Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-07-13
THIeET;s WILD HORSES.
a DUEL OF STATIONS AND 4
BATTLE BETWEEN HERDS.

Almost Human Charactertstics Of the
AnimaIs-Movemen Directed by
Military science-Fall of the BIS
white stalIion--A Connict in which
Many Fell.
william Jameson Reid, who spent
several years In exploring China and
Thibet, gives the following account OF
the wild horses of Thibet In his book;
Through UNEMPLOYED Asia"
wild horses. called by the Sifanese
Dzerlikadu, are very numerous In the
country to the eastward Of Sukul mt
the base of the mountain ranges. They
are generally In large herds. very shy,
and when frightened continue their
flight for days. They are never hunt
ed owing to the difficulties Of the
chase, but are captured by strong
tributed in the districts which they are
known to frequent, In this manner In
surfing their capture without injury.
These horses usually roam over the
country In groups Of fifty to hundred.
Each lot of mares is led by stallion,
the size Of whose family depends on
his age. strength and courage, his in
dividual qualities keeping his herd to-
gether. Over this he maintains the
most strict watchfulness, for il he
describes intruders from other herds in
his ranks he rushes to the encounter
and tries in every way by biting and
kicking to drive them Off. During the
breeding season the males are excep-
tionally aggressive, and encounters
among themselves, and even attacks
on human beings, are of frequent &C.
currence.
Long before reaching this country
we had been entertained by numerous
narratives of n more or less nebulOus
character concerning the almost hui
man characteristics Of these animals
in which stories we had placed no
more faith than in those usually told
by the natives. The head man Of Sukul
we had Immediately concluded was no
better than his fellows. for he told
such astonishing tales of the doings of
this equine nation that we momentar-
lily expected he would tell of cities,
forts and houses built by them. We
were all the more surprised, therefore,
when, on the second day, he came to
us with the assertion that, If we We're
still incredulous. he was ready and
willing to put proof to the test, as
several of his hunters had reported a
number of herds in the valley plain to
the southwark. Accordingly, shortly
before nightfall, we rode for some
hours, until we had reached spot
whence we could overlook the plain
where we were informed the astonish-
ing wonders of which we had been told
might be performed.
about 10 o'clock, as, shiyering with
the almost Arctic GOODNESS Of the
weather, we were making futile efforts
to keep warm, and cursing our stupid
ity in coming to verify fairy tales, we
were aroused to action by an ominous
stir among our ponies, who were
straining at their tethers and whinny-
ing nervously. a few minutes later a
weird, shrieking howl, as of some soul
in dire distress. hoated through the
air, sounding near at hand and yet
far removed. Following the guide, we
mounted to little jutting crag over
looking the broad plain which
stretched away for miles from the foot
of the broad plateau. and there, in
deed, saw n sight which almost beg
CARED description. The broad ex-
panse. lighted by the new moon, which
rendered the surrounding country al
most as luminous as day, was filed
with herds upon herds of horses Of
every size, color and description. For
several moments we were dumbfOund-
ed ut sight so thrilling and awe-in-
spiring-a vast, surging mass Of living,
breathing animals busily engaged In
feeding OH the luxuriant grass Of the
valley. Suddenly, upon the night air
resounded blood-curdling neigh, as
clear as bugle call; and Immediately
the herd stopped feeding and stood
with neads erect, as a nightly army
at the call of its leader. Another pro-
longed neigh, pitched in a somewhat
higher key, and. like whirlwind. the
whole herd bolted up the valley, as
orderly and regularly as the finest
disciplined army, with the three or
four who seemed to be the leaders
symmetrically arranged ahead of the
main body, and thanking and rear de-
tachments posted with studious exact
ness.
Ion reaching the head Of the plain
once more they came to halt and
grazing was resumed. Our attention
had been so drawn in following the
action of this herd that we had not
noticed that another fully as large had
come from far down the valley and
had installed themselves on the feeding
grounds just vacated. The scene In
front was now all-engaging; cold and
| fatigue were alike forgotten i'm the en-
thralling interest of the moment. For
half an hour both herds cropped the
short grass in silence, when shrill
neigh from the group nearest to us
| attracted our attention i'm their direc-
ton. They had all stopped feeding
| and stood restless and fearful, as il
detecting the approach Of some terri
| BILE enemy. Suddenly from out the
compactly gathered mass sprang gi
| gantic stallion. who, after paving the
earth and meanwhile neighing flercely
proceeded ut gallop n full half mile
up the valley, stepping every few hun
dred feet to repeat his beuicose neigh
ing. Following his movements, we
now saw that another animal was gal