Mariposa Democrat., 1857-07-02


Behold other figures appear directly in front of
the course they are pursuing. He halts and
gazes, then darting away in different direc-
ton he urges the mares to the utmost OF their
speed. Well may he redouble their speed, for
the treacherous foes are surrounding his course
with Heeter and fresher horses, and not one
foot of ground does the gallant band gain in
their straining effors to escape their eager fol-
lowers. A dozen miles are thus passed over,
when the mustangs begin to run in single file
along their well beaten pathways Repeated
ly turning his gaze on the pursuers, the leader
quickly perceives they are gaining on his band,
which now exhibit symptoms of great fatigue.
Their gait has been reduced to slow steady
trot, and with all his snorting, neighing, Bit
ing and kicking he is unable to increase their
pace. As though conscious that some meas
ure must be taken to avoid capture Of all his
mares, he endeavors to scatter his band, and
begins driving them in different directions
driving away the slowest first-then encourag-
ing with his neighs some favorite companion.
The ruse is all in vain; the determined pursu-
ers are controlling their course they are
urging the mustangs towards the corral, where
horsemen on feet and gallant steeds join the
chase, and urge them into its wings, when at a
crashing and smashing rate Of speed they are
driven into the corral. They are entrapped
but not conquered-they are still the children
of the plain, and with desperate efforts to free
themselves, they rush against the sides of the
corral, and to the last resolutely struggle to
be free. One by one they are lassooed and
dragged from amid their companions until all
lie tied on that soil which they and their sires
had so often pressed with the hoofs Of free
dom.
The Mexicans sometimes reserve an old
stud, in native wildness, for the purpose of
treing down band of mustangs They stuff
a suit of clothes with tules, and then tie it in
an erect position on his back, and when band
of mustangs is discovered he is turned loose.
The stud with straining flight seeks the band;
they see him coming apparently with rider
on his back, and away they go, he after them
wondering why they fly away so rapidly from
his presence His native signals are all USE
less, they heed them not-they see the figure
on his back-anxious fears lend swiftness to
his speed; straining his sinews for determin-
ed effort, he rushes after them with the pace
of the wind, urged on by all the fury of re-
venge The Mexcans are keenly watching
the race, and when they think the band is
nearly used up by running away from imagi-
nary danger they ride in on fresh horses and
then the sweeping lariette descends over the
heads of the tired mustangs.
In these wild chases the mustangs not unfre-
quently break their legs in running over the
hard earth during the summer months. When
caught by the lariette, they rear and plunge
with fearful violence, and frequently in strik-
ing their hoofs on the sun hardened road of
the plains, they snap off the bones of their
forelegs just above the fet-lock joints.
The mustang when captured and exercised
under the severest rules of domestic discipline,
still retains some traits of his native wildness,
and it is not till age has dimmed his eye and
labor strained his limbs, that he becomes obse-
quously obedent to the will of his MASTER
Mustang mares when crossed with the Ameri-
can breed of horses produce fine colts, which,
when grown, are much preferred for saddle
horses by the Mexicans and Rancheros. A
mustang can be ridden eighty or hundred
miles in day, and then turned loose without
fear of his being injured by the long journey
for he is again able to take similar trip in few
weeks. While the American horse if put
through the same laborious task would per-
haps never recover his former strength and
spirit.
The meat of the mustang is sweet and
healthy, and is readily sought after by the In
dams. They are yearly becoming less nume-
rous, and like the Elk and Antelope, they are
avoiding the haunts of the white man. The
mustang studs are very troublesome to farmers
and rancheros, in driving away their mares
from their domestic range. They will some
times stampede a whole cavey-yard of domes-
tic horses and ever afterwards prevent their
returning to slavery. He is inferior to the do
mestc horse in point of sagacity, but superior
to him in power of endurance. He loves to
wander amid the quiet solitudes of the plains,
and to sleep beneath the broad expanse of the
spangled heavens He is graceful in his mo-
tions and commanding in his fight When
urged to his utmost feetness, the Indians say
he lashes the ground with his feet and burns
the wind with his breath, and that when he
falls exhausted in the chase and dies, they say
his phantom-form still wanders over the plain
and warns the mortal mustang of the ap-
proach of danger.
HURRY FLURRY--Boy with ragged trowsers
and rmlcss chin hat runs into Dr. Fuller's