Montreal, Quebec, Canada
(William Notman / David Francis Barry /
Library of Congress)
Taken at William Notman’s studios, Montreal, during ‘Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show’ in 1885, this photograph bore the title ‘Foes in ’76 – Friends in ’85.'
Sitting Bull was fifty-four when he agreed to join William Cody’s ‘Buffalo Bill’s Wild West’ in 1885. Paid a signing bonus of $125 and $50 a week, his role in what was essentially an American circus was to ride round the arena once per show, in the opening procession. Sitting Bull was the star attraction, but after four months he decided that he’d had enough and returned to the Standing Rock Reservation.
It was a far cry from 1876 when, as spiritual leader to the Lakota Sioux, Sitting Bull had inspired his tribe in the defeat of Custer’s 7th Cavalry at the Battle of Little Big Horn. Following the battle, Sitting Bull was driven into exile in Canada, until the starvation forced him to surrender to the US government. Transferred onto Standing Rock, Sitting Bull was shot and killed by a Reservation police officer in 1890.
‘Have much pleasure and much fatigue. Great difference between prairie travel on horse and foot and on the wagons drawn by the vapor horse. Major Burke very kind, all persons very kind. Think all the pale faces feel kind to the Sioux soldier. Believe they know why he held all his braves and all his people to starve rather than submit to what was wrong. Believe the pale faces respect him for his hard fights and do not wish to hurt him because he had to kill the pale faces when he was fighting. No wish to fight now. Always spoken truth to the pale faces and always been deceived.’
Sitting Bull to reporter at the Buffalo Courier, 1885
