St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-05-03
Hunting Wild Horses.

The wild horse can run away from a
man ; but this protection fails at times
The horse catchers-or .'vanquerOs,n as
they are called-are famous riders, and
to see them capture a wild mustang is
better than to go to a circus. The van
querO puts a Spanish saddle on tame
horse, and starts out to see what he can
find. In front OH the high pommel of
the saddle he hangs in large coils a
leather rope about bundled feet long,
and called Il lassO. 1t is made of strips
of rawhide, braided by hand into a
smooth, hard and very pretty rope.
One end is secured to the saddle, and
the other end has slip-knot making a
sliding moose.
The vanquero has not long to wait,
for there are drOves of horses canteIing
or walking about over the swells and
hOllOws of the prairies, with here and
there smaller group looking on, OF
watching a battle between two horses
who wish to be captains of their bands
or companies. Presently, there is a
strange sound of tramping hOOfs, like
the sound of il squadron of cavalry, ex-
cept that it has a grand, wild rush and
swing such as no cavalry ever had, and
a cloud of dark heads rises over a swell
of the land. The leader sees the van
quero, and he halts suddenly, and the
others pull up in a confused crowd, and
toss their heads, and sniff the air, as if
they scented danger near. The leader
does not like the looks of things, and
slowly canters away, followed by all
the rest, tramping in confusion through
the yellow grass and wild barley. Pres
emily they become frightened, and away
they fly in dusty throng.
The vanquero's horse seems to think
his chance has come, and he pricks up
his ears and is eager for the glorious
fun of dash after the mustangs Away
they go pell-mell, in panic, and the
tame horse gallOping swiftly after them
Down they tumble-sOme knocked over
in the confusion, snorting and flinging
great f1ecks of foam from their dilated
nostrils, trampling over each other in
mad haste, each for himself, and the
American horse sweeping after them
Now the vanquero stands up in his sad
die, and the lassO swings around and
around in a circle over his head.
Swish! 1t sings through the air with
a whirring sound and opens out in
great rings, while the loop spreads
wider and wider, and at last drops
plump over the head of a mustang
The vanquerO's horse pulls up with a
sudden halt, and sinks back on his
launches, and braces his forefeet out in
front. All! How the dust flies The
mustang is fast, held by the slip-knot
and he rears up and plunges in wild
and frantic terror. The rope strains
terribly, but the vanquero watches his
chances, and takes in the rope every
time it slackens. 1t is of no use The
poor mustang is hard and fast. Per-
haps another rider comes up and filings
another lasso over his head. Then they
ride around him, and the mustang is
twisted and tangled in the ropes till he
can hardly move. He falls, and rolls
and kicks furiOusly, and all in vain
Painting, exhausted and conquered, he
at last submits to his fate. His free
days are over, and he seems to know it
A few more struggles, and he recogniz.
es that man is his master, and perhaps
in one or two days be submits to BIZ
in his mouth, and becomes a tame horse
for the rest of his lite. If, by any chance
he escapes before he is broken in, anC
runs away to join his wild companions