The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1891-12-12
A STAMPEDE.

| river, which is the right hand branch of tn
Rio Grande, the Pecos plains were favorit
grazing ground sor vast herds of wild horses
l went into New Mexico with a government
surveying party; which was of s,.ni-militar,
character survey OF that portion of tn,
lilo Pecos lying in New Mexico was to h,
made, and there was to be military DOS
located between Popes wells and the Bonits
river The country between was plain 1O(
miles long by 200 broad, with many small
streams and rich feeding spots. The herds o,
horses had been seldom disturbed by white
hunters, and whenever the Indians wanted a
supply they selected the ponies in preference
believing that they were the soonest broken
and would stand the hardest riding.
We We're well into the plains before we saw
any horses, and the first herd we saw came
very near bringing about calamity. We
were encamped in a bend of the Pecos, and
the surveyors and guards had Just come in
for dinner There was a truce between the
whites and the Indians at that date but our
party was a strong one, and the surveyors
never went out without protection. A truce
meant that the redskins would not kiln if the
other party was the stronger We had two
ambulances, three or four wagons and from
seventy to eighty horses. These last were
staked out ON the rich feeding ground. With
no more warning than that we felt a tremb-
ling OF the earth and heard a great clatter. a
drove of wild horses numbering at least 500
came charging around heavily wooded
point directly at our camp. The stream in
front OF our camp was about two feet deem
and ran over a bed of gravel, and the horses
were probably in the habit of coming here TO
drink The herd was led by a sorrel stallion
OF magnificent look and limb and was going
at such pace that the leaders were among
our animals before man of us moved. Ii
was well we We're all together Every man
rushed for the horses, yelling and shouting
to drive the intluders away. but when thew
went two of our mules and a horse went
with them. The horse was 5-year-old stall
lion, worth at least $500, and his flight
created instant dismay in the camp. The
mules would not be allowed to s'chumn with
the herd anyhow, and could be picked M
after they had tried their legs a little. but
the horse might never be seen again. A
score Of us mounted in hot haste and set off
TO recaptme him. The herd had gone due
west, in which direction a rise of the ground
hid them after short ride AS we reached
this rise every man OF us checked his horse.
Below us was an almost circular valley about
half a mile across, and in this valley the
herd had come TO halt 1t seemed that the
presence Of our horse had aroused the ire of
the soIrel leader of the herd, and that the
question Of championship had come up TO be
=ettlad et@onee, The two stations were be-
tween as and the herd, and were already
Every one of the horses had
his head toward the pair, and was am inter
ested spectator. AT any other time our
would have put them to fight, but
under the circumstances they gave us no
Now occurred combat the like of which
lew men have ever witnessed. The horses
were pretty evenly matched for size. Our
champion had an advantage in being shod,
but 70 Offset this the sorrel was the quicker.
Their movements showed the broad disparity
between wild and domestic life. Our horse
was agile and smart, as the terms 90, but the
'oirel had the suppleness of panther. As
boxers teint for an opening so these horses
'kfhllshed for an advantage. They APP
preached until their noses almost met. and
hen reared up with shrill neighs, struck at
ach other, and came down to wheel and
Kick. The iron shoes of our horse hit moth
ng but air, but we heard the double thud of
lie soi1el's hind feet as he sent them home
They ran off to wheel and come together
'gain and repeat the same tactics, and again
'ur horse got the worst of it. He was a
leadstrong, high strung beast, and his tenn
'er was now mp. When he wheeled the third
lme he came back with a rush, screaming
nut IN his anger The solrel turned end for
ND like a flash to use his heels, but our
hampton lodged the kicks and seized him
" the shoulder with his teeth There was
errihc struggle before the hold was broken.
md then they backed into each other and
licked with all fury for few seconds.
Every hoof hit something solid, but the iron
hoes OF our horse scored point in his favor.
hen they separated we could see that the
oirel had been badly used, especially about
he legs Il
When the horses wheeled for the third
lme both We're bent on mischief. As they
anne together they reared up like dogs and
truck at each other, and for five minutes
hey We're scarcely off their hind feet. Some
ara blows We're exchanged, and our horse
al the best Of the round. Indeed, when the
olrel wheeled and ran away he had his head
own and he seemed TO acknowledge defeat.
lie ran off about twenty rods before wheel
~, and as he stood for a moment looked
him through field glass which one OF the
len handed me. His ears lay fiat, his eyes
'oked blooishot, and there was bloody foam
ms lips He had been severely handled,
ut was by no means defeated Indeed. he
ad run away for the moment to adopt new
1ctics When he moved up again he was
ne picture OF ferocity. He came at full
iced, reared, and struck right and left.
nd the second blow knocked our horse fat
a the ground 1t was a knock out blow
be victor stood over him for a moment.
atching for IA movement, but as none was
JADE he joined the herd, and all went off on
gailop. 1t WAS five minutes before our
ouse staggered to his feet, and he wanted no