The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-14
IDAHO HAS A CAYUSE CURSE
Horses Which Wildly Lay Waste to the
Land.

Pocatello, ldano, Aug. lo.-ror Hahy
years the wild "cayuses" that have roam
| ed at will on the great Nez Perez reser-
| walton and IN the adjacent country in
| North Idaho have been an almost I'M
bearable nuisance. They have broken
| into the Enclosures OF settlers and tram
pied down their growing crops, and have
| driven other stock from the public rang
| es. Stockmen and settlers have snot them
down by the hundreds, but they have
gone on increasing in numbers. Since
| the opening of the reservation the coun-
| try has settled up rapidly and these
ragrant herds have, especially this sea-
son, done a vast amount of damage
among the new ranches in that section.
These degenerate horses were aban-
doned years ago by their Indian owners
They are ugly, stunted little animals and
roam about in large herds, and are as
wild as antelopes. Their watering places
have been fenced up, but it is hard 10
divert them from the runaways of a life
time. They break down the fences, and
as the fences are without exception of
barbed wire, many of the wild ponies
are killed or badly injured. AS result
the reservation IS covered with dead and
dying horses, every section reporting rae
same scenes and allowing the helpless
victims 70 fare as best they may.
Each herd Of these wild horses is Led
by a patriarch stallion. who holds his
command with discipline that would be
credit to military tactics. The herds
range on the hills far from water. seek
ing the springs only once or twice a
week. Their runs are sometimes as far
as 10 miles. The stallion drives the herd
to water. following in their flying wake
and driving every tagging beast with
hoof and teeth, pushing them at high
rate Of speed, much after the manner
of buffaloes
Mad with thirst and blinded with dust.
the wild horses rush into the wire fences
that cross the old trails. the leaders be-
ing driven with such force that throa,s
are cut and legs are severed but the
fence goes down and the herd proceeds
over ploughed fields and through grow
ing crops TO their accustomed watering
places and Il is not a matter of sur
prise that every settler on the ressrva-
ton has declared war against the bands
Of vagrant "cayuses."
The origin OF the name "cayuse' and
OF these bands OF wild horses is inter
esting. The "cayuse" is now an outla "
on the reservation: his life blood stains
the knee deep bunch grass and the air is
filled with the stencmh OF the dead. tut
he was once the pride and wealth OF
the naughty Nez Perez Indian. THE
cayuse country" strictly speaking. Is the
beautiful Walla Wslla valley. and il was
ST one time inha bitei by a tribe os In
dams called the Cayuses. They owned
more horses. according 10 their per cap
ita than any other people, many of them
owning from 5000 to 1000. and few less
than poo 70 $3.50.
These Indians are great rustIers and
supplied the early settlers. trappers and
travellers with horses, The Neg Perez
Indians, who lived Just east OF them. |
owned similar horses, but not SO many. |
and early in the days OF the frs; min
ing excitement they became known al |
over the Pacific coast as the "csvuse |
horse" The ideal cayuse is q well built !
and serviceable horse. generally from 100 /
70 so pounds in weight Many OF them |
are perfectly white and many perfectly |
black. and many perfectly spotted. but |
the majority % them ara bay. sorrel and |
roam and o.he- solid coIo-s.
The ''cayuse" stock was originally |
from California and OF Spanish origin. % /
course. The mos; Teliable information /
IN regard 20 the date OF the Introduction /
o. horses into that country Places :; a 1
about the middle % Ire last century At i
the Dallss in is55 an old trzp7e- NAMED
Thomas. who had lived among the Cay
use Indians for - years. said that oil |
Indians told him that they could renem-
Der the time when their people first go 4