The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-09-18

leader and there is practically never
more than one stallion to band. AS
soon as a male colt acquires growth
and strength he is either driven out of
the old band, or voluntarily leaves to
form band of his own.
The leader is in every sense and re-
spect the master of the band. The
members of his family are such by his
will, and acquisitions are made only
with his consent. The stock on the
range is frequently added to by strays
from distant ranches or from some
vaquero camp. This has been partic-
ularly true in the past two years, when
effort has been made to capture the
wild bands, and cowboy camp has
been maintained in the hills for much
of the time.
1 have seen iron-shod saddle mares,
jacks, and even mules as members OF
the wild bands, all apparently as wild
as the stallion leader, but l have never
seen a gelding in such band and am
told that they are never permitted to
join. The few that escape to the
plains and hills may occasionally be
seen in bands by themselves, and are
certainly wild enough after a few
months running to be classed with
any On the range, but they are out
casts so far as the majority are con-
cerned.
When a single stray, either from
another band or from ranch or camp,
approaches wild band, there is care
full inspection on the part Of the leader
before permission is given to join.
Hidden among the sage brush l have
watched leader leave his band, stop
an approaching mare and hold an ap-
parent confab of ten or fifteen minutes
before giving decision. He touches
noses with the would-be member of his
family, walks all about her and exam
ines her from every side as closely and
carefully as an inspector of cavalry
corps, and finally either both join the
waiting band, or the outsider is forced
to start off in different direction.
The region where these wild horses
exist both on the ''fat" and on the
mountain sides, is gridironed with
trails made by the bands going for
water. The horses never remain near
the water courses after satisfying their
thirst, preferling the open country.
Catching these wild horses is, as
may we'll be imagined, exciting and
difficult work. Among the men en-
gagged in it the work is called "run
ming" wild horses, and that is what it
amounts to. The vaqueros run them
down by superior skill rather than by
speed and endurance and force them
into some corral or some band of gentle
horses where they can be handled for
market. Some two years ago R. G.
Blossom, son of j. A. Blossom, and
the present owner, started to round up
this wild stock, and turn them to some
profit.
The work had been difficult in the
extreme owing to the character of the
country, the resources of the horses
themselves and their great endurance.
The principal thing necessary is to
keep the horses on the run, giving
them no chance to rest, and finally
rounding them up when in an ex-
hausted state. The sight of man on
horseback is frequently enough to
start wild band going for the entire
day.
Working upon the knowledge of this
fact, Mr.. Blossom last year tried the
device of mounting a lot of dummies
upon captured horses and turning
them loose, counting upon frightening
and exhausting the wild horses that
caught sight Of them, and then run
ming them down with fresh animals.
The scheme was only partly success
ful, owing to the fact, Mr.. Blossom be-
leves, Of his not being able to get
enough dummies in the field.
The difficulties of the chase are en-
banced by the fact that the quarry has
learned to post sentinels on the look
out for danger. The country is nearly
all rolling, and the first sight of band
is usually of one or two lookouts post
ed on the crest of knoll, plainly on
the alert, although miles ava y. On
attempting to move nearer the entire
band appears, and after mement's
gaze at the intruders start off on it's
"dirty trot," the stallion in the rear.
This trot is as deceptive as the lazy
lope of coyote. 1t looks easy to
overcome, but the pursuer soon finds
that it eats up The miles with surpris-
ing rapidity, and that it can be kept