A TROOP OF WILD HORSES.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1526, 9 April 1886, Page 3

A TROOP OF WILD HORSES.

I had camped near the forks of the and was aroused just at day. lr«ht. by footsteps around. After listening for a moment I felt sure that they were the footsteps of horses. Thev saemed to be circling around me —-iot at a canter, not at a trot, but at <k moderate walk. It wis well that I had secured my horse in a thorough manner, for I never saw him so excited, 110 tusged and pulled at his lariat, stood up on bis hiud legs, neighed and snorted, pawed and pranced, and it was his actions that cave me a clue to the identity of my visitors. Tbev were wild horses

Ilid they been Indian ponies my trained borse would hare remained as dumb and silent as a post. ledeed, Indians would not have approached me iu that manner.

I remained very quiet, hoping the horses would remain in sight until daylight should give me a good view of them. I had to wait for a full hour, but when the light gre*v strong the spectacle was one to make a man's blood tingle. The circle had been enlarged until it was half a mile across, and my little camp was the centre. Every horse, and there were 129 of them, stood with bis bead to his centre, and soldiers could not have taken positions on the skirniisbime in a more precise order. I pitied my own animal. He stood with the lariat drawn taut, and trembled in every limb ; and he was as wet with sweat as if I had galloped him tweuty miles. I realized how he must long to break away and join the wild rovers, anefforever end his drudgery.

I dared not raise my feet for fear of alarming the drove, but, nevertheless, [ had a clear view of each horse. Most of them were magnificent animals. Manes down on their shouldens and tails on the grass. They were of various colors, and thev ranged in age from the yearling colt up to the veteran twenty years old, and bays predominated, but every colour was present.

We had been observing each other about ten minutes, when a jet-black stallion, who was the leader of the herd gave a snort, threw up his heels into the air, and broke off at a gallop, followed by the drove in single file. They ran in a true circle, and they made the circuit five times before stopping. Then, at another signal from (he leader, the circle broke, and the horses wheeled into line* or " com* pwjr font,*

Troop horses could not have done bettor; I thought |t first that the line meant to charge me, but at a signal it made a left wheel and galloped straight off on the plain for a mile, broke again, and returned in two ranks.

I had an almost irresistible desire to kill the leader with a bullet Indeed, I reached for my rifle with that intent, but then came the reflection that it would be little short of murder. Such another perfect horse I had never seen. His black coat shone like silk, his limbs and body were perfection, and he had the speed and bottom of a race horse. Not a halt was made for a full hour, and then ifc was only preparatory to taking a swift departure. The last minoeuvre was a'circle at a slow trot, and each horse whinied in a coaxing manner to my own steed. Poor Selim! He struggled in the most frantic manner to break loose, and when finding all bis efforts of no avail he threw himself down on the grass and actually groaned his disappointment.

I rose up then and waved ray blanket. Instead of rushing off in affright as I expected, the leader of the band deliberately approached me a few rods and stood and snorted and pawed as if sending forth a challenge. Then I set up a shouting, waved the blanket some more, and he took his place at the head, formed the band at " company front," and they went off at a gallop, and maintained it as long as I could see the waving line.— Detroit Free Press.