Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-04-20
10" AS A JOCKEY.

The following amusing extract is
from the new book entitled "The
Wigwam and Warpath," by A. B.
Meacham, giving his observations
while superintendent of Indian sf-
fairs IN Oregon:
Umatllla is known to be a great
country for horses. l doubt if any
where on the continent there can be
found horses of greater speed or
powers of endurance. How-lish-
wam-po, chief of the Cayuse (Kiuse),
is owner of several thousand horses.
He is a stout built man, has a dark
completion, wears his hair just clear
of his shoulders, and is now past
middle age.
Several parties had visited Una
tilla, bringing with them men and
boys to drive home the herds of In
dian horses they we're ''going to
win"
Joe Crabb, the owner of an i'm
ported horse, had been present at a
race some months previous, when
How-lish-Wam-po had permitted his
horse to be beaten; and as he meas
ured the distance, marked the time,
and subsequently tested the speed of
his horse with the winner of that oc-
casion, he, of eoulse, had "dead"
thing.
The white men came with grooms
and riders, making camp near the
Indian, standing guard over his own
horse to prevent accident.
The Indians were not so careful
of their horse; at least Joe Crabb
thought they were not, and, since
everything is fair in gambling as in
war, he concluded to know for him.
self how the speed of the two horses
would compare.
There is general belief that In
dians sleep when their eyes are open,
and especially just before daylight,
and sending a careful, trusty man to
get the Indian horse, leaving an
other in his place, he led his own out
on the prairie, and made few trials
of speed with the two. The result
was satisfactory. He found that his
horse was able to distance the other.
When the morning agreed upon ar
rived, the grounds leading to the
valley of Umatilla gave full proof
of the interest the people of the sur
rounding country had in this impor-
tant affair.
As the starting hour approached,
two judges were elected-one white
man and one Indian. But two are
required, since the horses run out,
turn the stake and come back to the
starting point. The first horse to
get home is the winner. No account
is made of the start, each party de-
pending on his shrewdness to get
the better in this part of the race.
The prevailing idea that Indians
are always cool and stoical is not
correct. They become very much
excited at horse races, but not gen.
orally until the race begins. While
the preliminaries are being arranged
they are serious, even solemn look.
ing fellows, and with great dignity
come up with the money to bet
Capable of assembling" l should
think they were from the cool face
of How-lish -wam-po, when the mon,
eg is being counted out by the hun
dreds, in twenty dollar gold pieces
not a few, but handfuls of twenties
One could not have detected the
slightest twinkle in his eve or othel
signs that Joe Crabb had stolen hi.
horse and run him secretly. Cool
calm, earnest, as if he were saying
mass, this chieftain came up anC
handed over his money to the stake
holder, while numerous bets wert
being arranged between the othel
Indians and white men. Horses
were wagered, and tied together anC
led away. Many a fellow haC
brought extras with him for the ex
press purpose of gambling, expect
ing of course to take home twice the
number in the evening.
Crabb had confded his secret
about his stolen run to few friends
and advised them to go in and vii
all the horses they wanted. Their,
was no danger; he knew what ht
was talking about. He had the In
dian's horses speed by time and alst
by trial.
The trick that Crabb had played
was finally known to How -lish-wam
DO. He and his people were cooled
down and seemed anxious to hav,
the race come off before more bet
ting was done.
This made tie white men more
anxious, and they urged, boaste(
and ridiculed, until in manifest des
peration, the Indians began TO be-
again, and the noble white men gen
erouslY took advantage of the Indi
ans hot blood, and forced him t
make many bets that he appeared t
shun.
The horses were brought out t
start, and while the imported hors,
of Crabb's looked every inch racer
the other stood with head down,