Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-08-11
From tho Nnoecs valley.
SKETCHES BY A MUsTANGER.

From the NuecCs Valley. .s~ t.a
SKETCHES BY A MUsTANGER.
You will remember that in my last,
Harry Hay had reached the village of
Bajo Sol. He was soon installed into a
family as Caleb Quotem of all work.
He told me many an incident of Indian
life, many hardship endured, many a
rough day has he had. Iresume his mar
rative.
1t was their usual custom to make Sor-
tbs, Mexican boy prisoner, and myself
spend the day in herding the horses and
mules. One day whilst dreaming of
home and the scenes of my boyhood,
was aroused by a cuff from Keatuka who
ordered me out to herd the mules. was
dreaming sweeuy and awoke TO find my
self surrounded by my captors-happy
dream, sad reality. 1 spraug up and
mastering my charge intoR herd, drove
them to hillside which overlooked the
camp, and sat upon the brow to gaze up
on the scene below. The tribe that morn
ing were in high glee, for hunting par
ty had returned the night before, with
well loaded animals. During the chase
they had succeeded In securing by the
lasso some five or six Buffalo calves
which had been run down, and from the
preparations going on soon found that a
"Calf fight" was about to come off 1t
is boys game but certainly as exciting
as most of the scenes in a Plaza de To-
ros.
A circle Of Indian squaws and children
were soon formed, leaving an arena of
some fifty yards in diameter. a calf was
led into the ring end let loose, and ere it
realized that it was unbound, boy of
twelve or thirteen years of age, sprang
into the circle and running up the calf,
whisked it around by the tail, until its
believing was heard from my high obscrv-
atory, and thus continued to tease it until
it fell exhausted and giddy. AS soon as
1T recovered its equanimity, the calf rose
to its feet, and seeing its tormentor near
at hand made rush towards him and
succeeded in tossing him by we'll direc-
ted stroke several yards from the spot
Nothing daunted, the by still clasping his
knife, prepared for renewal of the at
tack, and at the very instant the calf bent
its sturdy form to repeat the blow, the
knife entered its neck by we'll directed
thrust, and the poor thing fell dead at its
conqueror's fecct. Three more followed
and were similarly disposed of by three
other Indian lads, amid the plaudits and
cheerings of those wild rowing imitators
of Rome and Greece. The fifth was led
in, and from the other side, pushed for
ward by his tormentors appeared the
form of the Mexican grcaser Sorts. He
was half idiot at the least, and had way
of gazing vacantly, apparently in a sort
of trance. At such times no danger
could arouse him. No noise startled him,
no object commanded his attention. He
seemed to be listening, and after the spell
was ever, he would say he had heard his
mother singing song with which in
childhood she used to soothe him when
sick, and lull him into sleep when the
days work was over.
Unlucky youth the excitement noise
and confusion around him was too much
for his weak tottering mind and as he was
pushed into the open space, he was sei-
zed with one of his spells. He stood in
graceful attitude with his head reclining
to one side, with his hand TO his car, ap
parently catching the softest notes Of his
imaginary song, utterly unconscious Of
where he was. The calf which had al
ready been aroused turned upon him,
rushed headlong upon him, and by a
well directed butt, a Postcriori, pitched
him sundry .varas from where he had been
standing. He was all hustle for a min
ute, but soon the spell resumed its sway,
and in his usual attitude, he seemed lost
to all outward ills, forgetting calf, lash,
hunger, every thihg, in the intensity of
attention to the magic music notes Of an
imaginary mothers song Of childhood.
An Indian lad then came TO his rescue.
and after a short struggle the calf was de-
spatched as the others had been. Unluc-
ky Sorts His trials for the day were not
yet over The Indians were determined
to arouse him. In the herd that / was
tending was an unbroken mule. Had he
been the scape mule OF Mexico with all
the vices of. the whole republic in or on
his head, he could have been mo-
worse. Had he been heir at law 70 all
the appurtenanees and vices Of his pater-
nal race he would not have been more
obstinate, malicious, wild and untamea-
BILE. -Four hmping squaws youched for,
his kicking ProPensities. Six scars ON the
same number Of Indians backs bespoke
his biting qualities. His own smooth,
sleek, unscaTred back told of his pitching
facilities. Five or six lariette ends dang
ling from his neck eyineed his rope-brea-
king powers, whilst his incessant braying
and well-a-peak ears argued much IN