The chapparal aided us by concealing our movements; and in half-an-hour
we had deployed around the prairie.
The drove still browsed and played. They had no suspicion that a cordon
of hunters was being formed around them, else they would have long since
galloped away.
Of all wild creatures, the shyest is the wild-horse; the deer, the
antelope, and buffalo, are far less fearful of the approach of man. The
mustang seems to understand the doom that awaits him in captivity. One
could almost fancy that the runaways from the settlements--occasionally
seen amongst them--had poured into their ears the tale of their
hardships and long endurance.
I had myself ridden to the opposite side of the prairie, in order to be
certain when the circle was complete. I was now alone, having dropped
my companions at intervals along the margin of the timber. I had
brought with me the bugle, with a note or two of which I intended to
give the alarm to the mares.
I had placed myself in a clump of mezquite trees, and was about raising
the horn to my lips, when a shrill scream from behind caused me to bring
down the instrument, and turn suddenly in my seat. For a moment, I was
in doubt as to what could have produced such a singular utterance, when
a second time it fell on my ear, and then I recognised it. It was the
neigh of the prairie stallion!
Near me was a break in the thicket, a sort of avenue leading out into
another prairie. In this I could hear the hoof-stroke of a horse going
at a gallop.
As fast as the underwood would allow, I pressed forward and came out
upon the edge of the open ground; but the sun, low down, flashed in my
eyes, and I could see no object distinctly.
The tread of the hoofs and the shrill neighing still rang in my ears.
Presently the dazzling light no longer quite blinded me: I shaded my
eyes with my hand, and could perceive the form of a noble steed
stretching in full gallop down the avenue, and coming in the direction
of the manada.
Half-a-dozen springs brought him opposite; the beam was no longer in my
eyes; and as he galloped past, I saw before me "the white steed of the
prairies."
There was no mistaking the marks of that splendid creature: there was
the snow-white body, the ears of jetty blackness, the blue muzzle, the
red projected nostril, the broad oval quarters, the rounded and
symmetric limbs--all the points of an incomparable steed!
Like an arrow he shot past. He did not arrest his pace for an instant,
but galloped on in a direct line for the drove.
The mares had answered his first signal with a responsive neigh; and
tossing up their heads, the whole manada was instantly in motion. In a
few seconds, they stood at rest again, _formed in line_--as exact as
could have been done by a troop of cavalry--and fronting their leader as
he galloped up. Indeed, standing as they were, with their heads high in
air, it was easy to fancy them mounted men in the array of battle; and
often have wild-horses been mistaken for such by the prairie traveller!
Concealment or stratagem could no longer avail; the chase was fairly up.
Speed and the lazo must now decide the result; and, with this
conviction, I gave Moro the spur, and bounded into the open plain.
The neighing of the steed had signalled my companions who shot almost
simultaneously out of the timber, and spurred towards the drove, yelling
as they came.
I had no eyes for aught but the white steed, and after him I directed
myself.
On nearing the line of mares, he halted in his wild gallop, twice reared
his body upward, as if to reconnoitre the ground; and then, uttering
another of his shrill screams, broke off in a direct line towards the
edge of the prairie. A wide avenue leading out in that direction seemed
to have guided his instincts.
The manada followed, at first galloping in line; but this became broken,
as the swifter individuals passed ahead of the others, and the drove
were soon strung out upon the prairie.
Through the opening now swept the chase--the pursuers keenly plying the
spur--the pursued straining every muscle to escape.