The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1888-03-08
WILD HORSES.
Immense Herds Of These Animals
n Former Yeara
Remarkable Dael Betuesu Two STALL
tOns-4hs U-Iy and Dangerous -l.0sus'
-Stampedss-A LUeiJ
CAPTURE.

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OF fourteen hundred pounds. l 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 70 be made. and there was
to be a military post located between
Pope's Wells and the Bonita river
The country between was q 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 a supply they selected the
ponies in preference, believing that
they were the soonest broken and
would stand the hardest riding
We were well into the plains before
we saw any horses. and the first herd
We saw came very near bringing about
a 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 Al that date,
but our party was strong one. sud the
surveyors never went out without pro-
lection. 4 truce mean, 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 10 eighty horses. These last
were s;aked out on the rich feeding
| frrcunI VIII IA. mona. - -.
that we felt trembling of the earth
and heard a great chatter. drove Of
wild horses numbering at least i've
hundred came charging around
| heavily wooded point directly at our
| camp. The stream IN front Of orr
camp was about two feet deep and ran
over bed Of gravel. ami lie 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 10 such pare
ID Il the leaders were among our ami
mails before a man Of us moved. Moth
ing VIII rattle a domestic horse Ike the
near presence of o.. wild brother. A
stampede ri bII4iI.s saapy terrific,
him. aud in his terri r. DEE will act like
loo. Tie Wi.I hoIsa excite him AMI /
makes him forget for tA n I-snt that |
be is mans Save. and be wiz 10 hi [
very bel .p throw ci 30 yoke II sery- 1
itude anf jJil III hl.
Il was well we were u together. /
Every man rushed ior i.. s1g-eA vel
ing and -ho.I.u- O. drive -r.lers
away, lut 'lhea th.v s,... -.-. u our
mules and a hou. went UijL them.
The horse VS. live year o.d stallion
worth At ia a.; live hundro dollars.
and his flight created instant dismav r.
the camp The mules would not be
allowed 10 ''ehum' with the herd any
how. and could be picked up after they
had tired their LEGS a little. but the
horse might never be seen again. A
score Of us mounted in hot haste and set
on 10 recapture him. The herd had
gone due west in which direction
rise Of ground hid them after a short
run As we reached this rise every
man Of us checked his horse. Below
Us was az almost circular valley about
half a mile across. and IN this valley
the herd had come to halt Il seemed
that the uros-nre ~ orr horse had
aroused .He ir- ~ fhs sorrrl leader Of
The herd. and that the question Of
bal come up 10 be set
lied at once The two stations we're
between us and the herd. and were al
ready skirmishiug. Every one Of the
horses had his head toward the pair.
and was an inter esting spectator. At
my other time our presence would
have put them 20 fight. but under the
.ircumstan, e. they gave Us no atten- I
ion
Now occurred p combat the Ike Of '
shich few men have ever witnessed. !
The horses we're pretty evenly matched
o. size. Our champion had sn adj
'antage in being 5hod, but 20 Offset =
his the sorrel was the quicker Their =
movements showed the broad disparity =
etween Wild and domestic life. Our !.
orse was agile and smart rs the y
srms 20, but the sorrel had the sup =
lsness Of panther. A. boxers feiut y
Or an opening. ~ thsss horses skir- y
lished for ~ advantages. They ap-
rUachei until their nose. almost met, ~
nj then reared mp with =hri.l neighs, II
truck 81 each other. anl came down
} Tneci and EicE. The iron shoes Of Al
1r horse hit nothing but air. but we th
card the double thud OF the sorrers q
ind feet as be sent them home. They 81
IN OF to wheel aud come together vi
gain snd repsst the same tactics, and !
gain our horse got the worst Of T. d
e was q headslrony high-strung %
,ast and his temper was now up. 50
hen he wheeled the third time he d.
.me back with a rush. screaming out mt
his angel The sorrsl turned end ca
7 end ike fash 10 use bis heels, but th
II champion lodged the kicks and ca
zsd him By the shoulder with his be-
eth. There was a terrific struggle an
.ore the hold was broken, Gad then sn
ey backed into each other and kicked
tn all fury for a few seconds Every sol
of bit something solid. but the iron she
oes Of our horse scored n point 10 his vol
7or When they sspu h-ed we could me
: that the sorTel hal basl badly used, ihl
lecialiy about the Ices. VII
When the horses wheeled for the car
81 lime, both were bent on mischief oae
they came together thsy Frared UP dur
e dos and struck NJ each other, and be
i've minutes they were scarcely % leal
liz Lind feet Some bard blows were the
aRd orr horse had the best aga
the round. Indeed. when the sorrsl Leaf
esled aud ran away be had his head tim
Fn and he seemed % acknowledgs lhs
eat He ran Of about twenty rods Esal
ore wheeling, and Sc he stood for 3 We
meHt Hooked At him through fsld- Pod
S which one Of the men handed me. A
ears lay fat his eyes looked blood cur
: and there was bloody foam on bis ente
. He had been severely handled, srs
was By no means defeated In Hgh
q. be had run away for the moment der