294 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER 



must it be when thousands of them run wild, and> 

 frightened to a point when no human being can 

 control them, run wildly over the country. In 

 America and other countries, where wild horses are 

 common, it sometimes happens that, by accident, a 

 herd of wild horses gets frightened, and then occurs 

 a scene something like that described by the Hon. 

 C. A. Murray, in his book of travels : 



' About an hour after the usual time at which the 

 horses were brought in for the night, hobbled and 

 otherwise secured near the tents and fires of their 

 respective owners, an indistinct sound arose, like the 

 muttering of distant thunder. As it approached it 

 became mingled wdth the howling of all the dogs in 

 the encampment, and with the shouts and yells of 

 the Indians. In coming nearer it rose high above 

 all these accompaniments, and resembled the lashing 

 of a heavy surf upon a beach. On and on it rolled 

 towards us, and partly from my own hearing, partly 

 from the hurried words and actions of the tenants of 

 our lodge, I gathered that it must be the fierce and 

 uncontrollable gallop of thousands of panic-stricken 

 horses. 



' As this living torrent drew nigh I sprang to the 

 front of the tent, seized my favourite riding mare, 

 and in addition to the hobbles which confined her, 

 twisted the long laryette round her fore-legs, then 

 led her immediately in front of the fire, hoping that 

 the excited and maddened flood of horses would 

 divide, and pass on each side of it. At the same 



