw to get me something to eat, and ordered
that my horse be taken care of, and upon his invitation I spent the
remainder of the night in his lodge.
Next morning the chiefs and warriors assembled according to orders, and
to them was stated the object of my visit. They were asked:
"Do you know who this man is?"
"Yes, we know him well," replied one, "that is Pa-he-haska," (that being
my name among the Sioux, which translated means "Long Hair") "that is our
old enemy," a great many of the Indians, who were with Spotted Tail at
this time, had been driven out of the Republican country.
"That is he," said Spotted Tail. "I want all my people to be kind to him
and treat him as my friend."
I noticed that several of them were looking daggers at me. They appeared
as if they wished to raise my hair then and there. Spotted Tail motioned
and I followed him into his lodge, and thereupon the Indians dispersed.
Having the assurance of Spotted Tail that none of the young men would
follow me I started back for the Red Willow, arriving the second night.
There I found Captain Egan with a company of the Second Cavalry and a
wagon train loaded with tents, grain, provisions, etc. The men were
leveling off the ground and were making preparations to put up large wall
tents for the Grand Duke Alexis and his _suite_, and for General
Sheridan, his staff and other officers, and invited guests of the party.
Proceeding to Fort McPherson I reported what had been done. Thereupon
Quartermaster Hays selected from the five or six hundred horses in his
charge, seventy-five of the very best, which were sent to the Red Willow,
to be used by Alexis and his party at the coming hunt. In a day or two a
large supply of provisions, liquors, etc., arrived from Chicago, together
with bedding and furniture for the tents; all of which were sent over to
Camp Alexis.
[Illustration: GRAND DUKE ALEXIS.]
At last, on the morning of the 12th of January, 1872, the Grand Duke and
party arrived at North Platte by special train; in charge of a Mr.
Francis Thompson. Captain Hays and myself, with five or six ambulances,
fifteen or twenty extra saddle-horses and a company of cavalry under
Captain Egan, were at the dépôt in time to receive them. Presently
General Sheridan and a large, fine-looking young man, whom we at once
concluded to be the Grand Duke came out of the cars and approached us.
General Sheridan at once introduced me to the Grand Duke as Buffalo Bill,
for he it was, and said that I was to take charge of him and show him how
to kill buffalo.
In less than half an hour the whole party were dashing away towards the
south, across the South Platte and towards the Medicine; upon reaching
which point we halted for a change of horses and a lunch. Resuming our
ride we reached Camp Alexis in the afternoon. General Sheridan was well
pleased with the arrangements that had been made and was delighted to
find that Spotted Tail and his Indians had arrived on time. They were
objects of great curiosity to the Grand Duke, who spent considerable time
in looking at them, and watching their exhibitions of horsemanship, sham
fights, etc. That evening the Indians gave the grand war dance, which I
had arranged for.
[Illustration: INDIAN EXERCISES.]
General Custer, who was one of the hunting party, carried on a mild
flirtation with one of Spotted Tail's daughters, who had accompanied her
father thither, and it was noticed also that the Duke Alexis paid
considerable attention to another handsome red-skin maiden. The night
passed pleasantly, and all retired with great expectations of having a
most enjoyable and successful buffalo hunt. The Duke Alexis asked me a
great many questions as to how we shot buffaloes, and what kind of a gun
or pistol we used, and if he was going to have a good horse. I told him
that he was to have my celebrated buffalo horse Buckskin Joe, and when
we went into a buffalo herd all he would have to do was to sit on the
horse's back and fire away.
At nine o'clock next morning we were all in our saddles, and in a few
minutes were galloping over the prairies in search of a buffalo herd. We
had not gone far before we observed a herd some distance ahead of us
crossing our way; after that we proceeded cautiously, so as to keep out
of sight until we were ready to make a charge.
Of course the main thing was to give Alexis the first chance and the best
shot at the buffaloes, and when all was in readiness we dashed over a
little knoll that had hidden us from view, and in a few minutes we were
among them. Alexis at first preferred to use his pistol instead of a gun.
He fired six shots from this weapon at buffaloes only twenty feet away
from him, but as he shot wildly, not one of his bullets took effect.
Riding up to his side and seeing that his weapon was empty, I exchanged
pistols with him. He again fired six shots, without dropping a buffalo.
Seeing that the animals were bound to make their escape without his
killing one of them, unless he had a better weapon, I rode up to him,
gave him my old reliable "Lucretia," and told him to urge his horse close
to the buffaloes, and I would then give him the word when to shoot. At
the same time I gave old Buckskin Joe a blow with my whip, and with a few
jumps the horse carried the Grand Duke to within about ten feet of a big
buffalo bull.
"Now is your time," said I. He fired, and down went the buffalo. The
Grand Duke stopped his horse, dropped his gun on the ground, and
commenced waving his hat. When his _suite_ came galloping up, he began
talking to them in a tongue which I could not understand. Presently
General Sheridan joined the group, and the ambulances were brought up.
Very soon the corks began to fly from the champagne bottles, in honor of
the Grand Duke Alexis, who had killed the first buffalo.
It was reported in a great many of the newspapers that I shot the first
buffalo for Alexis, while in some it was stated that I held the buffalo
while His Royal Highness killed it. But the way I have related the affair
is the correct version.
It was thought that we had had about sport enough for one day, and
accordingly I was directed by General Sheridan to guide the party back to
camp, and we were soon on our way thither. Several of the party, however,
concluded to have a little hunt on their own account, and presently we
saw them galloping over the prairie in different directions in pursuit of
buffaloes.
While we were crossing a deep ravine, on our way to camp, we ran into a
small band of buffaloes that had been frightened by some of the hunters.
As they rushed past us, not more than thirty yards distant, Alexis raised
his pistol, fired and killed a buffalo cow. It was either an
extraordinary good shot or a "scratch"--probably the latter, for it
surprised the Grand Duke as well as everybody else. We gave him three
cheers, and when the ambulance came up we took a pull at the champagne
in honor of the Grand Duke's success. I was in hopes that he would kill
five or six more buffaloes before we reached camp, especially if a basket
of champagne was to be opened every time he dropped one.
General Sheridan directed me to take care of the hides and heads of the
buffaloes which Alexis had killed, as the Duke wished to keep them as
souvenirs of the hunt. I also cut out the choice meat from the cow and
brought it into camp, and that night at supper Alexis had the pleasure of
dining on broiled buffalo steak obtained from the animal which he had
shot himself.
We remained at this camp two or three days, during which we hunted most
of the time, the Grand Duke himself killing eight buffaloes.
One day Alexis desired to see how the Indians hunted buffaloes and killed
them with bow and arrow; so Spotted Tail, selecting some of his best
hunters, had them surround a herd, and bring the animals down, not only
with arrows, but with lances. The Grand Duke was told to follow upon the
heels of one celebrated Indian hunter, whose name was "Two Lance," and
watch him bring down the game; for this chief had the reputation of being
able to send an arrow through and through the body of a buffalo. Upon
this occasion he did not belie his reputation, for he sent an arrow
_through_ a buffalo, which fell dead at the shot, and the arrow was given
to Alexis as a souvenir of his hunt on the American Plains.
[Illustration: TWO LANCE KILLING A BUFFALO.]
When the Grand Duke was satisfied with the sport, orders were given for
the return to the railroad. The conveyance provided for the Grand Duke
and General Sheridan was a heavy double-seated open carriage, or rather
an Irish dog-cart, and it was drawn by four spirited cavalry horses which
were not much used to the harness. The driver was Bill Reed, an old
overland stage driver and wagon master; on our way in, the Grand Duke
frequently expressed his admiration of the skillful manner in which Reed
handled the reins.
General Sheridan informed the Duke that I also had been a stage-driver in
the Rocky Mountains, and thereupon His Royal Highness expressed a desire
to see me drive. I was in advance at the time, and General Sheridan sang
out to me:
"Cody, get in here and show the Duke how you can drive. Mr. Reed will
exchange places with you and ride your horse."
"All right, General," said I, and in a few moments I had the reins and we
were rattling away over the prairie. When we were approaching Medicine
Creek, General Sheridan said: "Shake 'em up a little, Bill, and give us
some old-time stage-driving." I gave the horses a crack or two of the
whip, and they started off at a very rapid gait. They had a light load to
pull, and kept increasing their speed at every jump, and I found it
difficult to hold them. They fairly flew over the ground, and at last we
reached a steep hill, or divide, which, led down into the valley of the
Medicine. There was no brake on the wagon, and the horses were not much
on the hold-back. I saw that it would be impossible to stop them. All I
could do was to keep them straight in the track and let them go it down
the hill, for three miles; which distance, I believe, was made in about
six minutes. Every once in a while the hind wheels would strike a rut and
take a bound, and not touch the ground again for fifteen or twenty feet.
The Duke and the General were kept rather busy in holding their positions
on the seats, and when they saw that I was keeping the horses straight in
the road, they seemed to enjoy the dash which we were making. I was
unable to stop the team until they ran into the camp where we were to
obtain a fresh relay, and there I succeeded in checking them. The Grand
Duke said he didn't want any more of that kind of driving, as he
preferred to go a little slower.
On arriving at the railroad, the Duke invited me into his car, and made
me some valuable presents, at the same time giving me a cordial
invitation to visit him, if ever I should come to his country.
General Sheridan took occasion to remind me of an invitation to visit New
York which I had received from some of the gentlemen who accompanied the
General on the hunt from Fort McPherson to Hays City, in September of the
previous year. Said he:
"You will never have a better opportunity to accept that invitation than
now. I have had a talk with General Ord concerning you, and he will give
you a leave of absence whenever you are ready to start. Write a letter to
General Stager, of Chicago, that you are now prepared to accept the
invitation, and he will send you a pass."
Thanking the General for his kindness, I then bade him and the Grand Duke
good-bye, and soon their train was out of sight.