Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-09-18

was grazing, and the soldier had hfs eyes on
( the ground and was so astonished by the
/ sudden charge Of the rogue that / made no
move to stop him or 10 warn the trooper.
Indeed a warming could have hardly reached
him in time. His back was 10 the approach
/ ing horse and the rogue seized him in his
4 teeth by hold between the shoulders and
dragged him twenty rods before hinging him
] to one side. Then he started Dor the cavalry
horse, which stood with head up facing him,
and got my revolver out and spurred for
ward
J l was yet quarter Of mile away when
the rogue reached his second victim He ran
at full speed, with ears back and lips parted
to show his teeth, and the sight wastoo much
for the domestic animal He was ON the point
of turning 70 fly when the other collided with
/ him. 1t was as If q locomotive had struck
him. He went down in 3 heap and rolled
over and over four or five times before he
brought up, while the rogue took a half circle
10 bear down upon the trooper again. The
man was on his feet and limpng off; but he
would have been goner had l been further
away rode across the Pogue's path and
opened fire ON him, and after shaking his
head in an ugly way be galloped into the
grove and disappeared. The troopers horse
did not seem TO have suffered any by the
shock, but soon after noon lay down and died.
The man was actually crying when l rode up
TO him, although he had taken a hand in sew
eral Indian fights and was reputed a brave
fellow. The danger had come upon him so
suddenly as to overcome his nerves The
horses teeth had not broken the skin through
his thick clothing, and he did not have a
bruise to show, but such was the sudden
shock that he was on the sick list for two
weeks.
We were within two days ride OF the Bon
ita, and had been in camp two or three days,
when one Of the hunters rode in just before
dark with some game, and announced that
herd Of at least 500 wild horses was grazing
about three miles to the east OF us. This was
on the opposite side of the Pecos which just
here spread out over a rocky ledge, and was
200 feet wide and about foot deep. Below
our camp was an old grove with many dead
trees in it, 1t was there we got our wood
In all other directions the ground was open.
We had about twelve tents in camp aside
from the wagons and ambulances. The best
feeding ground was on the west OF the camp,
and all the animals were staked out there.
Outside of the bunch of animals was guard
of two soldiers, and two more were between
the animals and the wagons. There was no
danger apprehended from the Indians and
the guard was set to keep providing wolves
out Of camp and to assist any horse which
might get tangled in his lnriat. 1t had been
a hot day, with thunder headsp showing ia
the sky, but when the sun went down the
sky was perfectly clear, and all signs pointed
to quiet night.
II was just midnight, when the sharpest
fash of lightning / ever saw, followed by
such crash Of thunder, as made the earth
groan, tnmhled every sleeper in camp out of
his blankets say the sharpest fash ever
gaw for was awake in time to see the most
Of it. 1t was 50 fierce that it seemed to burn
our eyelids | was hardly on my feet before
there came another flash, followed by another
roar. knew it was going TO rain great guns,
and | jumped into trousers ana boots, and
grabbed up the rest Of my clothes and made
for the wagon only a few feet away. The
two wagons were close to each other, but the
forward ends pulled away so that the vehicles
formed V. While the space between the
Off hind wheel Of one and the nigh hind wheel
of the other was not over foot, the SPACE
between the tongues was six or eight. The
sky was black as ] rushed out Of the tent. and
all the camp fires had burned low ! flung
my clothes into one Of the wagons, and then
hurried back and got my weapons and some
other articles, and during this time the
heavens seemed ahame and the earth fairly
rocked
Men were shouting, horses neighing, and
the din was awful, but as / reached the
wagon the second time there came a sound
TO drown all others II was a steady roar
like the rush Of great waves, and it grew
lander all fhp fiufn I onftld 400.
it for two or three minutes. The noise came
from the west, and stood upon the wagon
80 that | could overlook the tents. A flash
OF lightning was followed by O moment Of
pitch darkness, and then came a long, trem-
ulous flash, lasting t9See or four seconds. By
its light | caught sight Of the herd Of wild
horses bearing down upon us in mad mob
and just as the lightning ceased they entered
the stream.
The splash of the waters had the sound OF
breakers, and though ! shouted a warning al
the top Of my voice, no one could have heard
me twenty feet away. Next moment that ter
ror stricken herd was in camp, while the cloud
opened and the rain came down in torrents
/ scrambled back into the wagon, and wha
l saw during the next ten minutes can nevel
be forgotten The frightened horses leape,
over the tents, or ran against them, fell owe
guy ropes, bumped against the wagons, ant
made clean leaps over the ambulances, AND
all the time each one kept upa wild neighing
heard our own animals plunging and rear
ing and neighing, but knew that we wer
helpless to prevent a stampede.
As the first OF the herd got through on
camp TO the wagons two Of them entered Ia
v shaped space, and others kept them crowde'
In there. The lightning was flashing and tn
thunder roaring again, and the poor beast
We're appalled, at the situation There wer
four or FIVE lassoes and dozen spare lariat
ia my wagon, and when saw that the en-
trapped horses were making no move TO Ge
ont / picked up a noosed rope, lifted the sid
cover Of the wagon, and had the moose owe
the head OF one in three seconds The ON
behind him tried 70 turn when / sought {
moose him, but hit his heels against som,
thing and twisted back toward me until m
hand touched his nose as slipped the noos
over Then made the other ends fast, gC
out the lassoes, and standing on the front {
the wagon l noosed three horses inside OF fiy
minutes. II was no trick at all, for the
we're pressed right up 60 the wagon by Il
weight Of those behind, and the awful war
the elements tanned them.
The herd was ten minutes working throue
the camp, and as they cleared it they toe
away every horse and mule that we ha'
Every tent was Frustrated, much OF our pr
visions and ammunition destroyed, and OF
ambulance smashed 10 pieces. One man ",
killed and three were injured by the rush
horses As an Offset WAGNER had lassoe
two. had five, and TWO more had hobbls
themselves with tent ropes. In the course
day we got al our animals back but Of
old mule, and managed TO repair damage