Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-06


gle to Procure Food-A Master Stallion
Leads Each Gang.
Nature has thickened the coats of the
wild ponies Of Sable island and given
the hair on them almost a woclly tend
ency. During the summer they fatten
on the sGcculent grasses, and the first
half of the winter they fairly hold their
own, but the cold northeast winds and
SHOWS Of March and April, when the
polar ice surrounds the island, drive
them clustering under the lee Of the
sand dunes, where they stay till too
weak and chilled to move about in search
of the scanty nourishment.
A year ago, after ten days. stormy,
sleepy spell, no less than six dead ami
mails We're found huddled in a nook be-
hind some sand hills. During the win
ter of 1894, CT wild ponies died from ex-
posure and natural causes. Of course
where there are several hundred horses
OR people-no matter how well cared
for, there will be a number of deaths.
So we cannot put the whole CT deaths
down to exposure and starvation"
That winter began with 400 wild ponies
on the island, and it was what the staff
there called a "hard WINTER
The sand permeating their food causes
the teeth to wear away rapidly, so that
old age and inability to eat sufficient
come upon them sooner than with horses
on the mainland. Their battles also,
which, though not frequent, are fierce,
nd of fo fln Il 30, So,
crease the percentage of mortality.
They go in gangs of from 5 to 20, ac-
cording to circumstances Each gang has
| master stallion, who is patriarch, IA
ther. defender. 1t was my privilege last
March, when visiting the island, to see
IL gangs in one day when Superintend-
| ent Boutilier drove with me from the
extreme eastern bar to the main station.
We came within 90 or 80 yards of several
gangs, but they moved independently
away as we approached.
Catching and shipping them is an i'm
portant and, to all the staff, an exciting
incident. l witnessed it from the>loolz-
out platform of No. station in the
early gray of an October morning. Su-
perintendent Boutilier roused me at
dawn with the words, "They are driv-
| ing in the first gang" and in few
minutes was fastening from the house,
some 200 yards, to the lookout,
| whence saw dark objects moving over
| the easterly hillocks. Soon could be dis
| tinguished nine wild ponies racing hith-
or and yon, but kept well together and
trending west by aid of IL men on
i I'm hot 4
enjoy the fun as much as the men on
their backs) behind them, with long
whips and stentorious voices.
corral % yards in diameter, strong
ly inclosed, with branch fence, extend
ing from one side some IS yards, made
it not unlike fish trap or weir, into
which by judicious driving and heading
the gang was safely lodged, and the
| riders We're off for another gang of 10,
| which the boss had located. and which
in an hour, despite most desperate eff
forts to break away, were all safely cor
rallied with the first gang.
| Then Immediately began battle be-
tween the two patriarchs, which wit
messed. Teeth, forefeet and heels, min
gled with very positive squeals, were
vigorously used. After awhile the weak
er stallion fed into the crowd, and the
victor's manner indicated his impor-
lance and foreshadowed his apparent
doom, for the remark was made, "We'd
better get that big fellow out, as he
might hurt some one" So he was soon
lassoed, thrown down, Bonaparte bri-
die put in his mouth and line to one
foot, and then let up to dash out of the
corral through the gateway purposely
opened, dragging two Of the boys who
guided him to the beach for shipment.
| Let me give the details: Four or five
men enter the corral, and the horses
cluster to the opposite side. Then one
man throws moose around the neck of
one, and two men pull that beast out Of
the gang as the herds circle round near
the inclosing fence.
The difficulty Of breathing soon causes
temporary weakness, and the horse falls,
or is pushed down, when one man seizes
his head, another the tail, and one
jumps on his body to keep him from
laundering The boss puts the loop of a
line into the horses mouth and round
his lower jaw, then up over his head
and down through the loop in his jaw,
SO that by pulling the line double pur-
chase is brought on the mouth. This is
bonaparte bride.
Such purchase at the mouth with q
line on hind foot held by experienced
men renders it impossible for the ami
NAL to go elsewhere than to the beach.
When there, two sailors. holding the
ends Of line several fathoms long,
walk around him, folding the rope about
his legs. Then by Tightening this leg
: rope and holding firm his other fasten.
ings the horse quickly falls and is held
down by head and tail, while his legs
, are tied together with MANILA brought
from the ship. A layer or two of this sof,
rope lies between the feet, SO that strug
, CLING does not cause abrasion. Then,
!, helpless, the monarch lies broadside OF
. the soft sand. The bride is removed
, the leg line, and the boys hurry back &c
the corral, quarter of mile away,
E..v-