Buffalo Bill's death message

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

79255

Title

Buffalo Bill's death message

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Colonel Prentiss Ingraham's "Buffalo Bill's Death Message" delivers a thrilling Western adventure where the legendary scout faces a mysterious, ancient tribe. Trapped in a temple by twisted, dwarf-like captives and facing ritual sacrifice, Bill and his companions must rely on wit, courage, and a hidden steel saw to escape. Blending historical romance with exotic fantasy, this tale offers clean, wholesome excitement for fans of classic frontier heroes and daring rescues.

Summary up to 500 words

In Colonel Prentiss Ingraham's classic Western adventure, *Buffalo Bill's Death Message*, the legendary scout William F. Cody finds himself in a perilous situation far from civilization. While escorting the young woman Miss Fernald, Bill and his party are ambushed by a tribe of Indians led by strange, twisted figures. They are captured with a massive net and dragged into a temple in the valley of Zataclin, where they are imprisoned in a room filled with ominous sounds. The prisoners soon realize they face sacrifice to the tribe's gods. The captors are revealed to be a distinct race of Aztecs practicing ancient, brutal rituals, including the torture of slaves transformed into "monsters" with gnarled limbs and twisted feet. Professor Felix Bounderby, a companion in the group, manages to communicate with one of the captives using the Mayan language. This revelation uncovers the tribe's connection to the ancient Aztecs and the tragic fate of their enslaved people. To escape, Buffalo Bill devises a daring plan. While Miss Fernald and others distract the guards with singing, Bill uses a fine steel saw hidden in his hat to cut through the iron bars of their prison window. After two hours of intense work, two bars are severed. The group launches a desperate charge through the window, overwhelming the guards below and fleeing into the night. They navigate treacherous terrain, avoiding pitfalls and pursuing enemies, eventually reaching safety and reuniting with loved ones. The story concludes with a reflection on the mysterious death of a rival, Ramon Periguez, killed by a falling golden dagger, leaving the reader with a sense of closure and the enduring legend of Buffalo Bill. The narrative highlights themes of courage, ingenuity, and the clash between ancient superstition and modern civilization, set against the backdrop of the American West's expansion.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/79255.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg79255.epub

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2026-08-13 22:31 UTC

Categories

• Western Fiction
• Dime novels