Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-07-26
From the N. .. Picayune.
THE TEXAN SANTA FE
nv DEnlTTON

lions for Guarding against a Night
Attack.
started ahead with the spy COM
pany on he evening Of tie 9th Of Au-
gust, our route lying in a course a lit
tie south Of west and along rich and
exceedingly fertile bottoms. At times
some bend Of the river would bring us
close upon the banks, which we're
lined with cotton wood and other
troes-again we would find ourselves
a distance oflhree or four miles from
the stream.
On stopping to "noon" upon the
margin OF small creek, beautiful
stream overhung with grape vines and
which wound its way beneath deep
and cooling shade to the river, we
were visited by three or four wild hor-
ses or mustangs. AS they approach
cd in the distance, ever and anon stop
ping and throwing up their heads to
scan US more closely,we mistook them
Tor Indians. Our horses were turned
loose and grazing upon short and cur
ly mUSqgcct grass, while we were loun-
ging about under the shade OF the
trees that bordcred the stream.
II may be that they mislook our
"cutters" for some Of their compan-
ions. AT all events they approached
within a few hundred yards, wheeling
and dashing about with all the Joyous
ness Of urrcstrained freedom, and oc-
casionally stopping TO examine our
premises more closely. The leader
was a bright bay, with long and CLOS
sy black tail and name. With the
most dashiHg and bouyant action he
would trot around our camp-then he
would throw alolt his beautifully form
ed head, halfin sport and half timidly,
lash has silken tail and shake his flow
ing name in pride, and eye us with
looks that spoke plainly Of his conf
dence in his powers Of flight should
danger or theaclery be lurking about,
had a large and powerful Leviathan
horse, gentle as a dog and one that
would run all day, but would have
strapped" him off in a minute for
this wild horse Of the pralries without
knowing any thing Of his qualities, and
given a handsome "boot'' at that
After gambolling about US for some
little time, his bright eyes apparently
cleaning with satisfaction while show
ing off "his points," he suddenly
wheeled and in a canter placed himself
ata more prudent distance. Then he
turned again to take another look, cur
we'd his glossy and beautiful neck, paw
ed the ground pIayfully, and again
dashed off. Several times he turned
70 take still another look at our en-
campment, and even in the fur off dis
lance we could distinguish bis proud
and expanded nostrils, his bright, flash
ing eyes od the elastic movements Ct
his 6rm and symmetrical limbs as he
playfulIy pranced and curvetted about.
watched them all until they were
mere specks upon the prairie, bnt in
tiny admiration | took but little notice
ofany save the proud bay | have more
particularly noticed.
The Indians and Mexicau5 have a
way Of catching mustangs by running
Up on their neetest and most untiring
horses and noosing then with the tarl'
40 or hair rope: The white hunters
have also a system, which is often sue.
cessrul; Of taking the wild horse. They
call it credsiHg or shooting them with
rife ball upon a particular cord oil
tendon in the neck. some two or three
inches from the top. If the ball take;
effect precisely in the right place th'
animal falls benum6ed and without the
power to move for several minutes
when he is easily secured. Should j
strike too low the horse is still able &c
run of'but eventually dies. An attemp
was made TO crease the magni6cen
steed | have mentioned above; but i
was impossible to approach near en-
ough to shoot with accuracy, and tc
have endangered his life would have
been a crime Of an enormity almos
equal to murder in the first degree
When our provisions became scare
several Of these animals were shot 70
their flesh. 1t seems hardly right Il
eat horse flesh; but the meat is tende
and finely favored, and a three yea
old mustang is really better eatin
Than either buffalo or beef cattle.
Alter two hours spent very agreed
bIylu shade which completely screen
ed US from the noon-day sun, we sad
died up and started on.-Our orde
oil march was close, and although dee
and antelope were seen close by an
IN nearly every direction, no one lie
the ranks to get a shot at them on &C
count Of the lndians.-Several Of Ii
latter were seen during the day watcl
ing Us from the distant swells of ii
prairie 10 the right, and no one doub
ca That some Of their spies were COT
Geaed IN the vicinity OF the river to Of
'e'', where secure hiding places we
easily found