Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-22
/ Wild Horse with a History.

General James : Bri>bin. in IN account
of an expedition into the Wild River Coun-
tx. tells the following about Il noted horse:
At Brown we SAW u horse that had Il
history worth relating. Some years ago
the CHEYENNE InIians stole him in Kansas. ]
and sold him TO the Utes, who in turn sold
him to the Sioux. from which tribe he was
bought or stolen by the Snake Indians and
brought to the valley OF the Popogale-
Here he escaped, AMI for a long time bafl1ed
all efforts to recaptme him. At last he
was caught and sold to Mr.. Gallagher, but
while being taken to The states he broke
his chain and got away into the mountains.
One time he reappeared on his old
stamping grounds. and again the Indians
laid plans to take him. He was so fleet he
could outrun their best horses, and no num-
ber of them could run him down. When
surrounded or cornered, he bit, kicked and
foloht 50 fiercely it was impossible to hold
him One tlav he was surprised in II ca
non by a body Of warriors, and lassoed be-
fore he could get out. Securely tied with
ro,es. he WAS brought to the Indian camp
and starved. beaten and choked into Il
scmi-obedience An ambitious Indian
tried to ride him. and away he went to the
hills. Late at night the Indian returned
to the camp. sore and tired, but without
the horse. He had been thrown, and the
animal was once more at large. He was
often seen after this, but he detied all eff
forts to take him.
One afternoon an Indian who was out
fishinu SAW the wild horse grazing under
a bluff. and. tying a large stone to his 1t
riat. he crawled to the edge of the rocks,
and threw the moose with unerring preci-
sion The horse dragged the rock for some
distance. but. chOked by the thong, he
STAGGERED. fell to the plain. and was once
more bound hand and foot. The Indians
now tied him with Il long cham to tree,
but even then this he managed to break.
and fled to the woods
lie was not seen for Il long time. but
soon after the founding of Camp Brown y
sentinel reported Il horse on the bluffs, and
ON examining the animal through Il glass,
it was found to be the famous wild horse.
On TRYING to approach him he fed like the
winds into the mountains: but the next
day he was again seen perched on the bluff.
onietly eazinp down III the camp. The
commanding officer ordered him not to be
disturbed. and the next day put some
mules on the bluff to Craze lie came
( down and remained with them all day, but
retired ut night to the mountains. The
next dav he came down to the cavalry
herd ON the plain. but seemed greatly eX-
cited. and kept running about nearly all
dly. The commanding officer directed
that no one pursue him us long as he Kept
in motion. and, by gentle alarms, he was
made to eallop in wide circles about the
herd. but as if charmed, he would always
return to it. Late in the afternoon, par
ties of cavalrymen on mules, ana a COM
panv of infantry. were sent quletly OUT OF
/ the fort. and occupied the passes and hull
tops for miles. 1t was known he would
break through Il small circle, so an I'M
mense one was formed to run MN down.
The pursuing party were twenty-seVen IN
number. and remained ut equal distances.
No two were to pursue the horse at once,
unless a signal for all TO close In was given.
The chase began, and, us is the custom OF
animals when hard pressed the horse ran
nearly in a circle The trap had been well
laid new pursuers always keeping him at
his mettle, while the old ones dropped out
4 to occupv the stations in the ring.
\ The rapiditv and length of time which
he ran was Incredible The log chain he
had ON when be made his last escape from
!; the Indians was still about his neck, the end
of which threshed his fore-legs until the
hair and even the skin was beaten OH and
the blood ran down. On he went like the
wind, shaking off cavalryn,an after cava[
ryman, making wide gaps between him
1 and his parsuers I. was getting near ear
dark, and still the chase continued, the
horse showing no great signs of distress.
2 As his astonishing powers became more
land more evident. the desire to capture
3 him increased, and shouts of approbatioI
went up from the small group Of officers
gathered on the lookout at the fert9 when
ever he dis.anceR his pursuers. 8 .sE
Atlength the signal to efosejnywas given
: and then began tbescramble. Men mount