CONCLUSION.
Thus concluded the second tour in Europe. The Wild West had been received and treated with marked kindness by every nation, every city, and by persons of every rank and of every station—press, public, and officials. Every one had shown a willingness to lend a helping hand and displayed a fraternal interest and general appreciation toward them and their country’s flag, so that returning home it is a pleasant duty to record the same, believing that in presenting their rough pictures of a “history almost passed away” some moiety of good may have been done in simplifying the work of the historian, the romancer, the painter, and the student of the future, and in exemplifying in themselves and their experiences the fact that “travel is the best educator,” and that association and acquaintanceship dispel prejudice, create breadth of thought, and enhance appreciation of the truism that “one touch of nature makes the whole world akin.”
GRAVE OF THE INDIAN CHIEF LONG WOLF, AT WEST BROMPTON CEMETERY, LONDON.
APPENDIX.
Col. W. F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) and the London Workingmen’s Association.
On Saturday evening, October 1, 1892, a conference of delegates from the various branches of the London Workingmen’s association was held at the Wild West, when an illuminated address was presented to Col. W. F. Cody.
The chair was occupied by Mr. George Potter, president of the association, who was supported by Mr. Fred Whetstone, vice-president; Mr. F. Wigington, treasurer; Mr. Robert Wilson, secretary. There was a large attendance.
Colonel Cody was accompanied by Maj. John M. Burke and Mr. Nate Salsbury.
Mr. George Potter, in presenting the address which congratulated Buffalo Bill on the splendor of his show, its value from an educational standpoint, and the success which had attended his visit, now fast drawing to a close, said that those whom he represented admired the colonel’s pluck and appreciated his indomitable courage. He had taught us a lesson which would not be forgotten, and Buffalo Bill would ever be a household word with us. (Loud cheers.) Mr. Potter and those with him expressed the hope that after Buffalo Bill had visited the World’s Fair at Chicago and settled down in his own country to dwell among his own people, he would enjoy the remainder of his life in contentment, prosperity, and peace. (Loud cheers.)
* * * * *
Mr. Potter then read the following address:
Col. W. F. Cody:
Sir: The members of the London Workingmen’s Association, representing large bodies of workingmen, have a friendly word to say at a time when your visit to this country is fast drawing to a close.
They desire to approach you in a spirit of congratulation and to place on record their thorough appreciation of the enterprise and ability displayed by you in the conception and creation of the brilliant realistic spectacle known as the Wild West, fully realizing its magnitude and its value from an educational standpoint as a vivid picture of past life on the American frontier.
To those whose domestic cares and necessities prevent them enjoying the luxury of travel and its acknowledged advantages in forming proper ideas of foreign peoples and strange races, your enterprise has brought not only entertainment for the moment, but has enabled thousands to enjoy more fully the books, histories, paintings, and sculpture that come under their observation. This alone is something of future value to every nation you have visited (among all classes), as well as the fraternal feeling of the general brotherhood of man that your introduction of national and racial differences in one body for mutual instruction produces.
Neither the costly outlay through which these results have been effected by the difficulties of presenting the best specimens of these primitive peoples, nor the talent displayed by the performers, could have secured the enormous audiences, had not careful attention been paid to fidelity of depiction, the mastery of detail, and ample provision for the comfort of the public.
That the marked success of the undertaking is in a large measure due to your own personal supervision affords an additional ground for offering our meed of congratulation to you as a workingman.
With this we couple our sincere hope that upon your future retirement you may find, in well-earned repose, no reason to regret your visits to England of 1887 and 1892; and you may rest assured you carry with you the good wishes of the millions whom you have so liberally entertained.
We are, on behalf of the association,
George Potter, President,
Fred Whetstone, Vice-President,
F. Wigington, Treasurer,
Robert Wilson, Secretary.14 Fetter Lane, London.
October 1, 1892.
Mr. Fred Whetstone (late chairman of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers), in supporting the address, expressed a wish from the bottom of his heart that the colonel would have a safe and glorious passage and a successful career in Chicago. (Loud cheers.)
Colonel Cody said he deeply felt the honor they had bestowed upon him in the kindly expressions contained in the address they had presented him with that evening. To deserve their good-will was a source of satisfaction greater than mere words could express. (Cheers.) He hoped that time and opportunity would enable him to extend to them an American hospitality in his own land, where sunshine and prosperity met men in every walk of life. (Cheers.) He hoped they would excuse him, for he was very ill, but presently he would try to come up smiling, whether he felt it or not. (Loud cries of “Bravo.”)
* * * * *
The delegates then sat down to a substantial tea, after which the following toasts were proposed:
Mr. Robert Wilson (secretary to the association) in a very interesting speech proposed “Health and Prosperity to Mr. Nate Salsbury.” This was seconded by Mr. T. P. Lind of the East End organizations, and supported by Mr. Thomas Cornish, mining engineer. The toast was accepted with loud cheers and accompanied with musical honors.
Mr. Nate Salsbury, who was most enthusiastically received, responded in a powerful and eloquent speech, in which he referred to the friendly feelings that existed between the peoples of England and America, and concluded by expressing his pleasure at being present that evening.
Mr. F. Wigington (of the lightermen and watermen of the River Thames) proposed “Health and Prosperity to Maj. John M. Burke,” which was seconded by Mr. Thomas Armstrong (patternmakers), supported by Mr. H. Le Fevre (president of the Balloon Society), and carried with acclamation.
Major Burke, who was received with great cordiality, responded in a humorous and interesting speech, which was heartily received.
During the evening each member was presented with a portrait of Buffalo Bill, bearing his autograph; after which they witnessed a performance of the Wild West Show, and altogether enjoyed a most pleasant entertainment.
AN EPISODE SINCE THE RETURN FROM EUROPE.
When abroad Buffalo Bill heard so many officers of the army of France, England, and other countries ask about the Wild West of America, its game and wonderful scenery, that he extended an invitation to a number of gentlemen of rank and title to join him, with others from this country, on an extended expedition to the Grand Cañon of the Colorado, and thence on through Arizona and Utah to Salt Lake City on horseback.
Various causes prevented many from accepting the invitation, but a number assembled at Scout’s Rest Ranch, the home of Colonel Cody at North Platte, Neb., and started upon the long and adventurous trail of a thousand miles in the saddle. The following are those who went on the expedition:
Col. W. F. Cody (Buffalo Bill); Col. Frank D. Baldwin, U. S. Army; Col. W. H. MacKinnon, Grenadier Guards, England; Maj. St. John Mildmay, Grenadier Guards; Col. Allison Nailor, Washington, D. C.; Maj. John M. Burke (Arizona John); Col. Prentiss Ingraham, Washington, D. C.; Hon. George P. Everhart, Chicago, Ill.; Elder Daniel Seigmiller, Utah; Elder Junius Wells, Utah; Robert H. Haslam (Pony Bob); Horton S. Boal, Nebraska; Edward Bradford, Denver, Colo.; William B. Dowd, New York; John Hance, Guide of Grand Cañon of the Colorado.
BUFFALO BILL’S LASSO TO THE RESCUE.
Going by rail to Denver, then down into New Mexico to Flagstaff, Arizona, the party found there a wagon outfit and horses, with an escort of nearly half a hundred Mormon scouts, guides, and cowboys.
They took the trail to the Grand Cañon of the Colorado, hunting as they went along, then by a long flank movement through the Navajo Country, they crossed at Lee’s Ferry, thence going on to the Kaibal Mountains, viewing the grandest scenery on earth, and enjoying the sport of hunting bear, mountain lions, mountain sheep, elk, deer, antelope, turkey, ducks, and catching fine trout and other fish.
Caught in several blizzards on the mountains, and following unknown trails, many perilous adventures were met with on the expedition, but fortunately no life was lost, though one adventure well nigh proved fatal to Major Mildmay of the Grenadier Guards, giving an opportunity to Colonel Cody to show his nerve in sudden danger and his skill with a lasso as well, for, but for his quick act, horse and rider would have run over a precipice a couple of thousand feet down to the valley below.
The expedition left the trail at Salt Lake City and returned via Wyoming and Colorado, back to the East, thus ending Colonel Cody’s last trail upon the frontier, though if there should occur another border war, he would at once be found at his old post.
THE END.
WRITINGS OF
MARAH ELLIS RYAN
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TOLD IN THE HILLS.
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IN LOVE’S DOMAINS.
A TRILOGY.
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Buffalo Bill’s Wild West
Transcriber’s Notes
Punctuation, hyphenation, and spelling were made consistent when a predominant preference was found in this book; otherwise they were not changed.
Simple typographical errors and unbalanced quotation marks were corrected.
Ambiguous hyphens at the ends of lines were retained.
Page [245]: “halbreds” probably is a misprint for “halberds”.