The Empire County argus., 1856-01-05
The Prairie Chief.

The following well written and interesting ac-
count of the capture of this splendid and far famed
ANIMAL from the Democratic State Journal, will be
read with much interest:
CAPTURED AT LAsT---The Prarie Chief" or wild
horse OF Yolo the best native trotter in the State
and the most enduring animal, perhaps, in any
counay, has at last been captured. He has run the
gauntlet long and WELL has bafed for years the re-
peated attempts of many famed Vao,teros to take
him with the lasso, but horse flesh being but flesh
he had to bend to the skill and enthusiasm of the
multitude. For more than four years pains and
plots have been laid to him, every mode of
warfare adopted that ingenuity could devise and
man execute but throwing his tail aloft like Mos
lem standard, he laughed at and defed them all.
Years ago, more than forty horsemen mounted on
the very flower of the ranches have chased him time
and again, often running from sun to sun, and oc-
casionally have they hunted him the second day
when he proved to be as fresh as on the first. And
never until Wednesday last so far can learn.
was he seen, even when hottest pursued, to break
his trot Trotting he could go round most of them
gallopng. Once, some two years since, was he cor
rallied, but only for moment. The Barker BROTH
ers the Wolfskill brothers, Senior Luco and others,
knowing his great speed and being impressed with
his strength and beauty desired to possess him.
One man or dozen could not catch him. That had
often been tried. They collected several hundred
of their horses, drove them in the vicinity of the
Uequeros rushed the band into the corral No sooner
did the Prairie Chief" see the enclosure by which
he was surrounded then with fierce bound he
cleared by several feet the bristling posts of the
great corral. The Wolfsklls then offered reward
of 500 dollars for him in sound condition. and it is
said the Barkers increased the reward to ,5OO.---
He was then driven to the mountains on the west of
the plain in the hope of forcing him into narrow
pass when they could surround and lasso him. The
attempt was made several times during the year but
only once did they get the lasso on him, and then
he snapped it instantly. Since that many have
tried to shoot him, but none could accomplish it,
He would keep on the open plain and let no man or
thing within reach of him. This fall, number of
farmers living in Yolo have made ''bees" and given
him chase. The last one succeeded.
knowing for several days that he had been rang
ing in the Potrero hills, lying the west bank of
the Sacramento where it empties into the Suisun
Bay, some thirty persons we'll mounted assembled
there last Tuesday, encamped all night and by day.
light next morning up and gave him chase. The
Prairie Chief, when he first discovered them, broke
for the plains and haading northward at tremen-
duous speed, dashed over the reeng earth right
into the sink of Putah. 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 and be forced towards his start
ing ground. AS was expected, he took the back
track and the horsemen scattered along the plain
for nearly thirty miles, dashed at him by turns and
thus run him at his full speed Che trotting all the
way) to the Protrero hills again. Thence they
routed him once more, and started him north near
ly up to west of Sacramento, back again to Cache
Greek slough then again nearly up to the city and
then back to Cache Creek slough, where he turned
once more jaded and worn, and was lassoed some
eight miles below the city by Mr.. John Adamson.
1t was dark when the moose was thrown upon his
neck and thus did this wonderful horse run the en-
tire day at full stretch, Gf we may so speak of
trotter) without moments breathing time. Dur
ing the last forty fifty miles of his course when
closely pursued, he broke his pace and launched
out into gallop. 1t is estimated, by those who
know the ground well, that he travelled from 100
to ITO miles. Mr.. Adamson has him secure and
fast with strong riattas but have yet ventured
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 age He isl
gray horse with darksh main and TAIL and FOUR
teen hands high.