The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-11-15

riuge was second, with little green
valley between. Ridges and valleys ran
away 10 the west for twenty
miles, and as the horse headed that way
one of the hunters said;
The beast Is in for a long race. He
will go down to the end Of this valley,
turn to the left, and before noon he will
be back here, returning on the fort side
OF this first ridge. Three of Us will push
him along a fast a We can to the end of
the valley. The rest of you drop out in
squads here and there, and race him as
he comes back. Let three or four men
half right here to give him last push
The wild horse courted pursuit. Half
a mile away he was racing up and down,
throwing his heels into the air, snorting
be of. With a whoop and yell, three
lasso thrOwers started in pursuit. They
were almost near enough for throw
when the horse headed away at a trot.
They could not gain an inch, though
they had three of the best mustangs in
the Territory, and the animals were
pushed TO the top of their speed. Head
up, name rolling back over his shoulders
like wave of foam, and his massive tail
streaming out like flag, the White
Devil lifted his feet and put them down
as steadily as clockwork. While they
were doing their best, they could see
that he was not using all his power.
They kept up a continual yelling for the
first five miles, hoping to break his pace,
but neither shouts nor the reports OF
rifles lost him step.
In seventy minutes the White Devil
gas at the end of the valley, fresh as
daisy, while the mustangs, half mile be-
hind, We're reeking and blown. He
waited for them TO come up, and then
turned to the left, struck a pace, and
swept away at such a gait that he was
soon out Of sight. Ten miles to the east
was the first squad of men. They sighted
him mile away, and were all ready for
a pursuit. Coming straight ahead, with
the grass almost smoking under his feet,
the wild charger passed them not more
than a hundred feet away. He laid
back his ears at their YELL but went
straight ahead at his laundering pace.
In ten minutes the men could hardly
see him. A second and third squad
the last one was reached White Devil
changed his pace to a gallop, threw up
his heels, and headed for the range. He
was soon out of sight, and the chase was
abandoned.
At daylight next morning the strange
horse looked down from the ridge again,
and by and by walked down to within
pistol shot of the fort A band of sixty
friendly Indians, out on a hunt, had
halted at the fort the night previous, and
they were anxious to organize a new
chase. More than eighty well-mounted
pursuers We're ready soon after break
fast. Some rode to cut off retreat to the
range, and others galloped down the
valley. An hour after they were out of
sight the main body made dash for the
horse, which had heen grazing for the
last half hour. He took to the valley a
before, and men dropped out at every
mile to push him as he returned.
! White Devil was pushed faster than
before, but he would neither break his
trot nor let hor.eman get within hun
dred feet of him. The Indians who had
gone on ahead were expecting him to
turn to the left, As before, but the wild
horse kept straight ahead a. he reached
the mouth of the valley. He ran out on
the prairie for twenty miles, firing out
every horse in pursuit, and then wheeled
and returned over his route of the pre-
vious day. Men were waiting for him,
but he scarcely appeared before he was
out of sight. He was pacing and trotting
by turns, and not until he reached the
anI Of tbot o,nht ! L
break into a run. When near the fort he
crossed the ridge, shook off the last pur-
Suer, and entered a dark canon in the
mountains. The Indians traced him
until the canon split into two or three
rocky detiles, and then they camped
down with the determination to wait till
hunger and thirst should drive the fugi-
tive out. Darkness came. midnight
came, and the watchers had heard moth
ing.
( With the soft tread of wolf, almost,
foe stole upon the Indians sleeping
under the walls of the fort. Step stepi
step. and white object stood within ten
feet of the first sleeper and peered this
way and that. 1t was White Devil.
The red men were still waiting in the
dark canon, but the horse had emerged
from the range by some detile known and
used before.
The sentinel at the gate heard a shrill
neigh, saw the smouldering brands of the
dying camp-tires flung high in the air,
and the next moment the Indians We're
yelling and screaming in alright Back
and forth charged the horse, striking,
kicking, and uttering wild neighs, and he
did not disappear until the roll of the
drum called the soldiers to arms.
The Indians had suffered such dam
ages that they We're determined to kill
the strange tormentor as soon as day.
light came, though his life and hereto
been held sacred. He WAS heard racing
up and down while night lasted, and
when morning broke he was in plain
sight. The Indian heart almost relented
at sight of the strong limbs, milk-white
coat, and silver eyes, but White Devil
dared them to them to the attack by
prancing up and down and fling his heels
about.
Separating into squads of ten, the red
men rode out on the prairie. White
Devil stood still, ears fiat to his head, lip
down, and one forefoot raised a little.
When three of the squads were within
pistol shot they halted, and thirty rifles
covered the brave lone horse. While
they were thus held he gathered his feet
like cat and dashed at the neareso
horseman. \ roar of rifles and volley
of bullets stopped him. Struck by a
score of balls, he halted, reared up shook
his beautiful head in agony OF pain, and
fell and died without groan. The In
dians gathered around, but they did not
eNult. As they >troked his glossy neck
and sleek sides they said to one another:
" He was brave. We will paint his
picture on our war shields, and the body
shall be buried from the wolves"