The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-01-23
rAs VIVA Horse and the Indian chier;

0IOaeAs ulllttIy post, situated on the borders |
Of The Indian territory, number Of officers
therein garrison, were amusing themselves with |
games, races, football, shooting, and BOXING. and
they seemed heartily to enjoy the bright sunny
day which, alter long storms, called the flowers
upon the prairie again, and decorated the fruit
trees with their first blossoms
Suddenly an Indian, mounted upon a splend-
id snow -white stallion, was seen gallopinp to.
wards them, along the bank Of the Arkansas,
close to the edge of the stream; he checked the
toaming, smoking animal near the group, which
soon gathered around him, admiring both horse
and horseman. He had caught the beast only
two days before, upon the prairie, where it was
roaming IN native wildness, and he was riding,
rs he said, towards the settlements, in order to
barter it for commodities with which the poor
savage had once been unacquainted, but which
now, alas, are indispensable to him.
What to the settlements cried CAPTAIN
of dragons, named Brown, as soon as he heard
of the red mans purpose. you are going to
the settlements, Kolbri! The ID! what would
the people there do with such noble animal,
Come here, Indian, / will buy him of YOU, but
you must first shoot me buffalo from his back,
without losing your seat. If you can do that,
will give you half of what you ask, and my dou-
bic barrelled gun into the bargain. What say
you:
a smile Of nockery played over the Indians
lips as he listened to these conditions. Lose his
seat! The thought was an insult, and his vani-
~ was doubly irritated at hearing white man
cast doubt upon his Workmanship .z
Let the Longknife,' he replied, eloomily,
ride this mustang only single time, before that
buffalo skin that is spread out yonder, and if he
does not then kiss his mother, l will try what
can do upon the skin that covers the live buffalo
Good! excellent cried the bystanders; and
Captain Brown, with laugh, accepted the In
dams challenge.
Good, Kolibri!' he said, while his servant
brought saddle and Bride Il will do what
can; but as you understand how to MANAGE hor-
SEES better than any white man that ever saw,
should like to have you put this gear upon the
FESTIVE creature
The Indian smiled grmly at the fattery, beck
oned to one of the soldiers to step forward, and
directed him to hold the horses head. while. in
IN spite OF his kicking and plunging, he put sad
die and bride upon the rearing, stamping ami
NAL He then took the horse by the bride, but
murmurcd with scornful glance at the saddle
bad thing to spare horse-bad thing to spare
rlder-white mans invention plaques man and
BEAST
In the meanwhile Brown, who was an excel
lent horseman, having, with an experienced
glance, satisfied himself that every thing was in
order, graspcd the bride, and leaped lightly into
the saddle.
The Indian at once set the snorting beast at
Liberty, and it bounded away like the wind, leap
ing and plunging, if resolved to unseat it's RI
der. But the bride was in the hands of a mas
ter; 1t was IN truth, charming spectacle to see
the prudence, hrmness, and dexterty with which
the captain initiated the noble but FESTIVE animal
into the mysteries of the snafle. After its head
long fire had somewhat abated, and before he
touched it with the spur, he rode it slowly and
quietly back and forth across the prairie, and
kolibri watched, with admiring satisfaction the
skill and gentleness with which the captain ma
mayed the untutored beast
After having ridden the horse around in n
wide circle, Captain Brown gallopcd back to-
wards the spectators, and then turned the ami
mails head, suddenly and sharply, toward the
frame pointed out by the Indian, upon which
hung a fresh and still bleeding buffalo skin,
spread out to dry. 1t is true, a slight elevation
of the soil, as yet prevented the horse from See
ing it, but he doubtless scented it, for he stopped
short, snortng and stamping, and drew in his
finely arched neck. But practised and skilful
horseman, like Captain Brown, cared but little
tor the fear or anger Of the foamng stallion; a.
slight touch of the spur sent him leaping furious
ly forward, and, at the third bound he found
himself close and directly before the object of his
aversion and terror
For moment cloud of dust hid man and
horse; when it disappeared, Captain Brown was
seen as firmly seated in the saddle as ever
Laughing, he now gaoped back the flying
steed to his comrades, and gave the bride into
the hands Of the Indian, who stroked and patted
the animal, and led him carefully to and fro on
the plain
sIhe savage has acquired good idea of your
horsemanshp, captain!' said one of the officers:
he was astonished and delighted to see you ma
mage the beast so WE'LL
tfet If is sippul,r ran1;o1 p,,,,., t.l. -
shrewd an Indian does not seem to understand
how to anticipate the movements of his horse
rs well as white man who is practiscd rider
An he thinks of is to guide and restrain his beast,
70 Keep his seat, and to shoot game from the back
OF the animal when at full speed-while, per-
haPs, at the very moment that he leans to one
side TOR this purpose the horse starts towards the
other, and then he is almost sure to be thrown
4 do not quite comprehend you,' said the off,
Ger, who had been educated at the military school
at West Point, and who had but lately been
transferred to these distant Western regions
well, listen them said Brown, when, for
example, you bend sidewise from the saddle, to
take aim at any object, while riding at full speed
and the horse 'shies' toward the other side, or
leaps backward, it is pretty plain that horse and
man must part
tBut how do YOU explain that, T do MT ,,der
stand
Explain to me first said Brown, show it is
that you can place glass filled with water. in
bucket, and swing it around your head, with
out spilling Drop
sWhy, the water keeps its place by the pres
sure ofthe atmosphere, and the centrifugal force ;
And the rider loses his place exactly by the
same law, replied Brown, drily
lou will find it hard to prove that replied
the young officer, warmly. sThe glass is an in
animate body; man, on the contrary, is liv-
ing being, endowed with motion; he can change
his position, and accommodate his movements
to those of the horse. IF your remark is more
than mere supposition, we should certainly find
it confirmed in the works of the old masters. and
still have never heard of this rule, neither have
i ever seen it represented in any paintings in the
chief cities of Europe
Il have never crossed the Atlantic replied
Brown, modestly, sand except the battle of Bun
kers Hill, and the battle of New Orleans. which
hang in my quarters, i have never seen many
pictures, or acorks, as you call them The New
York SPIRIT Of Me Times sends us, now and then
pictures ofhorses, down here in this region
But stay? now that you talk of old paintings, |
remember one that once saw; it was on one of
those floating Museums, as they call them, on
The Mississippi. But if you believe all that you
ho1 %l,% AZ,