The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-06
Chasing Wild Horses.

In 1877 many NlGXlCanS, whose families
resided at Corpus Christi, Gollad, and San
Antonio, and also at the towns along the
lower Rio Grandc, from Laredo down. on
one side, the Eastern side of tho river, sup
ported themselves chiefly by "running"
that is, catching wild cattle and by mus
tanging or hunting wild horses then seemed
80 abundant as to be inexhaustible. The
horned cattle were never found in droves,
but the horses almost universally ran to-
gethcr in large herds. In the course of a
few years, say 1857, very few herds of
mustangs were to be met, and almost no
wild cattle, so persistently and extensively
had they been hunted down and caught or
killed. The grown cattle were hunted for
their hides, which were then sold at half
dollar apiece by Mexicans--or the young
cattle were caught to bo gentled and sold at
dollar head Mcxicans from the towns
before named and from the settlements
formed themselves into regularly organized
companies, with captain at thoir hoad,
who directed all their movements, as con-
cert of plan and action insured success
Tho company of horse hunters were called
"mustangers," and numbered as many rs
from one to two hundred mon. Each man
had one or more gentle running horses, &C.
nerally kept in the best condition he could
afford, as upon his horsc's fectness and
staying qualities depended much of his sue
cess in running mustangs. After having
agreed upon rendezvous tho mustangcrs
provided themselves with few neccssaries
such as some coffee, if they could afford it
(the greatest of luxuries in the field); duice
(small cones Of hard brown Mexican
sugar.; bag Of 1oinole (parched corn,
ground on mctate, or Mexican mortar,
with apestle-the netate is a curved or
inclined plane); little shcllcd corn or
wheaton flour for tortillds (or griddle
cakes), the substitute, in most parts of Nc
xico, for bread; some lariats or ropes made
Of rawhide, carefully twisted and creased,
80 as to DO very pliable and strong enough
to hold any animal when thrown as lasso
some tin cups, butcher knifcs, blankets
(Mexican, hand made, of brilliant colors,
good to shed rain but not for warmth), and
arms and ammunition, for in those days
Indians were very numerous as well as
dangerous, and had not been beaten back
hundreds Of miles. They were particular
fond Of paying delicate attention to mus-
tangers, and had an amiablc disposition to
relieve them of their animals and scalps
1t was great matter with the mustangers
to 60 in strong parties and to be we'll and
bravely led. The greatest mustanger in tho
whole country was Laredo Mexican,
named Rogue, who had been many years
(atucaativo) captive among the Co.
manche Indians, Hc was not only dcx-
terous horseman, roper, md shot, using al
most invariably bow and arrows while
his companions used firearms, but also a
remarkably brave and ablo leader, full of
daring tempered by judgment. Rogue
has, at my request to show ME what exc
cution he could do with his bow, shot
through one side of flour barrel and near
ly through the other sidol He could shoot
with wonderful precision and rapidity, see
mingly taking no aim, but nevertheless
striking the mark with great accuracy, tho
hand, as it were, acting in instaneous voli-
ton with the eye. Roquc's brother, Ro-
mano, was also famous 2oa1oitan among
the mustangers, but he was by no means
the equal of Rogue, though he came next
to him as leader of men. The acuteness
and skill of these men in "strikinga trail, "
or "following trail," was marvellous. It
appeared to be almost animal instinct
Others claiming skill as woodsmcn and
hunters could find a scarcely perceptible
trail and follow all kinds of difficult ground
and conccalments resorted to by willy In
dians, during the daytime, but Rogue and
Romano could strike trail and follow it
by deceptive moonlight or starlight. Some
times the mustangcr made strong opens"
or enclosures Of mesquite or other durable
timber, cut into posts and set on end,
fastened upright into tho ground solidly
somo two and q half feet, and rising some
slx to eight feet above the surface Of the
earth, each post standing as near as possible
next another, and sometimes held most
firmly in place bylong poles lashed hori.
zontally IN continuous line, and fastened
to the upright posts by rawhide binding all
about tho pen, about two-thirds Of the
heights Of tho posts above the ground. The
pen or enclosure had the form of horse.
shoe. but little more oval. From each
side, at right angles, projected a line Of
posts, similar In height, and fastened to the
/ pen. Each Of these wings or walls, ex.
tending sometimes as far az half mile,
waa intended to stop the mustangs or wild