The William F. Cody Archive: Documenting the life and times of Buffalo Bill

Now I suppose I must give an account of my doings during the past seven days, the places I have been to, the plays I have seen, and the books I have had time to read or "skim." In the first place I must give a little space to the Horticultural Exhibition which commenced its career on Saturday; the Duke of Connaught pronouncing the mystic words which declared it open from now to October next. The floral display was all that could be desired, and the luncheon provided for the invited guests—passable. The usual speeches were indulged in, and the usual complimentary things were said of everybody by everybody. The "Buffalo Bill" part of the Exhibition may or may not be entertaining. One thing I am delighted to learn and that is, that it is positively their last appearance in this country.

If the sight of a crowd of semi-clothed savages, who, if report speaks true, ought to be hung for the atrocities which they have committed, and of overclothed "cowboys" indulging in wild and uncouth horse-play, can be termed amusing or entertaining, then I suppose that Cowboy Cody and his crew are both.

If visitors go there with the idea of picking up ideas concerning the mode of life of the "noble savage" in his Western home—or, for the matter of that, of the habits and customs of those gentlemen, named "cowboys," they are requested to banish the idea from their minds at once.

I have been in the Western States of America and over the ground from which the scenes in this show are drawn, and in the present day, whatever it may have been in '50's or '60's, things are vastly different.