The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-04-12
THE VANISHING cAYUsE.
The Mustang of the Plains is Disap-
pearine Like the Buffalo.


From the Arizona Republican
Twenty years ago, or even ten Of
i've years since, the mustang and he
JACK RABBIT were two or the COM
mODest pests il the west. ON every
plain and mesa, in each spot where a
particle OF green found q livelihood,
beneath the shelter OF a dusty sage
brush or thorned mesquite, the Ut
tie, hardy, shaggy cayuse and the
long-eared, alert ana rapid jack rab-
bit browsed in peace and quietude.
A rider across the arid wilds of the
great southwest could count, If ne
desired, hundreds ana thousands of
the wiry, wild horses, and from every
bush jack hurried away from the
path of the traveller, a gray streak,
scurrying over the sand and grace
fully sailing over obstructing brush
the kangaroos of America.
Now not a mustang can be found
in a days travel or weeks, and
only an infreQuent jack breaks in on
the monotony of desert ride. Ten
years ago two hundred thousand nus
tangs were scattered over the ranges
in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.
AS the bicycle grew in favor the horse
decreased in value, and the mustang
became an outcast and an outlaw. He
intruded on the cattle ranges and was
shot for his pains, the cowmen intent
on the saving of feed for their stock.
he ventured amid the sheep flocks
and the coyotes Toasted on his car
cass. Everywhere he was worth
less reprobate. an interloper, and valu-
able only as target for the revolver
of the vaQuero. BY inbreeding the
species grew smaller, and the mus
tangs finish was perceivable. The
extremely low price of high grade
eastern horses put the cayuse out ct
service, and his only haven Of refuge
was among the Indians. The red
men harbored him, fed him and tam
ed him, and today on the reservations
can be found the last of his race,
disappearing as did the buffalo, but
from a different cause. His exter-
mination was rapid and somewhat OF
a mystery. Many stockmen attribute
it merely to degeneration, but closer
observes assert that many thousands
of the ponies of the desert were sur
reptitiously converted into canned
beef, and are even now being served
over eastern tables and army messes
as select product of the cattle range.
Be that as it may, the mustang is no
more, and has been replaced by
higher and finer breed of the equine
species. Over plains where once
roamed the vast herds Of mustangs
which. by the way, were doubtless
the offspring OF horses brought over
soon after the Spanish invasion-now
feed as fine horseflesh as can be found
anywhere in the world. Several years
ago a great importation Of Oregon
mares, the sturdy stock Of the rough
northwest, was sent south. At the
same time number Of fine stations
from Kentucky and Indiana were ship
ed to the southwest. The outgrowth
has been that Texas and Arizona are
rapidly becoming known as important
factors in the horse trade. The or
spring has been weii-proportioned
strong and extremely hardy horse
Over the rocky hills and the gravelly
plains the horse of the southwest has
had his travelling, and developing his
strength and capability for rough
work. The dry, healthful climate has
developed his lung power, and in the