IRON BILLY AFTER BUFFALO. 87 



save neck and knees. It is the simple truth that, 

 in all our acquaintance with him, that mustang never 

 appeared in the least fatigued. After backing and 

 shjang all day, he would spend the night in kicking 

 and stealing from the other horses. 



Mr. Colon, by rare good fortune, obtained a beau- 

 tiful animal, formerly known in Leavenworth as Iron 

 Billy — a dark bay, with head and hair fine as a 

 pointer's, limbs cut sharp, and joints of elastic. 

 After carrying ]\[r. C. bravely for months, never 

 tripping or failing, he was sold on our return to the 

 then Secretary of State, who still owns him. More 

 than once did Billy make his rider's arm ache from 

 pulling at the curb, when the other horses were all 

 knocked up by the rough day's riding. It was in- 

 teresting to see him in pursuit of buffalo. lie would 

 often smell them when they were hidden in ravines, 

 and we wholly unaware of their vicinity. Head and 

 ears were erect in an instant, and, with nostrils ex- 

 panded, forward he went, keeping eagerly in front at 

 a peculiar prancing step which we called tiptoeing. 

 Once in sight of the game, and the rider became a 

 person of quite secondary importance. Billy said, as 

 plainly as a horse could say any thing, "/ am going 

 to manage this thing ; you stick on." And manage 

 it he did. Xot many moments, at the most, before 

 he was at the quarters of the fleeing monsters, and 

 nipping them mischievously with his teeth. I could 

 always imagine him giving a downright horse-laugh, 

 his big bright eyes sparkled so when the frightened 

 bison, at the touch, gave a switch of his tail and a 

 swerve of alarm, and plunged more wildly forward. 



