THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 345 



and having both leveled our pieces at the withers of a noble, fine-looking iron-gray, 

 we pulled trigger, and the poor creature fell, and the rest of the herd were out of 

 sight in a moment. We advanced speedily to him, and had the most inexpressible 

 mortification of finding that we never had thought of hobbles or halters to secure 

 him, and in a few moments more had the still greater mortification, and even an- 

 guish, to find that one of our shots had broken the poor creature's neck, and that he 

 was quite dead. 



The laments of poor Chad wick for the wicked folly of destroying this noble animal 

 were such as I never shall forget; and so guilty did we feel that we agreed that when 

 we joined the regiment we should boast of all the rest of our hunting feats, but never 

 make mention of this. 



The usual mode of taking the wild horses is by throwing the lasso whilst pursuing 

 them at full speed (Plate 161, No. 500), and dropping a noose over their necks, by 

 which their speed is soon checked, and they are " choked down." The lasso is a thong 

 of rawhide, some ten or fifteen yards in length, twisted or braided, with a noose fixed 

 at the end of it, which, when the coil of the lasso is thrown out, drops with great 

 certainty over the neck of the animal, which is soon conquered. 



The Indian, when he starts for a wild horse, mounts one of the fleetest he can get, 

 and coiling his lasso on his arm, starts off under the "full whip," till he can enter the 

 band, when he soon gets it over the neck of one of the number, when he instantly 

 dismounts, leaving his own horse, and runs as fast as he can, letting the lasso pass out 

 gradually and carefully through his hands, until the horse falls for want of breath 

 and lies helpless on the ground, at which time the Indian advances slowly towards 

 the horse's head, keeping his lasso tight upon its neck, until he fastens a pair of hob- 

 bles on the animal's two forefeet, and also loosens the lasso (giving the horse chance to 

 breathe), and gives it a noose around the under jaw, by which he gets great power 

 over the affrighted animal, which is rearing and plunging when it gets breath, and 

 by which, as he advances hand over hand towards the horse's nose (Plate 162, No. 

 510), he is able to hold it down and prevent it from throwing itself over on its back, 

 at the hazard of its limbs. By this means he gradually advances until he is able to 

 place his hand on the animal's nose and over its eyes, and at length to breath in 

 its nostrils, when it soon becomes docile and conquered, so that he has little else to 

 do than to remove the hobbies from its feet and lead or ride it into camp. 



This breakiug down or taming, however, is not without the most desperate trial on 

 the part of the horse, which rears and plunges in every possible way to effect its 

 escape, until its power is exhausted and it becomes covered with foam, and at last 

 yields to the power of man and becomes his willing slave for the rest of its life. By this 

 verv rigid treatment the poor animal seems to be so completely conquered that it makes 

 no further struggle for its freedom, but submits quietly ever after, and is led or rode 

 away with very little difficulty. Great care is taken, however, in this and in subse- 

 quent treatment not to subdue the spirit of the animal, which is carefully preserved 

 and kept up, although they use them with great severity, being, generally speaking, 

 cruel masters. 



The wild horse of these regions is a small but very powerful animal, with an ex- 

 ceedingly prominent eye, sharp nose, high nostril, small feet, and delicate leg, and 

 undoubtedly have sprung from a stock introduced by the Spaniards at the time of the 

 invasion of Mexico, which, having strayed off upon the prairies, have run wild and 

 stocked the plains from this to Lake Winnipeg, two or three thousand miles to the 

 north.* 



This useful animal has been of great service to the Indians living on these vast 



* There are many very curious traditions about the first appearance of horses amongst the different, 

 tribes, and many of which bear striking proof of the above fact. Most of the tribes have some story 

 about the first appearance of horses, and amongst the Sioux they have beautifully recorded the fact 

 by giving it the name of ShonTc-a-wakon (the medicine dog).— G. C. 



