Year: 1874

heheral james .. BflsDln, IN an account


of an expedition into the Wind River


country, tells the following:


At Brown we saw horse that had a


history worth relating. Some years ago


the Cheyenne Indians stole him in Kansas,
and sold him to the Utes, who in turn sold


him to the Sioux, from which tribe he was


bought or stolen by the Snake indians and


brought to the valley of the Popogaic.


Here he escaped, and for long time baf-


fled all efforts to rocapture him. A length


he was caught and sold to Mr. Gallagcr,
but while being taken to the settlements


he broke a strong chain and ran away into
the mountains. In time he reappeared
ON his old stamping grounds, and again the


Indians laid plans to take him. He was
SO feet he could outrun their best horses,
and no number of them could run him
down. When surrounded or cornered he
bit, kicked and fought SO fiercely it was
impossible to hold him. One day he was
surprised in cannon by body of warriors,
and lassoed before he could get out Sc
curely tied with ropes, he was brought to
the Indian camp, and starved, beaten and
choked into semi-obedience. An ambi-
tious Indian attempted to ride him, and
awny Ia YapI 20 tbo b,ils ID. .. ,..l.
the Indian returned to camp, sore and tired,
but without the horse he had been thrown
and the animal was once more at large.
He was often seen after this, but defed all
attempts to take him. One afternoon an
Indian who was out fishing saw the wild
horse grazing under bluff, and, tying
large stone to his lariat, he crawled to the
edge of the rocks, and threw the moose
with unerring precision. The horse drag
ged the rock for some distance but chokcd
by the thong, he staggered, fell to the
ground and was once more bound hard
and fast. The Indians now tied him with
a log chain TO a tree, but even this lie man
aged to break, and fed to the hills.


He was not seen for long time, but
soon after the founding of Camp Brown, a
sentinel reported horse on the bluffs, and
on examining the animal through glass,
it was found to be the famous wild horse.
On attempting to approach him he fed
like the wind into the mountains but the
next day was again seen perched on the
bluff, quietly looking down at the camp.
The commanding officer ordered him not
to be disturbed, and the next day put some
mules on the bluff to Craze. He came
down aud remained with them all day, but
retired at night into the mountains. The
noxt day hecamc down to the cavalry herd
on the plain, but seemed greatly excited,
aud kept running about all day The COM
manding officer directed that no one should
pursue him as long as he kept in motion,
and by gentle alarms, he was made to gal
lop in wide circles about the herd, but, as
il charmed would constantly return to it,
Late in the afternoon, parties of cavalry,
men on mules and a company of infantry
were sent quietly out of the front, and oc-
cupied the passes and Hill tops for miles
1t was known he would break through
small circle, and so an immense one was
formed to run him down. The pursuing
party were twenty-seven in number, and
stationed at equal distances. No two were
to pursue the horse at once, unless signal
for all TO close in was given. The chase
began, and, as is the custom of animals
when hard pressed, the horse ran nearly
iu a circle. The trap had been adroity laid,
new pursuers constantly keeping him at
his mettle, while the old ones dropped out
TO occupy the stations in the great ring.


The rapidity and length of time which
he ran were incredible. The log chain he
had on when he made his last escape from
the Indians was still about his neck, and
the end of il threshed his fore-legs until
the hair and even the skin was beaten off
aud the blood ran down On he wentlike
the wind, shaking off cavalrymen, opening
wide gaps between him and his pursues.
il was getting near dark, and still the chase