The sun., 1894-02-04
A MoMENToUs HORSE RACE
The Civilized stred Won, Precipitating .
nInoiy F.ght md IndIan Mar.

Bloody Fight and Indtnu War.
sArr, Fl, y. NJ. Feb. 3-Don Amado Cha
vez. the eldest son OF the late Col. Manuel
Chavez. New Mexico's most noted Indian
fighter. tells an interesting story OF the big
fight with the Navaios at Fort WinEate in
1851, which was tho cause OF the turbulence OF
that tribe during the rebellion. and which he
witnessed as a boy. Don Amado was about
l. years old then. His father was com mand-
ant at Fort Wingate. whore New Mexican vol
unteer troops were stationed to watch tho
Snvajos and keep them quiet. Tho tribe was
supposed to be peaceable and friendly but it
was deemed wise to keep an eye on them and
prevent them from stealing stock. in which
art the Navajos are past masters.
The Navajos had a pony that they believed
able to outrun anything on four legs. and thoy
we're anxious to GET up a match race at the
fort. Tho surgeon OF tho post owned q
thoroughbred race horse. and a match was
made between the two. There was general
gathering OF the tribe around the fort for
several days before tho race. and the Indians
and soldiers were on the best OF terms. Ono
OF the chiefs took q fancy to the Colonol's son.
and made present to little Amado Of q pretty
buckskiu pony with white tail and name.
Amado was very proud OF his pony. and rode
him about tho Indian camp and mado friends
ofthe Navajos.
On tho day OF the race the Indians and SOL
diers bet all OF their portable property on the
result. According to the Indian custom. the
things wagered were tied together and piled
up ia a general heap II soldier bet So
against . Navajo blanket the coins were tied
up in q fold OF the blanket Q tag attached
showing who were the parties to the transac-
tion. and the blanket cast upon the pile. II
two horses were the stakes. they were battered
together and driven into the corral The cor;
bets and q HETEROGENEOUS mass OF personal
property was dumped therein.
thoroughbred horse, The thousand. yard
both sides BY a mixed crowd OF Indians and
Mexican soldiers. fair start was made. and
only a sprinter. however. and was no match
for the horse when the latter got fairly into his
stride; Ihe III indsn H 800 soon rs saw th that the pony
prevent the horse from passing ,Wheneyer
the pony over to that side Just enough to get
In the way. and ortiz was compelled to
worked the, trick trick with so many % yaria.
tions that the horse was fairly pocketed
81 z the Secams time furious GE that 0ns ns. Su ot aa
patience. and when only few yards from tho
llnish the Indian tried the trick again. ORTIZ
gave the horse his spurs and plunged ahead.
The big American horse rolled tho pony oyer
aud over but kept his own feet and bounded
and his rider was crushed to death in the fall.
As soon as tho SRvaJos understood what had
happened they made rush for Ortiz Soldiers
half minute u free light was In full blast
The soldiers got together quickly. and their
iire was more effective than the scattering fire
OF the Navalos, but the Indians were numer-
Gus and made an ugly fight.
Young Amado saw his friend. the old chief.
lying on the ground wounded. and he went TO
him: The old man vas mortaily hurt but he
do got the water. sat down by the Indian.
raised his head, and gave him drink. Tho
surgeon came riding by, looking for the boy.
lie snatched Amado up By the collar. placed
him behind on tho horse. galloped back into
the fort, and handed him over TO the Colonel,
was getting out OF q sick bed to tako charge OF
things. The Colonel told tho boy TO stay In
quarters and not tyenture out again. and then
action, But the boy, could think OF nothing
hut his Navajo friend lying out there on the
plain with a ghastlJ wound in the breast and
iatRsr's cantsen and stole out Though the
gate. and found tina old chief again. The old
man was dying fast. and did not recogn nize the
DnD S0G IN baa1 sat down 6 SY h5 hn Ssed his head
the blue lips. And so he sat and ministsred TO
the Indian until the life had gone from tho
body. aud then no cried because tho old man
who gave hi I'm the buckskin pony was dead
The thunder OF the cannon, the shouting Of
the captains, and the yells OF the NAYnlOs had
ceased. and only the occasional crack Of rihs
was trying a long parting shot ut the enemy.
Not until the next day, when he saw scores Of
dead Indians gathered up along the race
trench. did the boy understand that he had
been In battle and that all the tumult that
ragged around him when he sat by the dying
JOS and his friends the soldiers trying to kill
each other.