The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-03-14
CATCHING A WILD HORSE.
A Lively Experience in Northern
Wyoming.
Tho Phantom Horse of the Prairies-Pur-
suit of Wild Racer That Was
Many Times Taken, Only
to Escape.


When was stationed up in the Wind
River Valley, Wyoming Territory, l had
a most exciting experience with wild
horse. had often heard of this horse,
and there was good deal of romance
attached to his history, much of which.
l suppose, was pure fiction. Such a
horse, however, did exist, and he was
often seen on the plains, in the canons,
and gazing down at the passers-by from
the mountain tops. At midnight often
a horse was seen flying by the lonely
camps on the prairie, and the Indians
declared they had been startled out of
their sleep by the shrill neigh or the
gathering hoofs of the phantom horse"
as they called him. The Cheyenne In
dams had stolen him in Kansas, where
he had been a noted race-horse, and
the Sioux had in turn stolen him from
the Cheyennes, who sold him to the
Utes, and in great battle near the
Uintah Mountains the Snake Indians
had captured him from the Utes. He
escaped from the Snakes. and for long
time remained wild on the prairies, but
finally a Mr.. Gallagher and party of
hunters had succeeded in capturing him
and took him to the Salt Lake settle
ments, but he had escaped took to the
mountains and finally drifted back to
his old pastures on the Wind River.
All efforts to recapture him were in
vain, and when arrived on the Wind
River he had been at large some four
years. knew Mr.. Gallagher well and
wrote him about the horse. He re-
piled there was such a horse, and for
time he had been in his possession.
Mr.. Gallagher's letter revived all inter-
est in the mysterious horse, and de-
termined, if possible, to capture him at
the earliest opportunity. The Snake
Indians, who inhabited that region, did
not like to talk about him and believed
he was possessed of an evil spirit. They
freely admitted often seeing him but
would not help to catch him or have
anything to do with him.
Thus ran the legend of the wild horse
or the phantom steed of the Wind River
Mountains, as he was frequently called.
| gave strict instructions to all hunt
ing parties, scouts and trappers to look
out for the wild horse, and If they saw
him to let me know. Once word came
that he was at Buffalo Bull Lake, sixty
miles away, and sent party of ARA
phOe Indians and scouts to capture him.
After days of watching they finally
1assooed him and brought him to their
camp. For days they beat, choked and
starved him, but his brave spirit seemed
uncomfortable. His legs were tied
with ropes, and the Indians resorted to
all their known skill in horsemanship to
break and conquer him. At last one
ambitious Indian youth announced he
could ride him, and the ropes were taken
of. The Indian mounted the wild horse
and both disappeared into the hills. In
the evening the Indian returned to the
camp foot sore and bruised and an
nounced that the horse had thrown him
ard escaped into the mountains. That
was the last seen of him for nearly three
months, when trapper on Big Wind
River said he saw horse with an Indian
saddle on and rope tied to his under
jaw grazing on the river bottom, and he
attempted to approach him, but he fed
into the hills like the wind. The ARA
phOes no sooner heard of this than they
set out for the Big Wind River, deter
mined to capture and bring him in. l
will here say that the Arraphoes did not
share the superstition of their neighbors,
the Snakes, in believing the horse had
supernatural powers, or was possessed
of bad spirit They simply regarded
him as horse, and were anxious to
have the honor of being his captors.
In a few days heard the Arrapahoe
Chief had succeeded in finding where
the horse watered, and skillfully spread
ing his lariat on some bushes had sue
ceeded in catching him. He was tied
to a tree, and | sent a wagon and some
soldiers to help bring him in. Chained
to the wagon he was started for camp,
but had only gone five miles when he
broke the chain in twain, and once
more fled to the hills, defying all pur-
suit.
The wild horse was not again heard
Of for nearly three months, when one
morning just after breakfast in midsum-
mer, sentinel on post reported horse
on bluff overlooking the camp, and on
closer inspection with glasses we saw
it was the veritable wild horse with the
chain still about his neck. He seemed
greatly excited. kept galloping up and
down the bluff with head and tail erect,
steadily looking at our horse and mule
herd, which was quietly grazing in the
valley. / gave orders to the soldiers
not to disturb the morse or apparently
notice him, but sent word to the herd
err to move the herd gently toward the
blum, keeping well in the background
themselves. The horse presently de-
scended the bluffs and approached the
kerd, but suddenly taking alarm crossed
the valley and went up the opposite
hills. As if charmed by the presence Of
his own kind, he recrossed the valley
and assumed his old position on the
bluf1b. Being assured ne came down,
and, for minute, Joined the mule herd.
Then running round and round he
worked toward the horses and mares.
A long IS he would run ! let him 60,
hut see3ng be was settling down to cap
hrs our mares started him out on the