The Savannah morning news., 1903-09-06

out of the old band, or voluntarily
| leaves to form a 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 stray'
from distant ranches or from vaquerc
camps. This has been particularly true
in past years, when effort has beer
| made to capture the wild bands, and
! a cowboy camp has been maintained
in the hills for much of the time. T.
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 I have never
seen a gelding in such a 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
ming to be classed with any on the
range, but they are outcasts so far as
the majority are concerned.
When single stray either from an
other band or from a ranch or camp,
approaches a wild band, there is a care
full inspection on the part of the leader
before permission is given TO join.
Hidden among the same brush l have
watched a leader leave his band, stop
an approaching mare and hold an ap-
parent confab of ten or fifteen min
utes before giving a decision. He
touches noses with the would be men,
Der of his family, walks all about her
and examines her from every side as
closely and carefully as an inspector of
a cavalry corps, and finally either both
join the waiting band, or the outsider
is forced to start off in a different
direction.
The region where these wild horses
exist both on the fiat" and on the
mountain sides is girdironed with trails
made by bands going for water. The
horses never remain near the water
courses after satisfying their thirst,
preferring the open country.
Catching these wild horses is, as may
well be imagined, existing and difficult
work. Among the men engaged in it,
the work is called running" wild
horses and that is what it amounts to.
The Vaqueros run them down by SUI
perior 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 mar
ket. Some two years ago r. c. Bios
som, son of J. A. Blossom, and the
present owner, started to round up this
VIII ELOthg anu luih laltli " SUITE
profit.
The work has been difficult in the
extreme, owing to the character of the
country, the resources of the horess
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 in an exhausted state.
The sight Of a man on horseback is
frequently enough to start a wild band
going for the entire day.
Working upon the knowledge Of this
fact Mr. Blossom last year tried 10
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 10 the fact Mr. Blossom
believes. " hls not being able 10 get
enough dummies lu the field.
The difficulties II the chase are en-
HANGED by the fact that the quarry has
learned a. post senflnels 0n the lookout
Tor danger The country II nearly al
rolling, aud the nfst sight u band