Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-11

reaching TO PasO lei Norte. now FL Paso
city. The Mexican puides knew every
mustang range in this whole wild section
Of country. and could with great preclc
ion locate their ghost horse" from the
course taken by him in his last night.
While listening TO these weird ana awe
inspiring legends Of the guides ! had be
come deeply imbued with desire TO cap
ture such a beautiful animal as this
genuine ghost" and had formed in my
mind plan TO secure him alive. If such
Il thing was possible; and having just
finished my contract In that particular
locality and had few days rest from
the arduous labors 10 which | had been
subject for several weeks. | felt that
scene Of that nature would restore my
wonted spirits and satisfy a longing de-
sire for a change Of business for spell.
In laying my plans before my Mexican
guides | had great difficulty in getting
their unanimous consent TO join me in
the undertaking. but by much eoaxinS
finally succeeded, and after swearing
them on the cross" 10 be loyal 70 me we
set about forthwith 10 carry out my
plans with great enthusiasm. The range
i'm which the ghost" was thought 10 be
was some forty miles distant, near the
head waters Of the Nueces river.
In our course 10 the range we entered,
canon, covered with a luXuriant growth
OF rich mesquite grass and ciumps of
palm cactus, and after proceeding rev
miles UP the canon we came to patch
OF thorny chapparai, "A perfect jungle,
reaching from one wall OF the canon
10 the other and go dense, except in the
very centre, that nothing larger than
jack rabbit could possibly penetrate. The
only path through this thieket was
through a narrow foot-path In the centre
running parallel with the canon. and only
wide enough for a hundred yards or more
for q single hOrseman 10 pass by ter
rible scratch right and left. The path
then gradually wldened out into funnel
shape TO the abrupt walls OF the canon
on either eide. After reaching a space
wide enough for the whole party 10 col
lect a council was held In order TO dis
| cuss a bright idea which had forced itself
| into the mind OF an inventive genius OF
| the party. The plan suggested was
! to set snares along this narrow pathway
| BIZ means Of our strong f0-foot stake
| ropes in such position that the foremost
| horse. i'm his wild stampede. once entering
the path. could not fail OF running his
| head into the moose, the other end OF
which was secured to a stout grub, solid
enough to hold an elephant. The moose
was so arranged directly across the path
| that the lower part would just strike the
| breast and the upper part Just
! high enough to- miss the highest head OF
a badly frightened and widest horse
| on the plains. Five OF these snares were
| arranged Luckily. the wind was blowing
gently directly down the canon from
where the band Of mustangs was supposed
TO be, and we felt somewhat assured
that we could not flush our game pre-.
! ma,urely by this means The most
difficult part of the brilliant idea, how
| ever was yet to be accomplished. and
that was to get "beyant' the band Of
"hosses" without flushing that extremel,
wary ghost"
SETTLED ON A PLAN.
Many plans were discussed, but II wa.
finally settled that four Of the party wer'
10 divide two by two, and gradual.
steal" their way along through tn
densest cactus thickets along the foo
OF either wall until they could reach
i safe point beyond the band. This wa
accomplished easier ard sooner than wa
expected, and after the rest OF the part
had been lying in wait some six or eigh
hours. secreted on either side Of the canon
near the chapparai path. and In con
! yenlent reach Of the snares. rumblln
sound, a. OF the chatter Of thousan
hoofs, broke upon their expectant ear
!. and the equine ghost" put In an ~
, pearance several lengths ahead. and