New-York tribune., 1901-02-17
THE VANISHING CAYUSE.
THE MUSTANG OF THE PLAINS DISAP-
FEARING LIKE THE BUFFALO
From The Ariznna Renuhlican-

From The Arizona Republican.
Twenty years ago. or even ten or five years
since, the mustang and the jack rabbit We're two
of the commonest pests in the West ON every
plain and mesa, in each spot where a particle
of greed feed found livelihood, beneath the
shelter of a dusty sagebrush thOrned mes
quite, the little, hardy shaggy cayuse ard the
long cared alert ana rapid jack rabbit browSed
in pence and quietude. \ rider across the arid
wilds of the great Southwest could count if he
desired. hundreds and thousands of the wiry
wild horses, and from every bush Jack hurried
away from the path of the traveller. gray
streak. scurrying over the sand and gracefully
sailing over obstructing brush-the kangarOOs of
America.
Now not a mustang can he found in a days
travel. OF a weeks and only infrequent jack
breaks IL on the mOnoJony of desert ride
Ten years ago two hundred thousand mustangs
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 outlaw. He
lntruded 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 hocks and the coyotes feasted on his car
CaSS Everywhere he "a worthless repro
bate, an interlop"r, and valuable only tar
get for the revolver of the VaquerO. by nbrced-
ing the species grew smaller, and the mustangs
hnlsh was perceINabe. The extremely low price
OF high grade Eastern horses put the cayuse out
of service, and his only haven Of refuge was
among the Indians. The red men harhOred him.
reservations can bc found the last of his race,
disappearing as did the buffalo, but from a diff
somewhat of a mystery. Many stockmen at
tribute il merely to degeneration. but closer OBJ
servers assert that many thousands Of the
ponies of the desert We're SurTcptiti0uSly con-
Vcfted into canned beef. and are even now being
served over Eastern tables and Army mess $ as
a select product Of the cattle range Re that
il may. the mustang is more. ana has been
replaced by a higher and finer breed Of the
equine species. over plains where rOamed
the vast herds of muStangs-Whch, 10y the way.
Were dcIbtlt the offspring of hoIses brought
over soon after the Spanish inVaSiun-n0W feed
as fine hurscfcsh can Ice found anywhere in
the world Several years ago great importa-
rough Northwest. was sent South. At the same
time number Of fine stations from Kentucky
and Indiana We're shipped to the SOUth Invest
The outgrowth has been that Texas ANA Arizona
arc rapidly becoming known important fact
ors in tho horse trade Tho offspring has boon a
wei propurtiuncd strong and extremely hardy
horSr. over the rocky hills and th' @ravelly
plains the horse Of the. Southwest has had his
travelling. and drvcIorcd his strength and
capabity for rough work. TIL" dry, hralthful
climate has developed his lung power and in
the South African English officers found
the American hoTSt Of the SouthW.St the
strongest, hardest and fastest in the rough
work ot the Eoer campaign. In such este I'm. in
deed. is he held that Eastern buyers are Scour-
inE the horse ranges and paying the hiShts ST
buyers give their preference L. him In many
localities cattlcmen are evolving info horsemen.
AMI tn. steady demand and high prices promise
w"U for a business that nve years ago was un-
dir AIMED of.
A. 10 :hat other pest the jack rabbit. his cX-
tinctiuu is only matter II no grD at length Of
time. Civilization is CruWdiuG him out. and the
dho ririnc is slauEht, ring him. and between two
fires H. cannot last long TIL dogs pf the set
tiers az. thinning him cut. and jack hunting is
a popular sport. \ f"-t pair "f grey hounds in a
half day : hunt have been known to hill half "A
hundred rabbits. ard the Indians slaughter
them at even NOR, rapid rate Rabbit hunts
among the redskins are frequent occurrences,
ana huudr -,is of reservation reds will
participate in the chase. Such a signt is one
never To hc forgotten hN an E1Strruvr. Usually
spreading over Wide territory. thv Indians
gradually clos, into a small circle. and the
affriEhtcd jacks scurry back and forth they are
either Killed hy the blunt arrows from the Ind
ian bows or arr finally rounded uP in Il compact
mass. where they are riubtcd To- death. Some
times different mrthud is pursued, and with
relays of hnrSrrlcn tho rabbits are run down and
killed In either CaS,. the result is the and
Z, great feast is assured for tho MIGHT. Some
tiIicS many hundred rabbits SIaUShtcTcd.
and hctW,,n this cause of dcc-raS- and the gun
of the white hunter tho jack rabbit in spite Of
he remarkable fcCundity IF the species, is
doomed t. eventually become a past feature of
the. life of thu Southwest.