The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-10-15

| be hard TO ma man VINO mao INC
nerve to throw a rope on an animal OF
his size and going at his speed; one
might as well think of roping streak
of lightning.
In the spring of 1875 the writer was
rusticating at Captain Gilmer's ranch,
on the Guadalupe. in Kerr County. A
party of cow hunters camped at the
ranch ono night, and reported having
seen the bay stallion "Whirlwind. a.
he had be dubbed, about week be-
fore. near the head Of the Llano river.
wv hirlwind" formed the topic of con-
versation around the ranch next day,
and before night six of us had made up
our minds to GO out in search of the
famous horse, and. if found, to mako
an effort at his capture. We started
next day. The party was comprised
of Captain Gilmer and his son Dan.
Archie johnson, Bill Weldon. Rufe
Ridley and the writer. with two col
ored men in a wagon loaded with pro-
visions and corn FOR the horses we
rode. Each member OF the party had
two good horses. and among the num-
Der were two thoroughbreds. owned
| by Captain Gilmer, that had won fame
on the turf. and the Captain vowed
that no horse ever lived that could
pace faster than either Of these two
horses could run. We had wide
range of country to hunt over. and
went prepared to stay six weeks or
two months If necessary. There were
few ranches in that country then. but
parties of cow hunters were out there
every spring and fall rounding up their
cattle which ranged in those wilds.
After being out about two weeks We
established camp near the head OF the
Nueces river. where we left the wagon
and the two negroes. and. dividing into
parties OF two, started out In different
directions to try and locate "Whirl-
wind" agreeing to meet at camp every
three days. and IL either party had found
the horse we were looking for the
whole party would return together.
Captain Gilmer and the writer were
companions, and the second day out
after seeing several small punches Of
mustangs, shortly after noon we saw
mile or more off bunch of thirteen
mares and some colts with stallion
SO much larger than the rest we were
satisfied we had found the object OF
our search. We dismounted. and. get
ting the wind of the mustangs. crawlsd
up as if we were stalking deer until
We we're near enough, by the aid of a
field glass. to be certain that we had
found "Whlrlwind We then went
back to our horses, and it was decided
that Captain Gilmer should keep in
sight of the horse, unless somebody
else came along and frightened him,
while the writer should return to
camp and bring up the party, when
we could easily take the trail of the
horse ridden by Captain Gilmer (Which
was an easy matter, as all our horses
were shod) and join him. We were
about fifty miles from camp, but by
riding nearly all night, and being for
tunate enough TO find the rest of the
party in camp, / was enabled to get
the rest of the boys back to where the
Captain had been left by dusk the
next evening. The Captain was no
where in sight, so We camped for the
night. and the next morning, as soon
as it was light, began our search for
the Captains trail 1t was soon
found, and il soon became evident to
US that the mustangs had not been
alarmed, but were grazing, except
when they went to a neighbOring
stream to water. About noon We
found the Captain. He said the mus
tangs had not been out of his sight
except at night, and they had not
moved far either night. They were
then grazing about a mile to the south,
in a little valley. We were at the
head of the valley. and it was nearly
surrounded by low, rocky hills, dense
" covered with underbrush. A coun-
Gil of war was held and various plans
discussed. Several of the party knew
the locality, and said there were only
four or five narrow trails leading out
from the lower end of the valley. It
was decided to set snares in all these
trails If it could be done without scar
ing the horses. Accordingly one man
was left TO watch them, while the rest
cautiously proceeded on foot TO get
around the mustangs and reach the
trails or paths leading up the hill
from the bottom of the valley. This
was successfully accomplished, and.
with eight stout ropes provided for
the purpose. We stretched as many
nooses at the proper height in the
trails. by bending down a sapling on
the side OF the path and hanging the
loop of the rope on in such a manner
that horse could not pass without rum