WHENCE COME THE WILD HORSES 1 35 



As the result of this confused chase, the Redskins 

 brought back four colts and a mare. Two of the former 

 were of a bay colour, the other two white ; and their 

 mother, as we supposed her to be, was black as jet. 



On the day after their capture, these six animals, 

 snatched in so brutal a manner from the boundless liberty 

 of the rolling prairies, appeared to have understood the 

 necessity of submission, and had become as docile as their 

 congeners who, for several years, had been denizens of 

 the Pawnee camp. 



The capture of a wild horse is one of the exploits most 

 belauded and envied among the Redskins, to whatever 

 tribe they belong, in the immense savannahs of the United 

 States. The animals who enjoy the glorious freedom of 

 these vast plains are of different forms and different 

 colours, and it is by such means their origin is recog- 

 nized. Some seem to be of the English breed, and pro- 

 bably descend from horses which escaped from the fron- 

 tier-colonies of England prior to the declaration of 

 independence in 1776; others, of smaller stature, but 

 more robust, have undoubtedly sprung from the Aiidal- 

 usian barbs, introduced by the Spanish colonists after 

 Hernandez de Soto had taken possession of the Missis- 

 sippi and its valley-plains. 



The evening following this great chase, we were grouped 

 around the blazing fires which we had kindled for culi- 

 nary purposes. Our seats were skins and furs spread upon 

 the sward. An immense bowl, made of maple wood, 

 simmered before us, containing a savoury olla podrida 



