THE MUSTANG, OR WILD HORSE. 467 



of the generous steed, tlms breaking through his " guard," 

 and fastening those massive distended clamps upon his wind- 

 pipe, hangs there like a bull-dog. 



Then comes a sudden silence, and the frightened dames, 

 their bodies clustered together as close as they can crowd, 

 their heads all turned toward the combatants, stare in trem- 

 bling terror at the death-struggle. Many a frantic plunge 

 the poor horse makes — but all the lithe vigor of his polished 

 limbs avails him nothing — now rearing erect in the despera- 

 tion of his agony, he clatters his fore hoofs upon the tough 

 shoulders of his assailant, but they make about as much 

 impression there, as they would have done upon the trunk 

 of a live oak. Now, with every muscle strained, and the 

 big veins almost bursting through his delicate skin, he 

 springs wildly forward into the air as though he would 

 bound clear over the ugly brute ; but no — with a stolid 

 and passive sturdiness, he hangs on, until, at last, all his 

 mighty strength expended in vain but furious stragglings, 

 with a deep smothered groan, the noble stallion falls heavily 

 upon his side. And now the rude conqueror condescends to 

 quit his hold, and with his bloody jaws distended in a still 

 louder bray of triumph, he rushes at the shivering squad of 

 mares ! And such a scatterment ! Like mad, they rush off 

 in every direction — he right upon their heels ! Soon he 

 closes with some wretched unfortunate, and then comes 

 another frantic struggle between savage lust and fear. . 



The battles between the stallions though, are gallant 

 displays of graceful and splendid action — they rear and 

 wrestle like the athlete of olden time — their long and 

 silky manes dishevelled — their large eye-balls suffused and 

 red, glowing with angry fires — their pied and glossy coats 

 stained with blood upon the milk white ground, and gleaming 

 with the rapid play of agile limbs. Mr. Miller, our artist, 

 who took the sketch of the scene we give, on the spot, 



