The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-03

cattle that the other lanerous could not
find, and TO cut out from the wildhorse
herds valuable domestic horses that had
run away and Joined them. This work
he performed occasionally for other ranch
owners living sometimes hundred
miles away. When regular business
was slack no would 20 out TO hunt wild
horses or other wild creatures on his
own account. in catching wild horses
he would ride to where they were, but
once on the ground he conducted opera
lions on foot His process, as seen by
others, was to approach gradually to
the horses he had selected. and establish
an acquaintance. Ii always resulted In
his haltering and leading the animal
home. Sometimes this was done
in one day, oftener II took two
or three. 1t was said that week
was the longest time 1t had
ever taken him to capture the widest
horse. When no led tho horse home the
animal was no longer wild. but tame
and he could saddle and ride him with
little trouble. Any judlcious rider could
handle the horse after that
ut IS little wonder that among the
ignorant llaneros Pablos art was laid
TO the use OF magic or tho possession OF
a talisman. The more intelligent ranch
owners were equally at a loss to explain
It. When asked about IL they shrugged
their shoulders and sometimes spoke OF
Garmiento. the zambo. who in his day,
they said, had done greater feats than
Pablo's. As for Pablo he kept mis- own
CONSEQUENTLY he could not have told
the secret II ne had tried-and went on
capturing wild horses jaguar and puma
cubs big snakes. and eaglets. In a mat
ter-Of-course way. for his own amuse-
ment and profit His pets accommodating
about the ranch made life rather trying
there at times. A iaguar cub with its
eyes just open is as lovable a pet as a
kitten, but IL grows Ike weed and it's
natural instincts crop out very soon-and
a half-grown iaguar running up and
down trees. or rehesrsng the springing
act, with you as an object. from unex-
pected places, is too much company for
A man OF quiet tastes once or twice a
year Pablo would bundle his pets into a
wagon and set of for AngOsture or La
Guayra, where merchant captains are
always ready 20 buy strange animals on
speculation. to sell to menageres in Eu-
rope and the United States.
Pablo and l became friends and per-
haps because was a foreigner. not like
ly 10 try to steal mis- trade, ne took me
with him on one OK his horse-hunting
trips. In this case he was after a domes-
ticated horse that had got among a band
OF wild horses. We found the band and
approaching them from the leewsrd, un-
der cover Of a mata or grove got within
two miles Of them. Here We hObbled our
horses legs, leaving them free 10 walk
but not 20 run. and turned them loose.
1 remained at the groove. while Pablo
strOled toward the wild band, keeping
our horses along with him and going 50
slowly that they fed on the grass as they
went along.
1T was slow business, and / got tired
enough watching him from the shade
through a field glass. ! could see that
his idea was to approach the band In
way that seemed accidental-as If he
We're not looking at them or thinking OF
them. Most hunters of every kind know
this trick Timid animals, so long CAS-
they think they are unn0ticcd, will let
a man approach very near them. before
they take 20 flight. With the two horses
feeding along near him sometimes turn
ing 10 the right. sometimes 10 the left,
without seeming 20 have the wild band IN
view. he kept closing the distance bet
ween them. From time TO time some of
tho wild horses would llft their heads
and look Then Pablo. who seemed %
know IN time what they would do, would
be seen moving 10 one side or the other.
but not advancing When the wild horses
began 20 feed again he would move to-
ward them.
In about six hours he had got within
a quarter OF am.le OF them. At this point
tho stallion that led the band trotted out
toward him 10 investigate. For an hour
Pablo remained ia one place. stirring
about a little. lying down, getting up.
turning around, pulling mp grass, all with
so slow and even Il motion that the stall
lion, watching him suspiciously from 20
yards away. took no alarm and, after
trying TO eutlce the two hobbled horses
TO him trotted back 20 the band.
You probably know OF the shyness Of
wild horses the most difficult animals
70 approach I'm the world What / saw
Pablo Metanarmo do would seem incred-
ibe II told anywhere but In the country
where # occurred. On the Venezuelan
pampas there have been two men. al
least. who have been known 10 DO this
and probably others that l have not
heard OF. Pablo Metanarmo, leaving his
two horses. walked straight toward the
wild band. All the horses at this lifted
their heads and gazed at him, but not
one moved. He walked as II he
meant TO pass through the band.
not turning his head His course
took him close 20 one % the
horses. / could not with a field glass
two miles away see how he did it, But
the other horses all drew together round
the stallion except one. but that one
the zambo held by lasso. The spell
was broken. and the rest Of the banu was
of like the wind The two hobb ed
horses tried TO follow them. as horses
will always do I'm q stampede, and the
captured horse struggled hard, but the
lasso choked him down. 1t was only for
a minute or two. then the wild band
WAS we'll ava and the horse. the one
that Pablo had come for. quieted down
and the zambo rounding in the hobbled
horses. came back to the grove with all
three.
pablo looked Ike a man who had gone
through a battle. AS soon as ne had
secured the horses, tying the recaptured
one TO a tree, he threw himself on the
ground and slept for ten hours without
once stirring. I watched with my rifle
between my knees while he slept, for l
thought there might be 1aguars in the
wood Then he awoke, we got our break
fast OF jerked beef and coffee, and we
went back 10 the ranch.
After seeing the Zambo catch horse
7 am as much at a loss 70 explain how
no could do it as any OF the llaneros,
who ascribed 1t 10 diabolical power, or.
rather. I do explain it In one way. and
that Is. first, an absolute knowledge Of
the nature OF the horse. by means OF
which ne made his first approaches 20 the
band without alarming Il, and then by
mesmerism pure and simple. All that
Pablo Metanarmo knew I'm the matter
was that he could do this thing, and
that he was IN the condition OF wilted
rag when al last he had caught the
horse."-New York Sun.