Omaha daily bee., 1888-03-05
Wild HORSES IN The WEST.
A Fierce Combat Between Two
Equine Leaders.
ADVENTURES OF SURVEYORS.
Droves Of BiR Horses on the South.
western PlaiDs-Savagc Attack of
"Rogue''-Thundcr and Light
ming and q Stampede.

T. New York Sun: In 1901, when | first
saw the Rio Pocos river, which is the
right-handed branch OF the Rio Grande,
the Pecos plains were favorite graz
ing grounds for vast herds OF wild
horses. For years later there were
plenty OF wild ponies on the western
plains, but in the days III which write
there were herds OF good big horses,
some OF the animals standing seventeen
hands high and weighing 1900 or 400
pounds. went into New Mexico with
government surveying party, which
was ofsemi-military character. A survey
Of that portion Of the Pic Pecos lying
in New Mexico was TO be made, and
there was to be military post located
between Pope's Wells and the Bonita
river. The country between was plain
100 miles long by 200 broad, with many
small streams and rich feeding spots.
The herds of horses had been seldom
disturbed by white hunters, and when
ever the Indians wanted q supply they
selected the ponies in preference, be.
lieving that they were the soonest
broken and would stand the hardest rid
ing. ..,s
% We wore we'll into the plains before
we saw any horses, and the first herd we
saw came very near bringing about Il
calamity. -" We were encamped in q
bend of the Pecos, and the surveyors
and guards had just come in for dinner.
There was truce between the whites
and the Indians at that date, but our
party was a strong one and the SUR
veyors never went out without protec-
tion: A truce meant that the redskins
would not kill if the other party were
the stronger. We had two ambulances,
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
u great clatter, a drove of wild horses,
numbering at least five hundred came
charging around a heavily wooded poiut
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 We're probably In the habit
of coming here to drink. The herd was
led by sorrel stallion of magnificent
look and limb, and was going at such a
animals before a man of us moved.
Nothing will rattle q domestic horse
like the near presence of his wild
brother. A. stampede of buffalOes simply
terrifies MIN, and in his terror he
will act like fool. The wild horse en-
cites him and makes him forget for the
moment that heis mans slave, and he
will do his very best to throw off the
yoke of servitude and join the herd. 1t
was we'll we were altogether. Every
man rushed for the horses, yelling and
shouting to drive the intruders away,
but when they went two of our mules
and Il horse went with them. The horse
was five-year-Old stallion, worth Mt
dismay in the camp. The mules would
not be allowed to ':chum" with the herd
anyhow, and could be picked up after
they had tried their legs a 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 a rise
of ground hid them after. short run.
AS we reached this rise every man of us
checked his horse. Below us was an al
most circular valley about half mile
across. and in this valley the herd had
come to a halt. 1t seemed that the pres
the sorrei leader Of the herd, and that
the question of championship had come
up to be settled at snce. The two stall
lions were between us and the herd, and
were already skirmishing. Every one
OF the horses had his head toward the
pair, and was an interested spectator.
AT any other time our presence would
have put them to flight, but under the
circumstances they gave us no attention.
Now occurred a combat the like of
which few men have ever witnessed.
The horses were pretty evenly matched
for size. Our champion had an advan-
sorrel was the quicker. Their move-
ments showed the broad disparity be-
tween wild and domestic life. Our
horse was agile and smart, as the terms
60, but the sorrel had the suppleness of
panther. AS boxers feint for an OPEN
ing, SO these horses skirmished for an
advantage. They approached until
their noses almost met, and then reared
up with shrill neighs, struck ut each
other, and then came down to wheel
and kick. The iron shoes Of our horse
hit nothing but air, but we heard the
double thud of the sorrel's hind feet as
he sent them home. They ran off to
wheel and come together again and re-
horse got the worst Of it. He was a
headstrong, high-strung beast, and his
temper was now up. When he wheeled
the third time he came back with
rush, screaming out in his anger. The
sorrel turned end for end like flash to
use his heels, but our champion lodged
tho kicks and seized him by the shoul-
der with his teeth. There was terrific
struggle before the hold was broken,
and then they backed into each other
and kicked with all fury for few Sec
onds. Every hoOf hit something solid,
but the iron shoes OF our horse scored a
point in his favor. When they sep
arated we could see that the sorrel had
been badly used, especially about the
legs.
When the horses wheeled for the
third time, both were bent on mischief.
AS they came together they reared up
like dogs and struck at each other, and
for five minutes they were scarcely of
their hind feet. Some hard blows were
exchanged and our horse had the best OF
the round. Indeed when the sorrel
wheeled and ran away he had his head
down and he seemed TO acknowledge de-
feat. He ran of about twenty rods be-
forc wheeling, and as he stood for q
moment looked at him through field
glass which one OF the men handed me.