OF FARRIERY. 



323 



TTILD HORSES OF SOUTH AMERICA. 



TuR wild Horses which exist in the exten- 

 sive plains of South America, are descendants 

 of those introduced by the Spaniards. In the 

 province of Cumana, there are great numbers 

 of wild Horses in the forests. They go in 

 companies, generally to the extent of five or 

 six hundred. They occupy the great savannas, 

 where it is difficult to disturb or try to catch 

 them. In the dry season, they are sometimes 

 obliged to go two or three leagues, and even 

 more, in search of water. They set out in 

 regular ranks — four a-breast. Five or six 

 scouts precede the troop by about fifty paces. 

 If they perceive an enemy, they neigh, and 

 the troop stops ; if avoided, they continue 

 their march ; but if any one dare to march 

 across their squadron, fhey turn on him, and 

 crush him under their feet. No foe is capable 

 ot" withstanding their attack. They have a 

 regular chief, who /marches between the 

 scouts and the squadron — a kind of adjutant, 

 whose duty consists in hindering any indi- 

 vidual from quitting the ranks. If any one 

 attempts to straggle, either from hunger or 

 fatigue, he is bitten till he resumes his place. 

 When wild Horses are feeding, should any 

 stragglers be threatened with an attack, by a 

 particular signal, which they all understand, 

 they close into a dense mass, and trample the 

 assailant to death. When an attack is re- 

 Kolved upon, their leader shows the example ; 

 and if he consider a retreat necessary, he gives 

 the signal, and it is instantly obeyed. 



WILD HORSES OF NORTH AMERICA. 



Herds of wild Horses, the offspring of those 

 ■wlikh have escaped from the Spanish posses- 

 sions in Mexico, are not uncommon on the 



extensive prairies that lie to the west of th« 

 Mississippi. They were once numerous on 

 the Kootannie Lands, near the northern sources 

 of the Columbia. They are not known to 

 exist in a wild state to the northward of the 

 52d or 53d parallel of latitude. The young 

 stallions live in separate herds, being driven 

 away by the old ones, and are easily ensnared 

 by using domestic mares as a decoy. The 

 natives are acquainted with the Spanish 

 American method of taking them with the 

 lasso. Major Long mentions that " Horses 

 are an object of a particular hunt to the Osages. 

 For the purpose of obtaining these animals, 

 which in their wild state preserve all their 

 fleetness, they go in a large party to the country 

 of the Red Canadian River, where they are to 

 1)6 found in considerable numbers. When 

 they discover a gang of Horses, they distribute 

 themselves into three parties, two of which 

 take their stations at different and proper dis- 

 tances on the route, which, by previous ex- 

 perience, they know the Horses will most 

 probably take when endeavouring to escape. 

 This arrangement being completed, the first 

 party commences the pursuit in the direction 

 of their colleagues, at whose position they at 

 length arrive. The second party then con- 

 tinues the chase with fresh Horses, and pur- 

 sues the fugitives to the third party, which 

 generally succeeds in so far running them 

 down, as to noose and capture a considerable 

 number of them." The domestic Horse is an 

 object of great value to the Nomadic tribes of 

 Indians that frequent the extensive plains of 

 the Missouri, &c. ; for they are not only useful 

 in transporting their tents and families from 

 place to place, but one of the highest objects 

 of the ambition of a young Indian is to posseoa 

 a good Horse, for the chase of the icmffalo — aa 



