Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-03-22
WILD HORSES.
Immense Herds Of These Animals
in Former Years
"A Remarkable Duel Between Two STALL
ions-The Ugly and Dangerous Rogue
-StampedeS-A Lucky
Capture.

In 1851, when l first saw the Rio
Pecos river, which is the right-hand
branch of the Rio. Grande. the Pecos
plains were favorlte grazing ground
for vast herds of wild horses. For
years later there were plenty of wild
ponies on the Western plains, but in
the days of which I write there were
herds of good big horses. some of the
animals standing seventeen hands
high and weighing thirteen hundred
or fourteen hundred pounds. I went
into New Mexico with a Government
surveying party, which was of semi
military character. A survey of that
portion of the Rio Pecos lying in New
Mexico was to be made, and there was
to be a military post located between
Pope's Wells and the Bonita river.
The country between was plain one
hundred miles long by two hundred
broad. with many small streams and
rich feeding spots. The herds of
horses had been seldom disturbed by
white hunters. and whenever the Indi-
ans wanted supply they selected the
ponies in preference, believing that
they were the soonest broken and
would stand the ha rdest riding.
We were we'll into the plains before
we saw any horses, and the first herd
we saw came very near bringing about
calamity. We were encamped in a
bend of the Pecos. and the surveyors
and guards had just come in for din-
ner. There was truce between the
whites and the Indians at that date,
but our party was a strong one, and the
surveyors never went out without pro-
lection. A truce meant that the red
skins would not kill if the other party
was the stronger. We had two ambu-
lances. three or four wagons. and from
seventy to eighty horses. These last
were staked out on the rich feeding
ground. With no more warning than
that we felt trembling of the earth
and heard great clat:er, drove of
wild horses numbering at least five
hundred came charging around a
heavily wooded point directly at our
camp. The stream in front of our
camp was about two feet deep and ran
over bed of gravel. and the horses
were probably in the habit of coming
here to drink. The herd was led BY q
sorrel stallion of magnificent look and
limb, and was going at such pace
that the leaders were among our ami
mails before q man Of US moved. Moth
ing will rattle domestic horse like the
near presence of his wild brother. A
stampede of buffaloes Simply terrifies
him. and in his terror he will act like
"A fool. The wild horse excites him aud
makes him forget for the moment tina:
he is mans slave. and he will do his
very best to throw of the yoke of serv-
itude and join the herd.
1t was well we were all together.
Every man rushed for the horses. yell
ing and shouting to drive the intruders
away, but when they went two of our
mules and a horse went with them.
Tha horse was i've year old stallion.
worth at least five hundred dollars,
and his flight created instant dismay in
the camp The mules would not be
allowed to s'chum" with the herd any
how. and could be picked up after they
had tired their legs little. but the
horse might never be seen again. A
score of us mounted in hot haste and set
off to recapture him. The herd had
gone due west in which direction q
rise of ground hid them after short
run. As We reached this rise every
man of us checked his horse. Below
ms was an almost circular valley about
half n lie ACROSS and in this valley
,fhe herd had come to halt ltseemcd