The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-03-24
ATroon orWilf Horses.

/ had camped near the forks of the
/ Platte, and was aroused Just at daylight
i by footsteps around me. After listening
/ for moment felt sure that they were
the footsteps of horses. They seemed to
be circling around me-not at eanter,
not AT trot, but at a moderate walk.
/ 1t was well that had secured nv horse
in thorough manner. for ! never saw
/ him so excited. He tugged and pulled
at his lariat, stood up on his hind legs,
neighed and snorted, paved and pranc-
ed, and il was bis actions that gave me
a clue 10 the identity of my visitors.
They were wild horses,
Had they been Indian ponies nv
trained horse would have remained as
dumb and silent as a post. Indeed, In
dians would not have approached me in
| that manner.
| remained very nuiet, hoping the
! horses would remain in sight until day
light, which would give me a good view
of them. had to wait for full hour.
but when the light grew stronger the
| spectacle was one 10 make 4 man : blood
tingle. The circle had been enlarged
until it was half a mile across, and my
/ little camp was center. Every horse,
and there We're 1923 OF them. stood with
| his head TO this center and soldiers
could not have taken position on the
| skirmish line in a more precise order
pitied nv own animal. He stood
with the lariat drawn taut. and trembled
! in every limb. and he was as wet with
sweat as if had gallnped him twenty
miles. | realized how he must long 10
break away and join the wild royers. and
| forever end his drudgerv.
| dared not raise TO nv feet for fear of
alarming the drove, but, nevertheless. |
had a clear view of each horse. Most of
| them We're magnificent animals. Names
down on theii shoulders and tails on the
grass. They were of various colors, and
they ranged in age from the yearling
colt up TO the veterans of 20 years old
The bays prcdominated, but every color
was present.
We had bcen observing each other
about ten minutes, when n iet-black
stallion. who was the leader of the herd.
gave snort. threw up his heels into the
air. and broke oft ut gallop, followed
by the drove in single tila, They ran in
a true circle. and they made the circle
five times before stopping. Then, AT
another signal from the leader. the cir
long, or single line. company
front
Troop horses could not have done bet
ter. | thought at first that line meant
to charge me, but at ii signal Ii made a
left wheel and galloped straight off on
the plain tor mile. Then it broke, as
sumed the shape of a triangle, and re-
turned. when the leader was within p;s-
+ol hot ho x,-haalal a Il,
formed a square. with the four-year-olds
in the center. They galloped off for
mile, broke again, and returned in two
ranks.
l had an almost irresistible desire to
kill the leader with a bullet Indeed. ] |
reached for my rifle with that intent.
but then came the reflection that it would
be little short of murder. Such another
perfect horse | had never seen. His |
black coat shone like silk, his limbs and |
body We're perfection, and he had the |
speed and bottom Qf raee-horse, Not |
(. halt was made for full hour, and |
then it was only preparatory TO taking |
swift departure. The maneuver was q |
circle at slow trot, and each horse
whinnied in coaxing manner to my |
own steed. Poor Selimi He struggled !
in the most frantic manner to break |
loose. and when finding all his efforts of |
no avail he threw himself down on the |
grass and actually groaned his disap-
pointment.
l rose up and then waved my blanket
Instead of rushing off in alright. as |
expected. the leader of the band deliber-
ately approached me a few rods and
stood and snoyted and paved a ii send |
ing forth a challenge, Then set up
shouting, waved the blanket some more,
and he took his place at the head. form
ed the band at company front" and
they went off at gallop. and maintain
ed it as long rs ] could see the waving
Gnc.-Detroit Free Press.