The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-03-27
a MoMENrous HORSE RACE.
From the New Yo-k Sac.

the late Col Manuel Chavez, New
Mexico's most noted Indian fighter,
tells an interesting story of the big
fight with the Navajos at Fort VIM
gate in 1861, which was the cause Ct
the turbulence of that tribe during
the rebellion, AMI which he witnessed
as boy. Don Amado was about IL
years old then. His father was conn
handing at Fort Wingate. where New
4 Mexican volunteer troops were sta
toned to watch the Navajos and keep
them quiet. The 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 they were anxious to get
up match race at the fort The sur
| geon of the post owned thoroughbred
race horse, and match was made be-
tween the two. There was a general
gathering of the tribe around the fort
for several days before the race, and
the Indians and soldiers were on the
best OF terms. One of the chiefs took
a fancy to the colone's son, and made
a present to little Amado of a pretty
buckskin pony with white tail and
name. Amado was very proud of his
pony, and rode him about the Indian
camp and made friends of the Navajos.
On the day of the race the Indians
and Soldiers hot oil ~ fhair "a hi
property on the result. According 10
the Indian custom, the things wagered
were tied together and piled up in a
general heap. II a soldier bet IS
against a Navajo blanket the coins
were tied up in a fold of the blanket, a
tag attached showing who were the
parties to the transaction. and the
blanket cast upon the pile. If two
horses were the stakes, they ware hal
tered together and driven into the cor
raj. The corral was stakeholder for
everybody and for all bets, and het-
erogeneous mass of personal property
was dumped therein.
A shrewd Navajo rode the Indian
pony and a Mexican of the name of
Ortiz rode the thoroughbred horse. The
thousand-yard stretch across the prai-
mixed crowd of Indians and Mexican
soldiers. A fair start was made, and
the pony got away a little in the lead.
He was only a sprinter, however, and
was no match for the horse when the
latter got fairly into his stride. The
Indian soon saw that the pony was out
classed and that he could not win by
fair running. and so he resorted to
tricks to prevent the horse from pass
ing. Whenever the horse attempted
TO pass, the Indian pulled the pony
over to that side just enough to get in
the way, and Ortiz was compelled to
pull up to avoid collision The Indian
worked the trick with so many varia-
tions that the horse was fairly pocketed
all the time by that lone pony, and
Ortiz became furious. AT last Ortiz
lost patience, and when only a few
yards from the finish the Indian tried
the trick again, Ortiz gave the horse
his spurs and plunged ahead. The big
American horse rolled the pony over
and over, but kept his own feet and
bounded across the line. The pony's
neck was broken and his rider was
crushed to death in the fall.
AS soon as the Navajos understood
what had happened they made rush
for Ortiz. Soldiers rallied around the
rider to protect him. and in half
minute free fight was in full blast
The soldiers got together quickly, and
their fire was more effective than the
scattering fire of the Navajos, but the
Indians were numerous and made an
ugly fight ~
Young Amado saw his friend, the
old chief, lying on the ground wound
ed, and he went to him. The old man
was mortally hurt, but he knew the
boy and asked him for water Amado
got the water sat down by the Indian,
raised his head, and gave him drink.
The surgeon came riding by, looking
for the boy, and saw him sitting beside
wounded Indian. He snatched Amado
up by the collar. placed him behind on
the horse, galloped back into the fort.
and handed him over to the colonel.
who had just been aroused by the
firing and was getting out of sick
bed to take charge of things The
colonel told the boy to stay in quarters
and not venture out again, and then
ne went to the walls and got the can
non into action. But the boy could |
think of nothing but his Navajo friend |
lying out there on the plain with
CHASTITY wound in the breast and long !
ing in vain for water. So he filed his |
fathers canteen and stole out through |
the gate, and found the old chief gain |
The old man vas dying fast, and did |
not recognize the boy. Amado sat down |
" him, raised his head upon his own I
knee, and held the canteen 70 the blue /
lips And so ne sat and ministered to
the Indian until the life had gone from |
the body, and then he cried because
the old man who gave him the buck
skin pony was dead
The thunder of the cannon. the shout
ing of the captains. and the wells of l
the Navajos had ceased, and only the
occasional crack of rife told that
some skirmisher out on the prairie was
trying Il long parting shot al the
enemy. Not until the next day. when
he saw scores of dead Indians gathered
dp along the race course and on the
prairie and buried in long trench,
lid the boy understand that be had
been in a battle. and that al the
tumult that ragged around him when
ne sat by the dying chiefs side was
made by MS friends the Navajos and
bis friends the soldiers trying'1o kali
each other.
RE GOT THERE.
7roz tie Sev York Reco.3sr.