St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-01-21
MARY H. KROUT.
THE MOUNTED POLICE.

THE MOUNTED POLICE.
Bold Troopers Who Keep Order in the
Northwest Territory of Canada.
The organization employed in the
Northwest Territory of the Dominion
to keep order. suppress the sale of
sprituous liquors, hunt down horse
thieves, and enforce among the In
dians respect for the law, is the
mounted police They are about
twelve hundred strong, but seldom,
except during hostilities with the In
dians OF half breeds, are found to-
gether in large bodies, being scattered
all the way from Manitoba to the
Pacific. Although civil constabulary,
they are military in organization. A
fne-looking set, too, they are, we'll
drilled, we'll ''set up" and uniformed
in red coats and light blue riding
breeches with orange trimmings. Hav-
ing better pay than the men of the
army, their recruits are picked from
many applicants, some being veterans
of India, Egypt or South Africa. Many
of the officers have been promoted
from the ranks on competitive exam
ination and good records.
The mounted police are armed with
Winchester carbines and Enfield
revolvers, but the privates do not
carry sabers. Even when off duty
they are still booted and spurred, with
belt and revolver Like the British
soldier, the mounted policeman uses
pe-clay and blacl1ing in profusien to
keep his equipments in trim. and from
his cap, perched at as great an angle
on the right side as his right ear will
permit, down to his polished boots
with their invariable silyered spurs,
with which it is tabled that he sleeps,
he presents 4 correct military appear.
ance. The mounted police are II fine
body of cavalry, riding Montana
bronchos, but not carrying cavalry
pack, rs they usually move with a
wagon for each small detachment
carrying what they need. There is
little desertion among them, though
now and then the loneliness of winter
quarters leads to it. They have learned
the need of brevity and firmness in
their dealings with Indian ma
RAIDERS. An officer follows stolen
horses to an Indian camp, and
leaving his escort behind, goes to the
chief lodge, sits down. lights his
pipe and says: You have stolen
horses in this camp. l must have
them brought to me. When the sun is
so high (pointing up). L leave
Then he puffs his pipe and is silent.
The horses are generally brought.
There is plenty of scope for skill and
nerve in the duties imposed on the
m ounted police.
The sports and games of the cavalry
service comprise wrestling on bare
back hopses, waiting, leaping and
feats of manege riding, including the
horseback version of the Lancers.
Men are not detailed for this service;
it is strictly amusement, and is par
ticipated in by officers, non-commis-
stoned officers and privates with truly
democratic equality. Good horseman-
ship is the only passport required. and
firm and easy must be the
seat of any who aspires to
join the ride. For the "Lancers'
sixteen troopers take part, and
for the occasion we are describing they
had imported some bamboo lances,
and with their Mexican saddles and
fiery bronchos they present very
strange spectacle to eyes accus toned
TO the usual cavalry set-up. The
brass band strikes up a lively air. the
audience gather round-Indians,
travellers, policemen, all the popula-
ton of the frontier post-and then the
ride begins. First at q walk, then at
a trot, finally at gallop, they cross
and recross, grand chain, all the fig
ures of the well-known dance as far
as can be adapted for quadruped per-
formers. The grand last act is
charge. with lances ''leveled in long,
long row." delivered with vim that
made our special artist, who from the
vantage-ground of soap box was
sketching the scene, feel his point of
observation decidedly insecure. These
rides can only be held in the larger
garrisons, as at the smaller scattered
posts the requisite number of men can
rarely be mustered. -Harpers Weekly.
----e-S- s------