Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-06-02

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days of which write there were herds
of good, big horses, some of them stand
ing seventeen hands high and weighing
1900 or l, 400 pounds. I went into New
Mexico with a Government surveying
party, which was of semi-military char
acter. A survey of that portion of the
Rio 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 feed
ing spots. The herds of horses had been
seldom disturbed by white hunters, and
whenever the Indians wanted supply
they selected the ponies in preference,
believing that they were the soonest
broken and would stand the hardest rid
ing:
We were well into the plains before we
saw any horses, and the first herd we saw
came very near bringing about q calami-
ty. We were encamped in bend of the
Pecos, and the surveyors and guards
had just come in for dinner. There was
q truce between the whites and the
Indians of that date, but our party was
q strong one, and the surveyors never
went out without protection, A truce
meant that the redskins would not kill
If the other party was 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 great clatter,
drove of wild horses numbering at
least five hundred came charging
around heavily wooded point directly
at our camp. The stream in front of
our camp was about was 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 animals
before a man of lis moved. Nothing
will rattle domestic horse like the near
presence of his wild brother. A stampede
of buffalos simply terrifies him, and in
his terror he will act like fool. The
wild horse excites and makes him forget
for the moment that he is mans slave,
and he will do his very best to throw off
the yoke of servitude and join the herd.
It was well we were all together. Every
man rushed for the horses, yelling and
shouting to drive the intruders away,
but when they went two of our mules
and horse went with them. The horse
was a fve-year-old stallion, worth at
least $500, and his fight created in
slant dismay in the camp. The mules
would not be allowed to 'tchum" with
the herd anyhow, and could be picked
up after they had tried their legs
little, but the horse might never
be seen again. A score of us mounted
in hot haste and set off torecapture him.
The herd had gone due west, in which
direction rise of ground hid them after
. short run. As we reached this rise
every man of us checked his horse. Be-
low us was an almost circular valley
about half q mile across, and in this val
ley the herd had come to halt It
seemed that the presence of our horse
had aroused the ire of the sorrel leader
Of the herd, and that the question of
championship had come up to be settled
ct once. The two stations were between
us and the herd, and were already skir-
mishing. Every one of the horses had
his head toward the pair, and was an in
terested spectator. At any other time
our presence would have put them to
fight, 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-
tage in be ag shod, but to offset this
the sorrel was quicker. Their move
ments showed the broad disparity be-
tween wild and domestic life. Our
horse was agile and smart, as the terms
10. but the sorrel had the suppleness
of . panther. As boxers feint for an
ouening, so these horses skirmished for
IN advantage. They approached until
their noses almost met, and then reared
uD with shrill neighs, struck at each
cher. and came down to wheel and
~. The iron shoes of our horse hit
nothine but air, but We heard the
double thud of the sorrels hind feet -
- eent them home. They nan of 10