346 THE GEOEGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



plains, enabling them to take their game more easily, to carry their burdens, &c, 

 and no doubt render them better and handier service than if they were of a larger and 

 heavier breed. Vast numbers of them are also killed for food by the Indians, at sea- 

 sons -when buffaloes and other game are scarce. They subsist themselves both in 

 winter and summer by biting at the grass, which they can always get in sufficient 

 quantities for their food. 



Whilst on our march we met with many droves of these beautiful animals, and 

 several times had the opportunity of seeing the Indians pursue them and take them 

 with the lasso. The first successful instance of the kind was effected by one of our 

 guides and hunters, by the name of Beatte, a Frenchman, whose parents had lived 

 nearly their whole lives in the Osage village, and who himself had been reared from 

 infancy amongst them, and in a continual life of Indian modes and amusements had 

 acquired all the skill and tact of his Indian teachers, and probably a little more, for 

 he is reputed, without exception, the best hunter in these western regions. 



This instance took place one day whilst the regiment was at its usual halt of an 

 hour in the middle of the day. 



When the bugle sounded for a halt and all were dismounted, Beatte and several 

 others of the hunters asked permission of Colonel Dodge to pursue a drove of horses 

 which were then in sight, at a distance of a mile or more from us. The permission was 

 given and they started off, and by following a ravine approached near to the unsus- 

 pecting animals, when they broke upon them and pursued them for several miles, in 

 full view of the regiment. Several of us had good glasses, with which we could 

 plainly see every movement and every maneuver. After a race of two or three miles 

 Beatte was seen with his wild horse down, and the band and the other hunters rap- 

 idly leaving him. 



Seeing him in this condition I galloped off to him as rapidly as possible, and had 

 the satisfaction of seeing the whole operation of "breaking down" and bringing in 

 the wild animal, and in Plate 162, No. 501, I have given a fair representation of the 

 mode by which it was done. When he had conquered the horse in this way, his 

 brother, who was one of the unsuccessful ones in the chase, came riding back and 

 leading up the horse of Beatte, which he had left behind, and after staying with us 

 a few minutes assisted Beatte in leading his conquered wild horse towards the regi- 

 ment, where it was satisfactorily examined and commented upon, as it was trembling 

 and covered with whito foam, until the bugle sounded the signal for marching, when 

 all mounted, and with the rest Beattie, astride of his wild horse, which had a buffalo 

 skin girted on its back, and a halter, with a cruel noose around the under jaw. In 

 this manner the command resumed its march, and Beatte astride of bis wild horse, on 

 which he rode quietly and without difficulty until night — the whole thing, the capt- 

 ure and breaking, all having been accomplished within the space of one hour, our 

 usual and daily halt at midday. 



Several others of these animals were caught in a similar manner during our march 

 by others of our hunters, affording us satisfactory instances of this most extraordinary 

 and almost unaccountable feat. 



The horses that were caught were by no means very valuable specimens, being 

 rather of an ordinary quality ; and I saw to my perfect satisfaction that the finest of 

 these droves can never be obtained in this way, as they take the lead at once when 

 they are pursued, and in a few moments will be seen half a mile or more ahead of the 

 bulk of the drove whicjh they are heading off. There is not a doubt but there are 

 many very fine and valuable horses amongst these herds, but it is impossible for the 

 Indian or other hunter to take them, unless it be done by ' creasing ' them, as I have 

 before described, which is often done, but always destroys the spirit and character of 

 the animal. 



