Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-12-15


PATAGONIAN nORSRs.
Commander Musters, once Of the..Roy-
al Navy, one of the family of famous
NottinRhamshire squires Of that name,
wrote his Travels in Patagonia" and
although he lived with the natives, and
apparently made matrimonial alliance
with she savage, he never describes
the horses that form 70 essential q part
of Patigonian life. Lady Florence
Dixie is the sister of the Marquis Of
Queensberry, well known in the boxing
and steeplechase world. She is only Is
years Of age; five years married TO q
Leicestershir0 barOnet; and without
phrase. as the French say, one OF the
hardest, if not the hardest huntress in
the pasture counties round leicester
shire.
Having apparently found civilization
dull, a party was made up to hunt guam
acos, (the wild llama) and ostriches in
Patagonia, consisting of Lady Florence,
her husband, her two brothers, tho Mar
quis of Queensberry and Lord James
DOuglas-whO cut. such An unpleasant
figure in dispute with a fisherman on
the Thames-and their friend, the au-
thor of "Wanderings in Patagonia"
the book that was the origin Of this ex-
petition.
The result is ACROSS Patagonia" in
which, looking at the ordinary dull or
fimsy character of Travels Of Ladies
of Quality" one is agreeably surprised
by Its brightness and simplicity. There
are only $50 pages, with a dozen illus
trations, and only incidentally is there
any description of the Patagonia horse.
The Indians, who have been repre-
sented as giants, were found by Alexan-
der Dixie, who stands six feet two
inches high" not to exceed six feet.
The first one seen on horseback, was
a very unprepOssessing object-an un-
favorable specimen; his buriy body en-
veloped in q greasy guanaco capa, his
feet bare, one of his heels armed with
a curious, iDgeniouslv made wooden
spur" 1t turned out that he was look
ing for some horses. HE Rallopped
away, and We admired the easy grace
with which he Sat on his we'll bred little
horse which seemed able to do him good
service, although considerably below
his weight"
Lady Florence evidently wore breeeh-
es and boots, and rode like q man, al
though she never says SO, or refers to
her dress at all, but she 50 AXIS of the
horse she "bestrides," Of putting
spurs" not spur, to her horse, and when
she finds the lost horses of the whole
party grazing quietly after hours of anx-
iety. she coaxes one until it allows her
to put a scarf round its neck and mounts
it bareback, without bride and Of
course astride, and drives the troop
back to camp. In one of the illustra-
tons faint sketch Of q young person
riding like boy must be meant for
Lady Florence, who leaps ON and of her
horssssas easily, apparently, az q whip
perrin, or her brother the little Mar
quis.
Looking up the valley, we saw q
dark mass moving slowly toward us.
Presently it came nearer, and 0reRoria
cried out excitedly: That's not In
dams. but herd of wild horses; il We
don't mind we shall lose our own" Our
animals were moving to and fro in .
state of great excitement. One Of the
wild horses detached itself from the
main troop, and Ralloped at full speed
toward our horses. "Quick! quick!
your rifles. or we shall loose our tropil-
la" said Gregoria. '"The Wild stallion
if not stopped will drive away our troop"
But the stallion few like the wind.
Bang went our three rifles, but he sped
OH unscathed, and Was within twenty
yards of our terrified animals, all hud-
died together in a corner Of the valley
far in front Of US. We are lost cried
the guides. filed with dismay st ths
thought Of being without horses 800
miles from our port.
AT this moment, Gregoria's big bay
stallion, the master Of the troop, rushed
out to meet the enemy, both halsinR
when they met. Then the two enemies,
after paving the air for second or two,
made = dash and engaged in fierce CON-
bat, chiefly with their teeth, but occa-
sionallv rearing and striving with their
| fore fee'. Our tame horses were fright
ened, not daring to stir, while the Wild
horses ,rotted close up to the scene Of
battle looking on apparently much in
| terested."
At the critical moment it was found
that the party had no ammunition.
1.-THE wild stallion was much the
larger Ut the two. The tame one was
beaten. The victor, with vicious bites
and kicks, began to drive the tame troop
of mares away"
Thus it is seen that wild animals are
much larger than the Indian ponies OF
Texas and Mexico.
I'VE strained every nerve to get BE-
tween the'two troops. Our efforts would
have been defeated had not our stallion
suddenly reappeared to fight for his
wives. The c0Inbat was fiercor than
the last. We got up to our horses, drove
them towards the camp; but before ws
could reach il the Wild stallion, having
proved victor, again came sWoopinQ
down, neiehing proudly. We shouted,
| waved our hands as he approached.
Within 10 yards he stopped, circled,
stamped. paved, Weighed anasily. We
shouted to Asia. He brought rs ammu-
milton. At the first shot the stallion
fed so rapidly that two or three bangs
We had at him missed him. He made
straight for his own troop. The mo-
ment he reached them they all started
of at a Rallop. They disappeared like
lightning over the brow Of q deep IA
vine. to emerge again in our view after
couple of seconds, scampering like
goats up.its opposite aide, which rose
almost perPendicularly six or seven
hundred feet. In . twinklinQ they
reached its crest at Q full eallop and
dlsaDfsaarAd leaving m maPvoli0o AZ