The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-11-18
CAPTURING a WILD HORSE.
Something In the nature OF mn old.rimp
Circus.


animal, and his capture is not only
difficult but dangerous. Dick Ingram,
now Oklahoma, recently met CORE
spondent OF tho 81. Louis Gi1bc-Blmordt
and related the following experience:
Twas along in the seventies" said he
to n little party, including tho writer,
when We had come up from the feed
Ing grounds with abig herd OF cattle.
We had sold 'cm mighty well, and tho
boss gave us drivers and extra wcel; to
rest up before going back to the ranch.
We, OF course, had fine time, and were
Il great while il getting rid OF the little
pile oil money We got when We wcro paid
oil. In fact, | was pretty nigh busted
myself, and was cursing my luck with
the pastcboards wien 4 chance came 70
get even.
"a man came into town ono night
with terrible story OF seeing the ghost
OF u horse carcoring over the prairie.
lie said it flow by him like III engine,
and the poor fellow was about scared to
death. IN day or two ii was seen
again. This time it was by daylight;
and tho rich cattlcmaI who saw it said
1t was the hnnlsomcst piece OF horse
flesh he had ever laid eyes on, and he
was from Kentucky, too. lIo offered
$1,000 to the chap who'd capture the
horse alive and sound, and my chum
Nat and started out in the morning to
see il VIC couldn't win the prize.
1--WE followed the river about eight
miles to where the Solomon river makes
Il junction with it, and then We went up
on 4 bluif 10 take bearings. Finally we
separated and went up little canyon
along the Solomon. followed it about
eighty rods, when came to narrow
pass and saw beyond that 4 pretty i'll
closure, nearly circular and covered
with grass. And in there was 4 white
horse. Ec was 4 beauty, as white rs
milk. and with name that was down to
his knees, while his tail swept the
ground. He had beautiful action, too.
and being all alone was prancing and
paving the ground as ii in play. How
he could have got there was wonder,
for there were no wild horses nearer
than Fort Reno in those DAYS. He
might have wandered away from the
herd and cot lost, but there was no
other explanation that seemed reason
able.
When he saw me he stopped pranc-
ing and glared at me frightened like,
stamping the earth with his forefoot
like sheep that's scared. The place
he was in was 4 kind OF acul-dc-sac, and
l stood at the entrance with the river
on the right. l watched him minute
and then, taking my lariat from the
saddle, / tied one end to sap!ins and,
standing on the ground, sent my pony
in to scare the wild horse. The pony,
with the big saddle, was strange look
ing object enough, and the horse ran
from him in fright. Alter taking one or
two runs around the circle he set out
straight for me, and | knew the tug oil
war was coming.
With queer little jumps he came
toward me, and then, running faster and
faster, prepared Tor rush between me
and the side Of the canyon. l coiled
the lariat and was ready 10 let it fly.
AS the horse came nearer swung
the rawhide rope around my head, and,
sending it through the air 1T uncurlcd
Just right and dropped exactly over his
head AID flying name. As he came to
the end OF the saDling couldn't no more
hold him than 4 thread, and it was
lerked out, catching Inc in the limbs,
and both OF lis went whirling along the
canyon after the mad and frightened
beast. 1t would have been all day with
me il my partner hadn't just then come
in sight, and throwing up his hands,
checked the critters race. The horse
whirlcI and came back on his tracks b c.
I lore could get on my feet. yelled at
the top OF my voice and he Just reared
up OIL his hind legs until he seemed to
stand straight in the air. in 4 pickle rs
was couldn't help admiring the crea-
lure, and l think still it was
the handsomest picture l ever
saw ont OF doors. Well, the horse
came down on all four feet again and
made Il lungc toward me, and then, rs
lodged, jumped straight Off the ten.
foot band into the river. | hadn't pre-
pared ior that move, and being all
tangled up SO III the lariat didn't
hardly know what to do. Before could
do anything and before Nat could get
TO me was jerlicd into tho water, too
and was fighting hard to keep my head
above water. Steady and fast the horse
I'swam straight Tor little island in the
middle OF the stream. The minute he
struck the beach he stopped and stood
shaking his white name at me. The
current was mighty swift and couldn't
keep my footing, so | just let my body
sprawl out on the water and hung on
the rope, hoping Nat would have sense
enough to help me out. ! didn't know
where he was, and was too scared and
bcwildercd 10 look around
but Nat wasn't asleep, and in Z
minute saw him crossing the stream
above on his pony. He, touched the
upper end OF tho island, and leaving
his cayusc, he crcpt steady and slow
toward the horse that was holding me
Strange tho creature didn't hear OF
smell him, but probably his attention
was too much taken up. Nat finally
got up on 4 stump OF q tree, and tvinr
his lariat as | had done mine, only to {
heavier tree, he made rcadyto throw it
"A'ebbc ! wasn't glad to see some
thing done! The lariat had got so tan
gled around me that couldn't stir easy
and it was 4 question OF minutes whcr
I'd drown II staid there.
But Nuts aim was good, and the looI
came down on the horses head righ
above mine, and as it struck the horst
rushed sidewise, pulling mo out OF the
water.
" In a minute Nat was by my side anG
had pulled me out OF the coils OF thu
rope, aud then we put out weight or
the thing to choke the horse down. L