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

Oh thelr attacking single horseman, but the
presence of a large party like ours would of
course brighten them off. Two days after
this explanation we were strung out for three
miles along the river on the march and sur
veg. Something was lost by AN officer. and
one Of the troopers was sent back to recover
It, Ten minutes later the article supposed TO
De lost was found in one of the anbulances.
and was sent back to notify the trooper.
He had galloped back to camp, a distance of
two mikes, and was searching around ON foot
when arrived in sight | was about to Ere
J shot TO attract his attention, when from
the cottonwood grove beyond the camp "A
horse came charging out. He was 'srogue. -
and bent on mischief. The soldiers horse
was grazing, and the soldier bad his ewes ON
the ground, and was so astonished by the
sudden charge of the rogue that | made no
move to stop bim or to warn the trooper.
Indeed warning could have hardly reached
him III time. His back to the approach
ing horse, and the rogue seized him in his
teeth 10y a hold between the shoulders and
dragged him twenty rods before fiinging him
to one side. Then he started for the cavalry
horse, which stood with head up facing him.
and got my revolver out and spurred for
ward
was yet quarter of a mile away when
the rogne reached his second victim He ran
at fun speed, with ears back and lips parted
TO show his teeth, and the sight was too much
for the domestic animal He was on the point
Of turning TO fly when the other collided with
him. Ii was as If locomotive had struck
him. lie went down in heap and rolled
over and over four OF five times before he
brought up, while the rogue took half circle
70 Dear down upon the trooper again. The
man was on his feet and limping off; but he
hsxysa hn.t
away. rode across the rogue'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
Inc man was actually crying when rode M
TO hlm, although he had taken hand in sew
eral Indian fights and was reputed 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
lta, ana had been in camp two or three days,
when one of the hunters rode in lust before
dark with some game, and announced that a |
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 lust
here spread out over. rocky ledge, and was
@OO 1eet wide and about foot deep Below /
our camp was an old grove with many dead /
trees IN 1t. 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 a 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 70 keep providing wolves
out of camp and to assist any horse which
might get tangled in his lariat 1t had been
hot day, with thunder heads" showing in
the Sky, but when the sun went down the
SKY was perfectly clear, and all signs pointed
to quiet night
1t was just midnight, when the sharpest
flash Of lightning | ever saw, followed bv
such crash of thunder, as made the earth
groan, tumbled every sleeper in camp out Of
his blankets. say the sharpest flash ever
saw FOR was awake in time to see the most
OF II. 1t was so fierce that it seemed to burn
our eyelids. | was hardly on my feet before
there came another flash, followed by another
roar. knew 1t was going to rain great guns,
and l jumped into trousers ana boots. and
grabbed up the rest of my clothes and made
Tor the wagon only few feet away. The
two wagons were close to each other. bpt the
forward ends pulled away so that the vehicles
FORMED V. While the space between the
OIL hmd 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 aud some
other articles, and during this time the
heavens seemed afame 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 sound
10 drown all others. 1t was a steady roar
like the rush of great waves, and it grew
louder all the time l could not understand
/ for two or three minutes The noise came
rom the west and stood upon the wagon
% that could overlook the tents A fash
IF lightning was followed by moment Of
pitch darkness and then came long, trem-
ilous flash, lasting three or four seconds. By
Is light | caught sight Of the herd of wild
horses bearing down upon us in mad mob.
md just as the lightning ceased they entered
he stream
The splash of the waters had the sound of
breakers, and though shouted warning at
he top of my voice, no one could have heard
ne twenty feet away. Next moment that ter :
or stricken herd was in camp, while the clouds }
opened and the rain came down in torrents
scrambled back into the wagon, and what