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

It was early on Thursday morning when I ventured into the enclosure at Earl's Court, which has been annexed by the American people, and now forms one of the numerous States of the Union. Wherever the eye reaches, the Stars and Stripes are to be seen fluttering in the breeze, and the collection of Americans embraces samples from every one of the older States. "Lo, the poor Indian," is to be seen, in all his glory of paint, in addition to the citizens of America, of all shades and hues—for in the Western Republic it must be known that all males over the age of twenty-one are entitled to vote unless they be native and to the manner born. English, Germans, French, Italians, Spaniards, Portuguese, Africans, all may become bonâ-fide citizens of the country, but not the redman from whom it was wrested. A paternal government gives him a blanket, settles him on land beyond the confines of civilisation, which he may call his home, unless gold be found in it—in which case he must surrender it to the noble white man—makes it a penal offence to sell him firewater, and then considers it has treated him handsomely.

As I enter the sacred precincts of West Kensington, I am subject to a rigid examination, but having proved my innocence of any evil intent, am allowed to proceed on my way unmolested. In the arena is a crowd of men busily engaged in smoothing the surface broken up by the hoofs of the horses which last night madly careered over it. On every hand are to be heard the busy notes of preparation for the coming "show." As I enter the camp, I find that there are already numerous visitors, who are wandering about, reading the names painted on the tents of the members of the company, and staring with open eyes into the tents, hoping for a sight of their owners. As I pass her tent I see Miss Lilian Oakley, the "shootist," sitting composedly at the entrance of her canvas dwelling-house, thinking probably of her Western home and the folks she left behind her to cross the billowy Atlantic for the purpose of giving us exhibitions of her prowess with the rifle.