Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-06-17
ENDURANCE OF MUSTANGS.

ENDURANCE OF MUSTANGS.
John q. FremonCs Great Ride OF EIgh
Hundred Miles In Right Days.
The mustang race in New York, il
which rider proposed to ride 305 milel
in fifteen hours, and failed from ex
haustion, recalls the great ride OF Ere
mont in 1S47. The story Of this ride il
ret0ld as follows:
1t was at daybreak on the morning oi
the twenty.second of March, 1847, that
the party set out for La Oiudad do Lot
Angeles (the City of the Angels), in the
southern part Of Upper California, to
proceed in the shortest time to Monterey,
on the Pacific coast, distant full 400
miles. The way is over q mountainous
country, much of 1t uninhablted, with
mo other road than track and many de.
files to pass, particularly the maritime
defile Of Ell Rincon or Punto Gardo,
fifteen miles in extent, made by the fall
ing OF precipitous mountain into the
sea, and which can only be passed when
the tide is out and the sea calm, and
then in many places through the waves.
The towns OF Santa Barbara and San
Luis Obispo, and occasional ranches, are
the principal inhabited places on the
route. Each of tho party had three
horses-nine in ALTO take their turns
under the saddle. The six loose horses
ran ahead, without bride or halter, and
required some attention to keep them to
the track. When wanted for change,
say at the distance of twenty miles, they
were caught by lasso, thrown either by
Don Jesus or the servant jacob. None
of the horses were shod, that being un-
known to the Californians. The usual
gait was sweeping gallop. The first
day they ran 1875 miles, passing the San
Fernando mountain, the defile of the
Rincon and several other mountains, and
slept at the hospitable rancho of Don
Thomas Robberis, beyond the town of
Santa Barbara. The only fatigue COM
planned of in this days ride was in
jacobs right arm, made tired by throw
ing the lasso, and using it as whip to
keep the loose horses to the track. The
next day they made another 1875 miles,
passing the formidable mountain OF
Santa Barbara, and counting upon it the
skeletons of some fifty horses, part of
near double that number which persisted
in the crossing of that terrible mountain
by the California battalion, on Christmas
day, 1886, amid raging tempest, and
deluge of rain and cold, more killing
than that of the Sierra Nevada, the day
of severest suffering, says Fremont and
his men, that they have ever passed.
At sunset the party stopped to sup with
the friendly Captain Dana, and at nine
ut night San Luis Obispo was reached.
Here the mustangs from Los Angeles
we're left, and eight others taken in their
place, and Spanish boy added to the
party to assist in managing the loose
horses.
Proceeding at the usual gait till eight |
o'clock at night, and having made some
seventy miles, Don Jesus became fa-
tigued and proposed halt for few
hours. 1t was in the valley of the Sa-
mas and tho haunt of maranding In
lians. For safety during their reposes
;he party turned off the track, issued |
through q canyon into the thick wood |
md laid down, the horses being put to |
grass at short distance, with the
spanish. boy in the saddle to watch. |
eep, when commenced, was too sweet |
% be easily given up, and it was half.
vay between midnight and day when
he sleepers were aroused by an estam-
,edo among the horses and the calls of
he boy. The cause of the alarm was
oon found-not Indians, but white
,ears, this valley being their great re-
ort and the place where Colonel Fre-
mont and thirty-fve of his men en-
ountered some hundreds of them the
ummer before, killing thirty upon the
round.
The character of these bears is we'll
.nown and the bravest hunters do not
ike to meet them without the advan-
age of numbers. On discovering the
nemy, Colonel Fremont felt for his
istols, but Don Jesus desired him to
70 still, saying that People could
care BEARS" and Immediately hnllooed
them in Spanish, and they went off.
leep went off also. and the recovery of
he horses frightened by tho bears,
uilding rousing fire, making a break
lst from tho hospital supplies of San
Iuis Obispo occupied tho party till day
reak, when tho journey was resumed,
ighty miles, and tho afternoon brought
10 party to Monterey.
The next day, in the afternoon, the
arty set out on their return, and the
vo horses rode by Colonel Fremont
ON San Luis Obispo being present to
i'm from Don Jesus, he (Don Jesus)
esired to make an experiment OF what
ne of them could do. They were
rothers, one year younger than the
ther. The elder was to be taken for
10 trial, and the journey commenced
pom him at leaving Monterey--the
'ternoon we'll advanced. Thirty miles
nder the saddle done that evening and
le party stopped for the night. In the
orning the elder canalo was again
nder the saddle for Colonel Fremont,
nd for ninety miles he carried him
ithout change and without apparent I
.tigue. 1t was still thirty miles to San
uis Obispo, where the night was to be
assed, and Don Jesu, insisted that j
.nalo could do it, and 80 said the horse
y his looks and action. But Colonel {
remont would not put him to the trial,
I'd, shifting the saddle to the younger
rother, the elder was turned loose to
IN the remaining thirty miles without ,
der. He did SO, Immediately taking
le lead and keeping it all the way, and
ltering San Luis in sweeping gallop,
ostrils distended, snuffing the air and
sighing with exultation at his return
his native pastures, his younger
'other all the time at tho head of the '
1rses under the saddle, bearing on ]
S bit and held in by his rider. The a
hole eight horses made tho 120 miles i
ch that day (after thirty the evening {
,fore). a
After hospitable detention of an s
her half day at San Luis Obispo, the '
Irty set out for Los Angeles, on the /
me nine horses which they had rode d
ON that place, and made the ride back 3
about the same time they had made it {
at the rate of 125 miles a r
y. On this ride the grass on the road &