Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-09-02
inc;den4 occurred to disturb the travel.

incident occurred to disturb the travel.
ers, or even to suggest an attack.
Next morning rose the sun upon
those sweeping meadows. and touched
the teecy clouds with his glory as
they foated in the still air like hymns
of incense from the waking earth.
The stream whirled along its narrow
banks, and fingered among the rushy
shadows, Wild ducks checked their
skimming flight and settled on its
bosom, disturbing the grotesque Bit
tern in its silent moods. Away off to
the west coyote lingered-nocturnal
traveller, leaving the coming day far
behind, to hide his body in the deep
cleft of some lone canyon. The men
were just drawing the pickets of the
horses, to harness them and take the
road, when all at once, whooping
scream rang from the gulch near by,
and showed a throng of Indians, with
the White Head before them, racing
madly toward the train. That one
moment, Just before harnessing, had
been closely watched, for the men, moi
having had night attack, were of
their guard at the fatal instant. and
the Cheyennes, screaming like de-
mons, were in their midst, with an
arrow-fight preceding them. Stung
by the missiles, and maddened by the
shouts, horses and mules broke away,
and with trailing ropes dashed over
the prairie in headlong gallop. A
few men pursued them. These were
they, who, having been saddled and
ready before the first rush, had control
of their animals, and now swept of
after the stampede, in hopes of being
able to check it.
The Indians were about three hun.
dred yards ahead, straining every
nerve to distance their pursuers, the
stampeded stock in advance, racing,
they knew not whittier, and at their
heels the White Head, more like devil
than horse, kicking the well-known
rafting hide behind him, which re-
sounded like the war-drum of some
savage tribe. Dashing from right to
left, as the terrified animals swerved
from the track he would whirl on his
launches, rush with terrific springs at
some animal separated from the rest,
and drive it back to the herd. The
pursuing hunters had gained since the
start, and could see each movement OF
the wild animal. He had the entire
drove under control, and was driving
them with unerring instinct to a par
ticular part of the broken plain, from
whence he expected help from his red
masters. Such was the plan, no
doubt, and the relay of savages had
been already at their post; but the APP
proach of scouting party of whites
forced them to abandon it.
So it happened that the white men
occupied the Indians ground and were
waiting there. The leading Indian
raised a loud yell, and, abandoning the
drove, turned and fled in the direction
of his retreating brethren. Not so the
horse. True to his trust, he tried to
turn the drove upon the new trail.
Racing like an arrow close to theil
TANKS, striking and biting as he came,
he wheeled, and then drove them for
ward like frightened sheep, with his
screaming neigh ringing in their ears.
Lashing out like fury at the trailing
rawhide, he reared and plunged among
them, till the whole herd, with one &C.
| cord, turned and fled in the new diret.
ton after the retreating Indians, while
both parties of whites joined in the
pursuit, though the White Head, even
with this awful odds, seemed more than
J match for them all.
But one way remained to check theil
: flight; that was to disable the fienG
! which drove them. But howp Clearly
not with lasso all shrunk from
using that. The rifle was left. The
hunter Bill spurred ahead to cut off the
: drove where they had to turn along side
a rock wall that rose from the plain
3 The wild horse seemed to feel the dan
ger, for he redoubled his efforts, anc
flew from point to point like lightning
, But the hunter gained the desired
| place, where the White Head would
: have to pass him, and, dismounting
t waited with cooked rifle the moment t.
: fire.
5 On came the herd, with the wilt
r horse close behind them. He seemed
r to take in the danger at glance; for
as if disdaining to be tamely shot at
or trying to escape, he turned to fight
, lowering the white head, and extend
l ing his 1.-THE body in a headlong gal
7 lop; with a wild scream he rushed
} straight at the hunter. The man hat
l intended creasing only, but the fearful
. danger left no alternative but to xii
9 him. His rifle must not fail him now
| or he is lost, Slowly it rose, steadieC
a moment, and with flash the bulle
l sang true to its aim. Straight on HI
rushed, and then, as the hunter fel
t the very ground tremble under him
; reared upward, paved the air, ant
shaking his beautiful head, sent hi
l death-neigh ringing among the rock
!; of the canyon.
s He did not writhe upon the groun'
! in agony-no! he died in the air befor
he fell, free and courageous to the las,
|, The stock were easily retaken then; bu
$ those hunters, as they looked at tina
!, grand creation, a moment before S
T full of life and grace, could not repres
d a sigh that the life had passed ava
from White Head, the wild horse of tn
h plains. -EdWard KemeyS, IN Outing.
Il ~
kAchnIAN NrLEC