Morning journal and courier., 1892-04-04
BATTLES WITH MUSTANGS.
A wild Sport on the Plains That I'm.
wolves Many Narrow Escanes

- o SPoTt oh the flains That In
wolves Many Narrow Escapes.
abilene Letter to Augusta Chronicle.l
The men who hunt the mustagns of the
far west often experience very narrow es-
capes. For several years thsre has been
roaming the praries in the vicinity of No
Mans Land band OF horses that has a
notable history, and the capture of which
was given up as hopeless by many of the
best mustangers in the southwest. Its
leader was a magnificent white stallion, who
seemed almost a supernatural endurance,
and only last winter was secured by the
hand of man. Many hunter tried to tire
the beautiful creature ont but in vain until
finally, long, lsnk Ilinoisian, who had
opened cattle ranch in southwestern Kan
sas, determined to try his hand In Feb
ruary, when the snow was deepest, he set
out with plenty of provisions and a good
pair of snow shoes.
There was just crust enough to bear him
while the horse sank through at every
step. Patiently for two days he chased
the creature, until the animal went up a
little ravine that followed prairie stream.
The walls grew sleeper until the path was
oailOSS u aI lhsC opened out
into circular valley, with no outlet ex-
cept the ravine. The stallion realized that
he was penned and madly raced about the
inclosure, endeavoring to find way of es-
cape. There was none except along the
twentyfoot bank of the stream, where the
hunter stood swinging his lariat, one end
of the rope being made fast to a sspling
With bounding steps, fleet as deer, the
horse charged forward. AS lie fairly few
past the mustanger the long rawhide rope
steadily uncoiled and, being thrown by a
practiced hand, followed the horses mo-
tion and settled silently but surely upon
the horses neck.
But the battle was only commenced.
The jerk of the lsrist threw the horse, but
it also sent the hunter down the bank and
into the water. The horse followed and
the two struggled against the common en-
emy-drowning. A fat rock rose mid
stream, and on this the horse clambered,
while the man regsined the bank Rea-
soning that the horses stubbornness would
cause him to jerk backward, the hunter
pulled the moose tighter and tighter until,
strangled, the animal lay helpless on the
rock. Going across, the hunter soon had
the beautiful csptive's feet hobbled, and
loosing the moose, granted him breath
enough to allow journey TO shore. Two
days later the hunter came into camp lead
ing the wild white stallion captive. The
horse was carefully broken and sold for
ten times the price of an ordinary pony
for shipment east. The remainder of the
herd was not seen again in that vicinity
Not infrequently 1t happens that there
are small colts in the hunted herd, in
which case the mothers are likely to be fe-
rocious. On one occasion a mustAnger
named Joseph Hart saved the life of a
ranchman's child by brave act. He was
on watch, and the herd, including some
colts, had become considerably wearied.
One of the colts struggled behind just as
the herd came near the cabin of ranch
man. The horses apparently did not no.
tice that they were SO near civilization and
plodded on, the colt remaining behind.
Soon three year-old girl came toddling
from behind the cabin and trotted towards
the bewildered colt. The animal whinnied
loudly, and its mother, which had been
looking back undecidedly, turned and ran
to its rescue. Catching sight of the baby,
the mother beast in some way connected
the child with the threatened danger and
reared to strike the little one with its fore
feet. The hunter Hart was just within
reach, and, drawing his revolver, sent a
bullet crashing through the mares hesd.