The Colfax chronicle., 1889-01-05
Now follows the most skillfu, :

9 Now follows the most skillful m
: neuvering. The terrorized band ca
not run much farther. They ha,
. almost exhausted even their well-nip
ureless vitality. They again becan
, confused and resort to their La
device. Their straight away tactic
are deserted and they commence rur
ming in circle. At first it is tw
miles in diameter. The pursuer make
his circle in little less space. rh
diameter reduces to mile. The ma
on horseback runs but the circumfe,
ence OF a circle, a distance inside
Gradually this grows less. The poor
painting, exhausted creatures stagge
around. determined to die in wha
they think is their only means of es
cape. They have entirely lost thei
reason, il such it might be called. Mar
rover and narrower becomes thei
course, until at last, with the sui
sinking low in the west, they stand
painting, weaving back and forth, con
quered for the time. They may have
run one hundred miles. Mr.. Bel
states that he has had chases to great,
exceed that distance.
| The three men close in on them and
skillfully drive them towards the cor.
raj. Among them and in their lead
now has come a strange saddleless
horse; but they are too bewildered to
know 1t. This horse slowly marks the
course guided by the men driving, and
at last leads within the half-concealed
seclusion the thirteen prisoners.
Once there the wild horses are wild
no longer. They are captives sure and
safe. They may rest, and Craze, and
drink, but escape they can not.
A day or two afterward the preIim-
mary breaking to halter is done. This
is both dangerous and exciting work.
The wild animal is caught by rope
and thrown. While down, choked into
half insensibility, the jacquima is ad-
justed. This is a moose loop, and when
frightened hurts the sensitive mouth of
the unbroken animal terribly. Next
comes the saddle, ofttimes recurring
an hours patient work to adjust. But
when once in place and the rider on
the back that has never borne a bur-
den, the final struggle is made until
the man conquers and the free, fear
less, swift-limbed Pegasus of the plains
is a servant.
Last year Bell caught forty horses.
de drove them to Nebraska and sold
them for about sixty dollars each. This
year he has caught but half the num-
Der, and regretfully says that tho. day
,f the wild horse is over One source
of revenue, which has been no small
during the last five years
20 the horse-catchers, was the bounty
'ald for stray animals found in the |
'ands- The Colorado Live Stock Asso- |
iation has paid fifteen dollars head |
or all such horses and they are then
urned over to the owners upon the re-
'ayment of this money. The Offering
u this reward became a necessity. be-
ause If there is one trick wild horse
.nows better than another and will
lways, play it is to coax off with him
nto a career of perpetual truancy
very animal of his class he chances to
nd. The wild horse of Colorado par
cularly has always been a superior
nlmal in point of appearance. fleet
ess, and endurance to those running
Texas or on the ranges farther north.
Thy this is SO is not unexplainable,
ut it is fact that in the bands along
le Platte and Republican rivers the
1imals have always been found lar
sr and better, more particularly for
'ddle use. There are in Denver now
number of attractive saddle horses.
ghly priced by their owners, that |
1t three or four years ago roamed at
cir own sweet will among the succu- /,
Mt pasturage of Eastern Colorado i
ID knew neither bit nor spur. Chi ,
go Times.