HISTOEICAL FACTS. 



363 



out of camp. Young Alexander, observing that the horse 

 was simply frightened by his shadow, took him by the head 

 and moved him about so that he could not see it, jumped 

 upon his back and let him run. The whole camp was 

 alarmed for the safety of the young prince borne off on the 

 furious horse. But nothing could be done, as the horse soon 

 distanced all pursuers ; and when, a short time afterward, 

 Alexander rode into camp entirely unharmed, with the 

 horse gentle and manageable, the surprise and gratification 

 of all were great. The horse had simply been allowed to 

 run until exhausted, when he became manageable. The 

 same method of 

 subjection, with 

 some slight varia- 

 tions, is still prac- 

 ticed by the peo- 

 ple of South Amer- 

 ica, and by the 

 Indians of our Western Plains. On the pampas the horse 

 is caught with a lasso, thrown to the ground, his head cov- 

 ered with a blanket, when a bridle with a powerful bit and 

 a saddle are put on. He is then mounted, the blanket 

 pulled off, and the horse in his fear runs or bucks until ex- 

 hausted, in his endeavor to throw his rider. . He is then 

 turned about and ridden into camp, the hair of his tail 

 squared off to indicate that he is broken, and he is again 

 turned loose. 



The Indians of our Western plains catch the horse with 

 a lasso, and with a small hair or raw-hide rope form a noose 

 around the lower jaw for a bridle, mount, and let the horse 

 run until exhausted. Cold-blooded horses may be subdued 

 with considerable success by this means, but those of a 

 warm-blooded, courageous nature, if given freedom to run 

 in this way, would be liable to go until they dropped dead, 



Fig. 253.— The Leg-strap. 



