Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-03-25
HUNTING WILD HORSES.

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HUNTING WILD HORSES.
The wild horse can run away from
man but this protection fails at times.
The horse-catchers- "vaqueros, as
they are called-are famous riders, and
to see them capture wild mustang is
better than to 60 to circus. The va
quero puts a Spanish saddle on tame
horse, and starts out to see what he can
find. In front, on the high pommel of
the saddle, he hangs in large coils
leather rope, about hundred feet long,
and called a lasso. 1t is made of strips
Of raw hide, braided by hand into
smooth, hard and very pretty rope. One
end is secured to the saddle, and the
other end has slip-knot making slid
ing moose
The vaquero has not long to wait. for
there are droves of horses cantering or
walking about over the swells and hol-
lows of the prairie, with here and there
a smaller group looking on, or watching
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 a
squadron of cavalry, except that it has
a grand, wild rush and swing such as
no cavalry ever had, and cloud of dark
heads rises over swell of the land. The
leader sees the vaquero, and he halts
suddenly, and the others pull up in a
cnnfnsnd crowd and fnsa 4hn;r hoods
and sniff the air, as if they scented dan
ger near. The leader does not like the
looks of things, and turns and slowly
canters away, followed by all the rest,
tramping in confusion through the yell
low grass and wild barley. Presently,
they become frightened, and away they
ny III dusty tnrong.
The vaquero'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 60 pell-mell, in panic, and the
tame horse galloping swiftly after them.
Down they tumble-some knocked over
in the confusion, snorting and finging
great fecks 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 vaquero stands up in his sad
die, and the lasso swings round and
round in 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 heac
of mustang. The vaqueros horse
pulls up with sudden halt, and sinks
back on his launches, and braces hi
fore feet out in 'front.' All how tn,
dust flies! The mustang is fast, helt
by the slip-knot, and he rears up anc
plunges in wild and frantic terror. Th
rope strains terribly, but the vaquer
watches his chances, and takes in th
rope every time it slaekens. 1t is of n
usel The poor mustang is hard ant
fast. Perhaps another rider comes u
and filings another lasso over his head
Then they ride round him, and the mus
tang is twisted and tangled in the rope
till he can hardly move. He falls, an,
rolls, and kicks furiously, and all i
vain. Painting, exhausted and conquel
!. ed, he at last submits to his fate. Hi
free days are over, and he seems to kno'
), it. A few more struggles. and he rec
ognizes that man is bis master, and, pei
haps, in one or two days he submits
bit in his mouth, and becomes a tam
horse for the rest of his life. If, by an
chance, he escapes before he is broke
in, and runs away to join his wild con
panions, he seems never to forget tn;
terrible lasso, and if he sees the vaquel
again, he will stand. trembling al
frightened, too much terrified to eve
u run away.-St. Nicholas for April.
u 1t cast a plnnm over an entire chnrs