Life, 1893-07-27 · page 5 of 16
Life — July 27, 1893 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Sketches at the Fair" This page from *Life* magazine presents portrait sketches of figures associated with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show or exhibition. The caption identifies Buffalo Bill as the central figure (No. 2), along with Rain-in-the-Face (No. 1, credited with killing General Custer) and Curley the Crow Scout (No. 3, described as the only survivor from Custer's command). The sketches capture various personalities from the Wild West show—including Native American performers and frontier figures—rendered in expressive ink drawings typical of *Life*'s satirical style. The accompanying cowboy and horse sketch suggests the entertainment's emphasis on action and spectacle. This reflects late 19th-century American fascination with the romanticized Old West, presented as both historical documentation and popular entertainment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SKETCHES AT THE FAIR. Buffalo Bill, in centre. No. 2, Rain-in-the-Face, who is said to have killed Custer. No. 3, Curley the Crow Scout, the only man in Custer's command who escaped, comicbooks.com