Litchfield enquirer., 1860-05-03
A MUSTANG HUNT.

 at the turn matters had taken.
 A MUSTANG HUNT.
 A Mexican "vaquero," or herdsman al tached to the rancho, having brought i word one evening that large band of mus tangs were crossing the praries northward preparations were immediately made to at tempt capture Five young men, broth
 CTS, and raised from childhood on horseback
 myself, and two Mexicans, composed tn
 party. Each man was mounted on his owl
 horse, leading, unsaddled, the "mustanl
 catcher" on the speed and endurance o
 which the success of the chase depends
 Riding carefully along by the valleys in or der to avoid disclosing ourselves on the swell
 ling ridges of the prairie, and observing th'
 wind, we silently kept on till about two il
 the morning. The white men then lay dowl to rest, having previously tied their animals
 all together, lest neigh should give warn ing to the wary guardians of the wild horse band, whilst Mexican was sent in advance to see if he could discover the herd or trail At three o'clock be returned, and said that the mustangs were feeding some three ol four miles off. Now came the time for ac tion. Silently we mounted our mustang catchers," and rode cautiously off till we judged we were close enough. The next operation was one that considerably aston ished me- Without word, the five young Texans and the Mexicans dismounted, and proceeding in the cooest-and at that hour of the morning it was cool and no mistake possible manner to divest themselves of eve ry garment usually worn by white men, with the exception of their shirts. Shoes and stockings, drawers, jackets. hats, all came off, and this novel hunting costume being assumed, they took off their saddles, re- tainng of their equipments only 0 tremcn- dously powerful bit, and huge Spanish spurs, while the lasso was securely made fast round the horses neck, the rider holding the coil in the left hand, and the fatal moose in the right. There they were, next thing to na- ked, riding bare-backed, on horses half wild themselves, their shirt-tais futtcring in the breeze rather stylish party.
 For my own part, I preferred to retain my saddle. Two couples were then despatch ed down the wind, to get round to leward of the mustangs, and head them off in the di- rection where we were concealed By this time our horses, which were kept exclusive ly for such work as was on hand, had got rather more than crazy, and blessed my stars at my having good pair of reins and Spanish bit. can tell you. From the spot on which we stood, we had view of the mustangs through the trees. So- had our horses it was all we could do to keep them quiet but there were the mustangs cours- ing round in all the pride of strength and freedom, with heads, tails and names tossed high in the air. There, too, was the great black stallion, the leader of the band, which numbered about eighty. raising his head ev cry instant to look around, trotting her and there, the very picture of courage and sagacity, to see that no enemy was approach ing his family. Our excitement increased as time wore on minutes seemed hours as We waited impatiently for the expected signal. We got it soon. The black horse suddenly stopped, his head raised in the air, every hair on his thick flowing mane and tail standing up on an end, while he eagerly stuffed the wind. In another second, with a shrilI scream, he darted at the mustangs which were feeding little apart from the band, drove them up at full speed to the main body, and with q fierce neigh, rushed to the front to lead them off, Almost at the same time, about quarter of mile iu their rear, and on their right flank, our de- tached parties came laundering over the hill, yelling Indian warwhoops, and swing
 ing their Iassos round their heads like men %l,osn l1rv through the rough grass and over the bro ken ground. The manner of throwing the lasse is this: Holding the reins and the lasso in coils in the left hand, the rider grasps in his right the moose, which it about five or six feet in diameter. Swinging this over his head, so as to keep it perfectly open, he singles out his intended game, and when sufficiently near, throws the moose over the animals head, at the same time letting go the coils in his left hand The instant that he sees that the moose is over the head of the animal he throws his whole weight upon the bit, bringing the horse he is riding upon his launches, even at full gallop The rope is, of course, frightened with an awful jerk. when the animal has got to the end of the lasso. The unfortunate mustang falls, as if shot, head over heels, the trained horse meantime holding back for dear life. In minute or two the mustang rises, sel- dom offering much resistance, and in couple of days is the slave of his conqueror. Such is the mustang hunt. Breaking in the mus tangs is conducted in the primitive style usually adopted in all relations of life and habits on this Far-West Frontier The mustangs having been induced, dragged, or brought home somehow, are tied up fast for couple of days without food or water
 Then they are saddled by the simple pro
 cess of throwing them down. A Spanish
 bit is forced into their mouths, and the horse
 man stands astride over them as they lie
 fast bound on the ground. When he gives
 the word, the ropes are cast off. the alright
 ed beast starts to his feet, raising the rider
 as he rises himself. After some terrible
 plunges and back. dumping, away go horse
 and rider across the prairie like the wiad The mustang resorts to all manner of dodg
 es with his rider, dashing under limbs o trees, endeavoring to scrape him of agains the logs, lying down and rolling on him
 rushing in and out of deep rayines, but al to DO purpose. In a couple of hours, bors land man come back, the horse tanned, an, only requiring to be handled to complete hi ieducation.-Lsfs on the 7sras Frontier.