Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-04-24
NO. IL.
. Hunting Wild Horses.

The wild horse can run away from a
man; but this protection fails at times.
The horse-eatchers or ''vaqueros" as
they are called-are famous riders, and
to see them capture wild mustang is
better than to go to a circus. The va
querO puts Spanish saddle on a tame
horse, and starts out 10 see what he can
find. In front, on the high pommel of
the saddle, he hangs in large coils a
leather rope, about hundred feet long,
and called a lasso. 1t is made of strips
of raw hide, braided by hand into a
smooth, hard and very pretty rope.
One end is secured 10 the saddle, and
the other end has slip-knot making a
sliding moose.
The yaquerO has not long to wait,
for there are drOves Ofhorses canteriug
or walking about over the swells and
hollows 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, ex-
cept that it has a grand, wild rush and
swing such as no cavalry ever had, and
cloud of dark heads rises over a swell
of the land. The leader sees the Va
quero and he halts suddenly. and the
others pull up in 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
turns and canters slowly away, follow
ed by all the rest, tramping in cOnfu-
sion through the yellow grass and wild
barley. Presently they become fright
ened, and away they fly in a dusty
throng.
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 go pell-mell, in a panic, and the
tame horse galloping swiftly after them.
Down they tumble-seme knocked over
in the confusion, snOrting and finging
great flecks 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 lasse swings round and
round in a circle over his head. Swish,
1t sings through the air with a whir-
ring 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 vaquero'S
horse pulls up with a sudden halt, and
sinks back on his launches, and braces
his fore feet out in front. All, How
the dust flies! The mustang is fast,
held by the slIp-knot, and he rears up
and plunges in frantic terror. The
rope strains terribly, but the vaquerO
watches his chances, and takes in the
rope every time it slackens. 1t is of no
use. The poor mustang is hard and
fast. Perhaps another rider comes up
and filings another lasSo over his head.
then they ride round him, and the mus
tang 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 conquer
ed, he at last submits to his fate. His
free days are over, and he seems to
know it. A few more struggles, and
he recognizes that man is his master,
and perhaps, in one or two days he sub
mits to bit in his mouth, and becomes
a tame horse for the rest of his life. If,
by any chance, he escapes before he j.
broken in, and runs away to join his
wild companions, he seems never to
forget that terrible laSsO, and if he sees
the vaquerO again, he will stand tremb-
ling and frightened, too much terrified
to even run away.