338 THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



487. Feats of Horsemanship. Camanches throwing themselves on the side of their 

 horses, while at full speed, to evade their enemies' arrows — a most won- 

 derful feat. Painted in 1834 at Great Camanche village, campaign with 

 First Dragoons. 



(Plate No. 167, page 65, vol. 2, Catlin's Eight Years.) 



The Camanches, like the Northern tribes, have many games, and in pleasant 

 weather seem to be continually practicing more or less of them on the prairies back 

 of and contiguous to their village. 



In their ball-jjlays and some other games they are far behind the Sioux and others 

 of the northern tribes ; but in racing horses and riding they are not equaled by any 

 other Indians on the continent. Racing horses, it would seem, is a constant and 

 almost incessant exercise, and their principal mode of gambling; and perhaps a 

 more finished set of jockeys are not to be found. The exercise of these people, in a 

 country where horses are so abundant and the country so fine for riding, is chiefly 

 done on horseback ; and it " stands to reason" that such a people, who have been 

 practicing from their childhood, should become exceedingly expert in this wholesome 

 and beautiful exercise. Amongst their feats of riding there is one that has astonished 

 me more than anything of the kind I have ever seen or expect to see in my life — a 

 stratagem of war learned and practiced by every young man in the tribe, by which 

 he is able to drop his body upon the side of his horse at the instant he is passing, 

 effectually screened from his enemies' weapons (Plate 167, No. 487) as he lays in a 

 horizontal position behind the body of his horse, with his heel hanging over the 

 horse's back, by which he has the power of throwing himself up again and changing 

 to the other side of the horse if necessary. In this wonderful condition he will hang 

 whilst his horse is at fullest speed, carrying with him his bow and shield, and also 

 his long lance of 14 feet in length, all or either of which he will wield upon his enemy 

 as he passes, rising and throwing his arrows over the horse's back,* or with equal 

 ease and equal success under the horse's neck. 



This astonishing feat which the young men have been repeatedly playing off to our 

 surprise as well as amusement, whilst they have been galloping about in front of our 

 tents, completely puzzled the whole of us, and appeared to be the result of magic 

 rather than of skill acquired by practice. I had several times great curiosity to 

 approach them to ascertain by what means their bodies could be suspended in this 

 manner, where nothing could be seen but the heel hanging over the horse's back- 

 In these endeavors I was continually frustrated, until one day I coaxed a young fel- 

 low up within a little distance of me by offering him a few plugs of tobacco, and ho 

 in a moment solved the difficulty so far as to render it apparently more feasible than 

 before, yet leaving it one of the most extraordinary results of practice and persevering 

 endeavors. I found on examination that a short hair halter was passed around under 

 the neck of the horse and both ends tightly braided into the mane on the withers, 

 leaving a loop to hang under the neck and against the breast, which, being caught 

 up in the hand, makes a sling into which the elbow falls, taking the weight of the 

 body on tho middle of the upper arm. Into this loop the rider drops suddenly and 

 fearlessly, leaving his heel to hang over the back of the horse to steady him and also 

 to restore him when he wishes to regain his upright position on the horse's back. 



Besides this wonderful art these people have several other feats of horsemanship 

 which they are continually showing off, which are pleasing and extraordinary and of 

 which they seem very proud. A people who spend so very great a part of their lives 

 actually on their horses' backs must needs become exceedingly expert in everything 

 that pertains to riding, to war, or to the chase; and I am ready without hesitation 



* Since writing the above I have conversed with some of the young men of the Pawnees who prac- 

 tice the same feat, and who told me they could throw the arrow from under the horse's belly and elevato 

 it upon an enemy with deadly effect. 



This feat I did not see performed, but from what I did see I feel inclined to believe that these young 

 men were boasting of no more than they were able to perform. 



