f a hostile tribe. These follow almost at the courier's
heels, and a sham battle occurs, which affords a good idea of the
barbarity of Indian warfare. The victors celebrate their triumph with a
wild war-dance.

A Puritan scene follows. The landing of the Pilgrims is shown, and
the rescue of John Smith by Pocahontas. This affords opportunity for
delineating many interesting Indian customs on festive celebrations,
such as weddings and feast-days.

Again the prairie. A buffalo-lick is shown. The shaggy monsters come
down to drink, and in pursuit of them is "Buffalo Bill," mounted on his
good horse "Charlie." He has been acting as guide for an emigrant party,
which soon appears. Camp-fires are lighted, supper is eaten, and the
camp sinks into slumber with the dwindling of the fires. Then comes a
fine bit of stage illusion. A red glow is seen in the distance, faint
at first, but slowly deepening and broadening. It creeps along the whole
horizon, and the camp is awakened by the alarming intelligence that the
prairie is on fire. The emigrants rush out, and heroically seek to fight
back the rushing, roaring flames. Wild animals, driven by the flames,
dash through the camp, and a stampede follows. This scene was extremely
realistic.

A cyclone was also simulated, and a whole village blown out of
existence.

The "Wild West" was received with enthusiasm, not only by the general
public, but by royalty. Gladstone made a call upon Will, in company with
the Marquis of Lorne, and in return a lunch was tendered to the "Grand
Old Man" by the American visitors. In an after-dinner speech, the
English statesman spoke in the warmest terms of America. He thanked Will
for the good he was doing in presenting to the English public a picture
of the wild life of the Western continent, which served to illustrate
the difficulties encountered by a sister nation in its onward march of
civilization.

The initial performance was before a royal party comprising the Prince
and Princess of Wales and suite. At the close of the exhibition the
royal guests, at their own request, were presented to the members of the
company. Unprepared for this contingency, Will had forgotten to coach
the performers in the correct method of saluting royalty, and when the
girl shots of the company were presented to the Princess of Wales, they
stepped forward in true democratic fashion and cordially offered their
hands to the lovely woman who had honored them.

According