The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1856-03-22
"Prniric Chief" or, the "WiId Horse Of
YOlO.,,


The following well written and interesting
account Of the capture of this splendid and
far-famed animal, is from the California De.
'nocrdt'c State Journal, and will be read
with much interest:
CAPTrRED At LAsr.-The Prairie Chief, or
wild horse Of Yolo, the best native trotter
IN the State, and the most enduring animal,
perhaps. in any country, has at last been
captured. lie has run the gauntlet long and
weli-has baled for years the repeated at
tempts Of many famed Vamqueros to take
him with the lasso but horse flesh being but
flesh, he had to bend to the skill and enthu-
siasm OF the multitude. For more than four
years plans and plots have been laid to en-
snare him, every mode Of warfare adopted
That ingenuity could devise and man exc
cute, but throwing his tail aloft, like Mos
lem standard, he laughed at them all.
Tears ago, more than forty horsemen
mounted on the very flower OF the ranches
have chased him time and again, often run.
ming from sun to sun, and occasionally have
they hunted"A'm the ssoSna day. when he
proved to be ~ fresh as on the first And
never until Wednesday last, SO far as We can
le~rn, was - secn even when hottest pur-
sued, to break his trot. Trotting, he could
run around post Of them galoping. Once,
some two years since, was he c0rrallcd but
only for moment. The Barker brothers,
the NoIiskill brothers, Senor Luco and 9TH
ers, knowing his great speed and being I'm.
pressed with his strength and beauty, de-
sired to possess him. One man or dozen
could not catch. That had often been tried.
They collected several hundred Of their
horses drove them in the vicinity Of ''Prai-
rie Gei" got him among them and with
my rdhqUoroS rushed the band into the cor
raj. No sooner did the "praire Chief see
the enclosure by which he was surrounded,
than, with one fierce bound, he cleared by
several feet the bristing posts Of the great
corral The WolEkill's then offered n re.
ward Of $500 for him in sound condition,
and it is said the Barkcr's increased the re.
ward to 81 800. lie was then driven to the
mountains on the west Of the plain in the
hopes 0! forcing him in a narrow pass when
they could surround and lasso him. The at.
tempt was made several times during the
year, but only once did they get the lasso
on him, and then lac snapped ii instantly
Since then they have tried to shoot him, but
none could accomplish IT, He would keep in
the open plain and let no man or thing with
IN reach Of him. This fall, a number Of far
mers living in lolo have made bees"
and given him chase. The last one sue.
ceeded
Knowing for several days that he had been
ringing in the rotrcro hills, lying on the
"est bank Of tbs Sacramento where it emp.
ties in the Suisun Bay, some thirty persons
well mounted assembled there last Tuesday
encamped all night, and by daylight next
morning up and gave him chase. The prai.
rie Chief, when he first discovered them,
broke Tor the plains, and, heading north
ward, at tremendous speed dashed over the
recling earth right into the sink Of Potah.
To that point only few followed, it being
arranged that they were to take turns in the
chase, and knowing too that he would have
TO turn there aud bc forced toward hi, start.
ing ground As was expected, he took the
back track, and the horsemen scattered
along the plain for nearly thirty miles, dash
ed at him by turns, and thu, run him at his
full speed he trotling all the way-to the
Potrcro hills again Thence they routed HIN
once more, and started him north nearly up
to west OF Sacramento back again 20 Cache
Creek slough, where he turned once more
J'Ir' "''' worn, ahA Was IAHNpNl some tiEht
miles below the city by Mr.. John Adamson.
II was dark when the moose was thrown up.
on his neck, and thus did the wonderful
horse run the entire day at full stretch, Gf
We may 50 speak OF a tgotter,J without
moments breathing time. Dunns the las,
forty or fifty miles Of his course, when
closely pursued. he broke his pace and
launched out into gaiiop. 1t is estimated
by those who know the ground well, that he
uav''cd from lGO to $50 miles. Mr. Adam.
son has him secure and fast with strong ri.
atlas, but none have yet vcntnred within
kicking or biting distance Of him. The old
residents have known him for ten years, and
he is believed to be about fourteen years Of
asc. He is n gray horse, with darklsh name
and tail, and fourteen hands high.