The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-03-05

ABILENE, Kan, Feb. 1S.-The men
who hunt the mustangs Of the far west
often experience very narrow escapes.
For several years there has been roaming
the p~rairics III the vicinity Of No Mans
Land Il band Of horses that has a notable
history, and the capture Of which was
given up as hopeless by many Of the best
mJlstangcrS IN III" southwest. Its leader
was IL magnificent white stallion, which
seemed almost of supernatural eudur-
ance, and only last winter was secured
by the hand If man. Many II hunter
tried to tire the beautiful creature ont.
but in vain. until finally a long, lank
IllinoiSAn, who had opened a cattle ranch
in southwestern Kansas, determined t.
try his hand. In February, when the
snow WAS deepest, he set ont 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 crca;i.r. until the animal
went up Il little rlEinc that followed u
prairie stream. The walls grew sleeper
until the path was almost u canyon.
which al last opened out into u circular
valley, with no outlet except the ravinc.
The stallion realized that he was penned
and madly raced abOut the incloSurt,
c~udcavoring To find a way of escapc
There was none except along the twenty
foot bank of the stream, where tn.
hunter stood swinging hi, lariat, one
end of the rope Icing made last 10 a SAP
ling. With bounding steps, fleet rs a
deer. the horse charged forward. As he
fairly flew past the m~uStanger the long
rawhidc rope steadily uncoilcd and, he
ing thrown by u practiced hand, fol
lowed the horses motion and settled
silently Int surely upon the horses neck
But the battle was only commenced.
The Jerk of the lariat threw the horse.
hui it also sent the hunter down the
bank and into the water. The horse fol.
lowed, and the two struggled against
the common enemy-drowning. A iat
rock rose inidstream. and on this the
horse clambered while the man ~regained
the bank. Reasoning that the horses
StubbornneSs would cause him to jerk
backward, the hunter pulled the moose
tighter amt tighter until, strangled, the
animal lay helpless on the rock. Going
across, the hunter soon had the beautiful
captive's feet hobbled, and loosing the
moose granted him breath enough to al
low a journey TO shore. Two days later
the hunter came int camp leading 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 i~nfrcquently II happens that there
are small colts i'll the hunted herd, III
which case the mothers are likely to b.
frrOCiOus. On one occasion a mustangpr
named Joseph Hart saved the life of !.
rauchman's child by IL brave act. He
WAS on watch and the herd. including
some colts, had become considerably
wearied. One OF the colts struggled be-
bind just rs the herd came near the
cabin of a ~ranChman, The horses ap-
parcntly did not notice that they were ST.
near civilization and plodded on. the
colt remaining behind. oon a three
year-old girl came toidling from behind
the cabin and trotted toward the bewil-
dered colt. Tho animal whinnied loud
ly and its mother, which had been look
ing 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
IN reared to strike the little one with
its fore feet. The hunter HART was Just
within reach, and drawing his revolver
sent u bullet crashing through the mares
head. CHARLES MoREAU HARaER.