The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-01-16
Fierce MOOnlit Battle of Two
Wild Stations.
GRAY WAS MONARCH OF THE RANGE
OF Thoroughbred Ancestry, He Led HIS
Harem Over Arizona Plains, Comsuering
and Killing All RiyaIs-Hunters Came by
Night Upon the Scene of His Greatest
Fisht-With Teeth and Heels, Two Mag
nifcent Animals Battied TO the Death.

AItnough the buffalo has about disap-
peared from the Western plains. the wild
morse is still there" said A j. Daggs, of
Phoenix. AriZ. of course. one does not
see the vast herds of the pampas If South
America, yet they roam over the range III
large numbers and display all the qualities
that become the free-born equine. I have
seen them in droves OF 70 TO 80. led by the
stations that are the best fitted for lead
ership.
The Arizona Wild horse Is practically an
importation from California. They came
there when the latter State passed a law
providing that horses should be confined
to the land OF the owner and not allowed
to wander at large on the range. Some
men had a sort OF Craftsmanship OF the
horses which grazed on the range. They
were not bronchos, but many of them
were thoroughbreds which had become
partially wild. These herds were there
fore driven out Of the State and taken
across the desert to Arizona Those that
have noticed most particularly were 10
Gated in the Mogollon Mountains, in Coco
nino and Navajo Counties. They were as
wild as Rocky Mountain sheep, keeping
out of the sight Of men, and carrying Oh
many bloody conflict with rival bands.
Gray Monarch of the Plains.
'1 have seen them out feeding on the
range, the mares browsing steadily on the
fresh. sweet grass. and the stallion. ever
watchful. raising his proud head every
moment TO scent the approach of man or
some equine antagonist. Their habits are
peculiar, especially when they go to water.
They only drink once every two or three
days IL the water is not easy Of access
When they get ready to quench their
thirst the leader gives the signal to his
charges, and off they gallop at a furious
pace for twenty miles or more without a
stop until they reach the stream or pool
The dust rises in clouds from beneath their
hoofs and the earth shakes with the
thunder of their headlong rush. When
they arrive at the watering place they
drink till their sides are distended, and
they walk slowly away, feeding as they GO
Zone sees some magnificent specimens of
horsehesh among these wild droves. There
is one l must tell you about: for if there
ever was a king among his kind he was
an emperor. He was a thoroughbred iron
gray, slightly fiea-bitten stallion, a little
over twelve hundred in weight, clean
limbed and absolutely perfect in form. He
had mean head, showing that he was a
fighter. His eye was keen, and when he
arehed his neck and gazed around he
looked as if he could peer into the future.
He was a jealous monarch, and no stall
lion was ever allowed to approach his
harem. I watched him a great deal. 1t
was not often that l could get closer to
him than mile, but I would get up on a
hill or nearby butte and look at him
for hOfIrG fhrnIph q III
Knew No Rival on the Range.
He was particular in the choice of his
mares They were all OF fine strain and
able to run away from the ordinary
horse. His progeny have since made rec
OrdS both in harness and under saddle
and the colts were much sought after. He
used to kill every broncho stallion that
came near his herd. He would hear the
neighing off in the distance and would
raise his head. shifting the air and scan
ming the horizon. Finally ne would locate
the audacious male, and off he would GAL
lop. fairly splitting the wind No horse
could run away from MIN, and il was not
five minutes before the combat would
end in the death of the broncho. who could
not Withstand the furious biting and kick
ing of the big gray.
He became famous throughout the
whole country. 1 think he had a name at
one time, for he was once a chattel be-
fore he got out on the range and shifted
the air of freedom He was admirably
fitted for leadership. A horse has TO be.
for his life is one continual combat He
has to be the most courageous, and sa-
gacious and powerful of the stations.
He is forced 20 kill his rivals, and must
know how to control his herd The lat
ter trust absolutely to his generalship.
The gray was not lacking in this respect
have seen him heading his charges in
some particular direction. He would ar
range them in sections, biting them and
kicking them gently. After he had start
ed them in the course he desired. he would
gallop around the herd and take the lead
at MS long, swinging gallop.
Thrilling Equine Battle.
$50 far as / have ever known he had
but one fight which gave him any trouble
and / was fortunate enough to see that. / |
had been out hunting in the MogoIlon |
Mountains during the day with a party of |
friends, and We were late getting home. |
We were on foot, and it was lucky that |
we were, for single neigh from our |
steeds would have given the alarm. The |
moon was shining brightly. and it's rays |
lit UP the rugged landscape with a weird |
CLEAN. 1t was a ghOstly scene, and we sat |
down on some powders to look on il.
'All al once an uncanny, shTieking howl, |
as of some soul in dire distress, fiOated 1
through the air, sounding near at hand. |
and yet far off in the distance. We mount |
ed little jutting crag overlooking the |
broad plain, which stretched away for
miles, and there we saw a wonderful l
sight. The broad expanse, lighted by the
full moon, was dotted with horses of all l
sizes and colors. For several minutes we /
were dumfounded by the sight of the ami
mails stretched out over the plateau busiIy /
feeding on the succulent grass.
Suddenly upon the clear night air
sounded blood-curdling neigh, as clear
as a bugle-cah. Immediately the herd 4
stopped feeding and stood with heads L
erect, an army awaiting the command OF /
its general. Another prolonged neigh. /
pitched In a higher key, and. like
whiriwind, the whole herd bolted UP the
plain. as orderly and regularly as the
best disciplined cavalry, the Ranking ana I
rear attachments posted with studi0IIs
exactness. At their head was the mighty /
gray stallion.
Advancing TO the Eme6 lter.
''They did not go far. bat ciIcled around
until they were only 300 yards away from
US, in plain view. A Wild neigh from
Tar out on the plain was followed by the
thunder % a thousand hoofs, and I'D gal
Oped another herd, headed by a gigantic
CRUEL &c