Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-02-12
NUMBER 25.


ors of the country. During the three centuries
which have elapsed since the conquest Of Mexico,
they have increased and multiplied to an extraordi-
nary extent, and to be found 10 vast droves in
the Texian prairies, although they are now begin
ming to grow somewhat scarcer. They are taken
with the idsso concerning which instrument
weapon, | will here say word or two, notwth'
standing that il has often been described.
The lasso is usually, from twenty to thirty feel
long, very flexible, and composed Of strips o.
twisted ox-hde. One end is fastened to the sad
de- and the other, which forms a running moose
held in the hand of the hunter, who, thus equip
ped rides out into the prairie. When he discover
troop ofwild horses, he manGuvres to get to wind
ware Of them, and then to approach them
possible. If he is an experienced hand, the horses
seldom or ever escape him, and as soon as he find
himself within twenty or thirty feet OF them, he
throws the moose with unerrng aim over the neck
the one he has selected for his prey. This done
he turns his own horse sharp round, gives him the
spur, and gallops away, dragging his unfortunate
captive after him, breathless, and with his wind
pipe so compressed by the moose, that he is unable
to make the least resistance, and after few yards
falls headlong TO the ground and lies motioness,
and almost lifeless, sometimes indeed badly hur.
and disabled. From this day forward, the horse
which has been thus caught never forgets the lasso
the mere sight of it makes him tremble in every
limb; and however wild he may be, il is sufficient
him tame and docile a lamb.
The horse taken, next comes the breaking in,
which IS effected IN no less brutal manner than
his capture. The eyes oil The unfortunate animal
are covered WIN nandage' ana a tremendous bl'
pound weight or more, ciarped inio his mouth
,ne morse breaker puts on par Of spurs SIX meme
long, ana win ro"eis IKE penknives, anu jumping
on his back urges him 10 his very utmost speed l.
the horse tries to rear, turns restive one pull
and not a very hard one either, at the instrument
OF torture 'hey cal ON, s9tacien' 10 iear MS
mouth 10 sn'eos' ana cause inc oioou 10 now 10
streams. nave myseii seen hofses 'ee'h oroSen
win 'nese oatoarous DIS Inc poor peast whin-
mes ana gfoahs WIN pam ana terror; out there is
no heip lor NM the spurs are al MS hanks ana on
ne goes iuii ga'IoP, I'll ne IS ready 10 sink from Ia
tigue ana exhaustion lie then has quarter oil an
hours rest allowed MN but scarcely does he be-
gin to recover breath which has been ridden and
spurred out oil MS body, when ne IS again mounted,
and has to go through the same violent process as
before IL ne breaks down during this rude triai'
ne Is ei'net knockeo on the heau OF orWen away as
useiessi Dut IL ne holus ou' ne Is marked WIN nor
IRON; ana ieh 10 Craze on the prairie. henceior-
waru mere Is no particular d'thcuhy IN catching
MN when wanted Tue wldness Of the horse s
compulsory Puhsheu out oil hin' out LOT II Is snostl'
t'e er, VIC anu lnd'ee mat Il
Poss' pI ~ eo"oe"e eSe mustangs arc un,Iues
uonaoy 'ne mos. oece'Iui ana sP"eiui OF all .he
f.s 'aee ny e ;" " Pe'Pe,ua9 iooA'"g
ou' w aI oPPo''u'J VI P'a!i"s 'ne'i master
u'oA anu very SUN ai'ei go' possession OF n'he'
was nearly Pa{ng 'o1 MN III way 'nat hau GER
fanny "o' ea''u'A'eo epou'
we were gong TO Bolivar, and had to cross the
nver Brazos was the last but one TO get into
'he BOAT, ana was leadlng my morse carelessy by
l1 O.'u,e 'us' as Was ABOUT 70 s'eP in' sIuoen
!..A, a"u y - 'anu {ou. oea'., ,"aue n'e
~ ~ III IL :" "as I''' wv 80
~ .s'aus "au L oug sP'"ns oaeA, 'eaieu up
n', upon uie WIN Sucn
~ anu 'u.y 'na,, a. r.. oa' ol n's way: nus
,ore zee, wenl comPle,ey 'niough ,he potion Of the
ooa'. never IN my NE saw an amman IN suen a
Ps'oAysm o' rage ne cu.ed up MS Ups VII MS
wnole range OF 'ee'n was Vis'ole' hls eyes literally
sho' nIe' WINE ,s Tue loan new RON ms NOUN, ana
nc Inu '.'ea'ns ne'g1 ''a' mao sone'n'ns
9u"e otaoo,,ea, III ~ sounu was s'anuing per-
'"I"ue , AZ 'n's soe"., "hen que ol 'ne
P;g ,oo~ ~ T dnu se! qu.euy ra,u o.e' '"e
VII .i."os ",,h 49,; .eay nspS'.
W. e'oS.u "'ou''' u''0P'"s ea,s' a"u "Sau io"'
s,oou 'ne 40 'ieeN anu as uoone as
a'y o'I JaSNass nc onahge was 30 susuen ana
o1'"'0a'' 'ha' we a., ours' OUT iaugh'ng athougn'
whe' came 10 'eheci on Tue dahgef had run II
'equl.eu al my ioVe LOT horses 10 prevent me from
Shoo''"g tue D'u'e upon Tue spot
Mounted upon this hcklish steed, and in comPa-
ny with my irlend made various excursions TO
Bolivar, Marion, columbia, Anahuac, incplent
CUES consisting oil from hve 10 twenty houses We
also Vsneu numerous Piah,at'ohs ana ciearlngs to
'he OWNERS OF some OF Which we were KNOWN orhad
messages OIL hHoducuoni Out ehher without or
WIN such recohmehuauons' we always found
nearly welcome ana hosp"aoe reception, and II
was rare tha' we were allowed TO pay Tor our enter