BUY A WILD HORSE. 175 



of the best horses I ever sat on, and was very handsome, 

 being a black about fifteen hands and a half high and three- 

 quarters bred. "While in this camp we had an opportunity 

 of seeing how rapidly streams can rise ; we had been told 

 of a small rivulet becoming a roaring torrent in a single 

 night, but had not believed it, and we were now to see a proof 

 of this. 



Some men came into our camp one evening, and told 

 us that near where they lived a horse had just been re- 

 captured by lassoing from a wild band, which they thought 

 would suit us if we could tame him. He was, they said, 

 thorough-bred and very handsome, but owing to his having 

 run wild for two years, he had not come to his proper growth, 

 being only fourteen and a half hands high. This was the size 



we preferred, so tempted by the description H and I 



determined to go and see him, and as they stayed the night in 

 our camp we went with them the next morning. A ride of 

 twelve miles brought us to a farm, where we found the horse 

 tied in the middle of a field, and he was so wild that they had 

 put three lariats on him fastened to different posts. On going 

 up to him he trembled all over, and the sweat poured off him, 

 nor would he allow us to touch him, crouching down when we 

 attempted to do so ; but he was so handsome and so well made, 

 that I bought him, giving two hundred dollars (.40) for him. 

 He was a bright chestnut with a skin like satin, showing a 

 network of veins all over it ; he had splendid shoulders, was 

 well ribbed up and very big under the knee, and when we had 

 had him some time he filled out wonderfully. The great trouble 

 was, how to take him to camp ; so I bought him on condition 

 that he was to be delivered safe at our tent. 



